Hello, Community!

The Executive Branch of Denver (the Mayor) is telling agencies to slash their budgets by 7.5% this year to absorb the impacts of COVID-19 on our City's budget. We know he has taken an "equal cuts across" agency approach, which does not amount to equity. In a crisis like the one we are facing, certain agencies will need to be insulated—or even expanded—to meet the needs of Denverites. There is not much we can do about the current 2020 proposed cuts, but we do have power to help shape the 2021 budget. Agencies have been instructed to cut their 2021 budget proposals by 11.5%, and we need your help deciding what should be trimmed.

The Mayor allows his agencies, under the leadership of his appointees, develop their own budgets, and then in September, they present to City Council members. We can then amend the budget.

Don't get too excited: Last year, my council colleagues did not stand with me on a single budget amendment. However, I do believe that our deep budget analysis last year helped us to frame the narrative that supports MAJOR re-allocations of Public Safety dollars this year.

So we need your help again! We are breaking up the budget by department (and groupings of related departments in some cases), and need folks to sign up for a thorough analysis of a single department. Let us know the one you want to analyze and we will reach out.