Johnston said no to most of the Council's budget asks. Monday, residents get their say

Denver's 2027 budget is in its last stretch, and the Council's biggest requests mostly didn't make it into the mayor's revised plan.

Mayor Mike Johnston's revised budget, released Oct. 19, accepts about $4.2 million of the roughly $26 million in changes the Council asked for, according to the Denver Gazette. That matters to residents because the requests covered things people notice: rental help, 911 wait times, sheriff staffing and street safety.

What the mayor accepted, and what he didn't

According to the Gazette, the revised plan adds about $2 million for Denver Health and Denver CARES, up to $2 million for a program that helps businesses hurt by city construction, and staff that includes 10 vacant 911 positions, three 311 call-takers, two park rangers and three inspectors. CBS Colorado also reported the Denver Health increase and the added 911 and 311 operators.

The mayor declined three of the largest asks, the Gazette reported:

• $5.5 million more for rental and utility assistance. The city would start 2027 with $4.5 million and revisit after an outside evaluation due in spring 2027.
• $2 million for another sheriff recruitment class. Two classes are already budgeted.
• An $8.9 million shift of transportation money toward street safety. Johnston said that should wait until the Council finishes reworking the fund it would come from.

In his letter, Johnston wrote that the city was "not able to add all of the new staffing requested by City Council," the Gazette reported. To pay for what he did add, the plan draws down the contingency reserve from 2.06% to 2.01% of General Fund spending. That's just above the 2% minimum in the city charter. The General Fund is about $1.68 billion, and Axios Denver reported it is up about 1% from this year.

What our records add

The hearing is set. At the Council's Oct. 19 meeting, Council Member Jamie Torres moved to publish notice of the 2027 budget and the Oct. 26 public hearing (video at 4:14). The block vote that included the notice passed 11-0, with Council Member Stacie Gilmore absent, according to the official roll call. With the at-large seat vacant, 12 members are seated now.

The budget is a single matter. The Mayor's Proposed 2027 Budget is Council record 26-1547 (Legistar). The Oct. 26 agenda lists it for a required public hearing, and the agenda's "pending" section lists it for Nov. 9, 2026 (Oct. 26 agenda).

Members have been asking about these items for weeks. Our transcript search shows rental assistance came up at the Sept. 24 budget hearings (video). Sheriff recruit classes came up Sept. 23 (video). Paying for safety projects from the Transportation and Mobility special revenue fund was raised at the Health and Safety Committee on Oct. 7 (video). You can search what was said across 36 Denver meeting transcripts.

This is the second budget law on the books this year. In July the Council passed 26-0867, a law that sets steps for the mayor and Council to handle budget changes and requires community engagement. It passed 12-0 (Legistar).

What's next

• Monday, Oct. 26: The required public hearing on the 2027 budget at the regular Council meeting, which starts at 3:30 p.m. in the Council chamber (agenda). Denverite reported that sign-ups to speak, or to send written comments, run from Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. to Oct. 26 at 3 p.m.
• Before Nov. 9: Council members can offer amendments to the draft budget before it's adopted, according to the city's Department of Finance.
• Nov. 9: The final budget vote, as listed in the Council's pending items (Legistar meeting record).

Find your Council Member on the district map and see how they've voted on recent legislation.