Each year, the city of Fort Worth collects millions of dollars from taxpayers, and spends those dollars to run our city. Increasingly, the majority of those millions end up going towards policing. As a matter of fact, in the General Fund of the Fiscal Year 2020 adopted budget, over $267 million went to the police department. And as if that wasn't enough, another $82 million+ was added to the department through the Crime Control and Prevention District half-cent sales tax.

But even with almost 350 million dollars, the Fort Worth Police Department failed to keep us safe. Atatiana Jefferson was killed by a rookie cop in Fiscal Year 2020 (The fiscal year starts each year on October 1st). And just before that tragedy, FWPD shot six people, five of them fatally, within the span of two months.  Does that make you feel safe? Don't you think it's time that we had a say in what real public safety looks like in our community, and how OUR tax dollars fund it and other meaningful initiatives? Last year, the City of Dallas held over thirty Budget Town Halls giving residents ample opportunity to weigh in on the proposed city budget before council voted to adopt. The City of Fort Worth held zero budget town halls. That must change now.

Take action today by sending a letter to your City of Fort Worth representatives demanding that your voice be heard during this budgeting session and every budgeting session hereafter.