Fort Worth Voters Decide Today On Tax That Funds Police

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(Fort Worth, TX) — Fort Worth voters will decide today whether to approve a ten-year extension for a half-cent sales tax that helps fund the police department.

The “crime tax” was first approved in 1995, when there was a violent crime wave in the city.

Fort Worth Police Officers Association president Manny Ramirez says the crime tax’s $80 million a year is a quarter of the department’s budget. Fort Worth has nearly doubled in population since then, but crime is down more than 60%. Ramirez says the crime tax made the difference.