Mayor rejects some of Denver City Council’s biggest budget requests – Denver Gazette

Mayor rejects some of Denver City Council’s biggest budget requests  Denver Gazette

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston agreed to restore funding for several programs and staffing positions but rejected some of City Council's largest 2027 budget requests, including additional rental assistance and transportation funding. The Denver City Council is pushing for about $26 million in budget changes to restore services, bolster staffing and revive programs targeted by budget cuts even as Mayor Mike Johnston warned that the city has little room for new spending in 2027. The city is projecting nearly flat revenue growth at just 1.1%. The budget Johnston proposed last month projects just $17.5 million in additional revenue next year, bringing the city’s General Fund to $1.684 billion. In response to the council’s recommendations, Johnston agreed to about $4.2 million in funding for Denver Health, business assistance, community events and two city offices, along with staffing changes that include 10 emergency communications workers, three 311 call takers, two park rangers and three inspectors.

But he declined several of the council’s largest requests, including $5.5 million more for rental assistance, $2 million for another sheriff recruitment class and a proposed $8.9 million reallocation of transportation funding for street safety. To pay for the changes he agreed to make, Johnston is drawing on the city’s contingency reserve, existing departmental budgets and other funding sources. His revised budget, released Monday, reduces the contingency reserve