Fort Worth Implements Hiring Freeze Amid Budget Shortfall

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The City of Fort Worth has implemented an immediate hiring freeze across its General Fund and Internal Service Funds, according to an internal memo from City Manager Jay Chapa. Chapa stated that current budget projections indicate expenditures will outpace revenues in the 2026 fiscal year, leading the city to limit discretionary spending and recruitment activities until further notice.

Why it matters

The hiring freeze is a proactive measure by Fort Worth officials to address an expected budget shortfall, which could impact city services and operations if not addressed. As municipalities across the country grapple with pandemic-related revenue declines and rising costs, Fort Worth's actions highlight the fiscal challenges many local governments are facing.

The details

In the memo, Chapa said the hiring freeze will not exempt hard-to-fill positions but will exempt Civil Service positions, seasonal/summer hires, positions funded from a source other than the General Fund or Internal Services Funds, and positions posted before March 12, 2026. The goal is to limit discretionary spending until the city can better assess its financial situation for the upcoming fiscal years.

• The hiring freeze was implemented immediately on March 12, 2026.
• The city is projecting expenditures to outpace revenues in the 2026 fiscal year.

What’s next

City officials will continue to monitor the budget situation and assess whether the hiring freeze and other cost-saving measures will be sufficient to address the projected shortfall for fiscal year 2026 and 2027.