How Benbrook is run
Who runs Benbrook, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from Benbrook's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Benbrook
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
Benbrook city staff
130 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 57, Fire and EMS 31, Public works 8, Parks and recreation 8. FY2026-27. City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
The budget lists each position with its pay grade, monthly pay range and budgeted salary. We found no city-published pay list by employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Benbrook in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $23.6M (2025-09-30). The city's own target: Informal policy: keep combined operating fund reserves (general fund plus debt service fund) at $8 million or more and at least three months of operating expenses. City of Benbrook · Mar 5, 2026
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- Property taxes$17.2M · 64%
- Sales and mixed drink taxes$4.7M · 18%
- Franchise fees$1.2M · 5%
- Charges for services (incl. ambulance)$1M · 4%
- Revenue from other agencies (incl. school officers)$650,000 · 2%
- Fines and forfeitures$617,500 · 2%
- Other (interest, permits, miscellaneous, transfer from sanitation fund)$1.3M · 5%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$9.5M · 36%
- Fire and EMS$5.6M · 21%
- Public works (streets)$2.6M · 10%
- Staff services (finance, IT, HR)$1.9M · 7%
- General government (council, manager, secretary, non-departmental)$1.8M · 7%
- Support services$1.3M · 5%
- Parks and recreation$1.1M · 4%
- Community development$1M · 4%
- Other (engineering, court, public services admin, code compliance, transfers out)$1.8M · 7%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Of the city, county and school rates a Benbrook homeowner in Fort Worth ISD pays, about 31 cents of each dollar goes to the city. Tarrant County College and the Tarrant County Hospital District also tax Benbrook property and are not shown. For FY2027 the city set its rate at $0.576304, the no-new-revenue rate.
31¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Benbrook
- Fort Worth ISD (schools)1.0291 · 58%
- City of Benbrook0.555 · 31%
- Tarrant County0.1862 · 11%
- Total ($ per $100 of taxable value)1.7703
2025 tax year (FY2025-26) city, county and school rates for a home in Benbrook in Fort Worth ISD (Tarrant County). Texas Comptroller · Jan 28, 2026
Who provides your services
Not everything in Benbrook is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityBenbrook Police DepartmentCity of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- FireThe cityBenbrook Fire DepartmentAlso covers unincorporated areas of Tarrant County under a county contract.City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- EMS / ambulanceThe cityBenbrook Fire DepartmentCity of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- WaterSeparate districtBenbrook Water AuthorityAn independent special district with a board elected by Benbrook voters.City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- Trash and recyclingContractorAllied Waste Systems (city contract)City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- StreetsThe cityBenbrook Public Works, Street MaintenanceCity of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- ParksThe cityBenbrook Parks and RecreationCity of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- Community centerContractorYMCA (city contract)The YMCA runs the city-built Benbrook Community Center/YMCA.City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- LibrarySeparate districtBenbrook Library DistrictA special district funded by a half-cent sales tax, separate from the city.City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- SchoolsSeparate districtFort Worth Independent School DistrictCity of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- Property tax billingThe countyTarrant County (city contract)City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | ManorTX | BenbrookTX | FateTX | ConverseTX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 23,070 | 24,279 | 29,007 | 32,481 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $255,003 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $1,200 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $1,207 | $1,097 | $657 | $760 |
| Debt per resident | $3,378 | $815 | $1,694 | $1,241 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $40 | $213 | $-11 | $145 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 6.0 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how).
What Benbrook publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted online City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineThe City Manager page and the budget do not include Jim Hinderaker's employment agreement. The budget shows only the position's budgeted salary. City of Benbrook
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineCouncil minutes name the mover, seconder and each member voting aye or no, e.g. the Sept. 17, 2026 budget votes. City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe adopted budget lists $100 a month for the mayor and each council member; the charter sets $50 per regular meeting attended. City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Benbrook · Sep 17, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The general fund ended FY2025 with $23.6M unassigned, close to a full year of general fund spending, against an informal $8M minimum for operating reserves. What is the plan for the balance above the minimum?
- The FY2027 budget is $26.6M with no new programs, and the forecast leaves out new employees even though the city says growth will require them. Which positions are next, and how would they be paid for?
- The city raised its tax rate to $0.576304 for FY2027, the no-new-revenue rate, after property values fell. What happens to services if values stay flat next year?
- The budget lists a $255,003 salary for the city manager position. Will the city post Jim Hinderaker's employment agreement?
The fiscal year starts Oct. 1. The charter requires the city manager to submit a balanced budget by Sept. 1. The council holds budget work sessions in July and August and a public hearing in September. The FY2027 budget hearing was held Sept. 3, 2026, and the council adopted the budget and tax rate on Sept. 17, 2026. See who is running for council
Help decide what comes next
What do you want to know about Benbrook next?
One tap, no sign-in. We count answers; we never show who chose what.
Every number here was checked by hand against the linked document. Cities publish on different schedules, so years differ between sections; each figure says which year it describes. Spotted something wrong or out of date?
See something wrong? Report an error
Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.