FY 2013 Popular Annual Financial Report FY 2013 Popular Annual Financial Report | Page 2

Mayor’s Message Dear Reader, The Arlington City Council and I are pleased to present the 2013 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 organization in this same way, believing it is a requirement of all responsible governments. The previous year has been a positive one for Arlington. We have had several new developments come to fruition and have seen the rewards from investments made many years ago. Like most people, I am proud to call Arlington home and I am proud of the way that this city and its residents continue to find new ways to succeed and advance. New developments in 2013 include the successful launch of Metro Arlington Xpress (MAX), a shuttle service connecting Arlington to the regional transit system; the graduation of the first Arlington Independent School District (AISD) Fire Academy class, a joint effort between the Arlington Fire Department, the Tarrant County College District and the AISD; and the opening of Arlington’s Youth Education Town, a center for disadvantaged youth located at the Salvation Army. We also saw growth in other key areas including the Entertainment District, the master planned community called Viridian and the Arlington Highlands. All contributed greatly to Arlington’s property tax base. 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 Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Strategic Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Ride the MAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Financial Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 A Look Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 2 This year, the Council focused its work and that of the organization on four strategic priorities - Building a Thriving Community, Enhancing Regional Mobility, Supporting Quality Education, and Defining an Identifiable Brand. We use these focus areas as the foundation of our budget and business plan. They embody the Council’s vision as we continue to strive for excellence to our residents. Because of the importance of these issues, the Council has chosen to maintain these priorities during Fiscal Year 2014. If you want to see more about what we have done in these areas, you can look on the City’s website, www.arlingtontx.gov. Looking to the coming year, we are encouraged by what we see. The City’s property tax rate of 0.648 cents compares favorably to our neighbors and other Texas cities. The strength of our fiscal standing is supported by the findings of the major rating agencies - Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch. And this year, for the first time in our history, the City achieved a AAA bond rating for our General Obligation debt, a level achieved by only 10-15% of cities nationwide. As we close the books on 2013, we see a positive trend. 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. The Council and I remain confident that our best days are ahead. I invite you to share your feedback with us. Sincerely, Robert N. Cluck, M.D. Mayor [email protected] 817.459.6121