FY 2012 Popular Annual Financial Report FY 2012 Popular Annual Financial Report | Page 2

Mayor’s Message Dear Reader, The Arlington City Council and I are pleased to present the 2012 Popular Annual Financial Report. This report is an opportunity to present information about the work of our municipal organization in an open and transparent manner. We work to conduct the business of the Council and the larger corporation in this same way, believing it is necessary as a responsible governmental entity. Arlington continues to flourish. We are a surprise to many people who don’t live here – but all of us have always known what a treasure we have here in Arlington. This year has been one of challenge and achievement. I am so proud of this community for what it has accomplished. Message From the Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . 2 City Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Message From the City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Strategic Performance Plan . . . . . . . . . 5 A Look Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Strategic Planning Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Community Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Neighborhoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Economic Development. . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Capital Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Strategic Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Achievements in Service . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Financial Highlights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 A Look Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 2 Focus on Priorities Some of the more memorable moments from this past year include another appearance in the World Series by the Texas Rangers, two new Arlington events - the Christkindl Market and the Art on the Greene, and Arlington’s 23rd annual “Sharing the Dream” Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Arlington was also challenged by a dangerous spring tornado that destroyed 492 homes and the West Nile Virus that affected the health of many in our region. We are thankful that neither event resulted in any loss of life. In 2012, Arlington continued to stand out with innovative solutions and high levels of achievement. A new and money saving approach was used to solve a water pressure issue by lifting the Harwell Water Storage Tank in North Arlington with hydraulic jacks and then welding it back together. This set a new standard for innovation and saved a lot of money in the process. The City was also recognized with awards in several areas including water, parks design and public safety. Our online citizen survey shows that overall, residents think Arlington is a great place to live – with high ratings for emergency response, water, and libraries as well as the parks and recreation programs. As we look to the coming year, there are many reasons to be optimistic. You can see that the City’s property tax rate of 64 point 8 cents (0.648) compares favorably to our neighbors and other Texas cities. The strength of our fiscal standing is supported by the assignment of the major rating agencies - Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch. Our bond rating is AA+, a rating achieved by only 15% of cities nationwide. We have achieved this because the City Council and staff have worked hard to implement conservative fiscal practices. We manage our debt, and consistently use one-time money for one-time expenses. We stick to our financial policies and make sound financial decisions. As we close the books on 2012, there is a sense of optimism in the air. I’m proud of the work that has been done by Council and staff and offer this report on the financial status of our great city. I invite you to share your feedback with us. Sincerely, Robert N. Cluck, M.D. Arlington Mayor [email protected] 817.459.6121