Arapahoe County receives 2026 recommended budget, sets public hearings for Oct. 28 and Dec. 9

The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 4 acknowledged receipt of the county'wide 2026 recommended budget and set Oct. 28 as the public hearing date for review and Dec. 9 for adoption.

The recommendation, presented by Jessica Savco, budget manager in the county finance department, covers county government operations and related entities including the Arapahoe Law Enforcement Authority, Arapahoe County Recreation District, the Arapahoe County Public Health Fund and other funds across 28 distinct budgets. Savco told the board the recommended budget is structurally balanced and includes a deliberate operating surplus of $33,600,000 to plan for expected revenue volatility in future years.

Savco said total revenue across all funds is $672.8 million, an 8.5% increase from the 2025 adopted budget; total expenditures are $670.1 million, a 17.4% increase. The general fund budget is $315.9 million (an 18.7% increase over 2025). The recommended budget adds about 63 full-time equivalent positions countywide, including 55.75 FTE in the general fund, bringing total FTE to roughly 2,918.57.

Why it matters: Savco and the Executive Budget Committee (EBC) framed the package as a multiyear investment approach that uses a combination of ongoing and one-time spending while increasing policy reserves from 11% to 15% of operating expenditures. The EBC cited uncertainty in state and federal funding and a planned step-down in residential and nonresidential assessment rates as reasons for fiscal caution.

Key elements and assumptions

- Baseline revenue (all funds): $672.8 million; general fund portion: $320 million. - General fund operating surplus (intentional): $33.6 million. - Estimated ending general fund balance: about $134.9 million (including a roughly $4.1 million planned addition). - Net assessed value (preliminary): $16.3 billion (about 1.5% growth from prior year); estimated mill levy: 15.96 mills. - Capital investments: recommended capital budget for 2026 of $26.6 million (up from $10.2 million in 2025); the EBC proposed $15 million one-time transfers from the general fund to the capital expenditure fund in 2026 and a plan to transfer about $25 million per year through 2029 to address deferred maintenance. - Public safety and human services investments: 18 FTE recommended for the sheriff's office (including 10 public safety deputies), roughly 12 FTE for the district attorney's office, 2 coroner FTE, additional community resources FTE, increased rental assistance funding ($1.2 million ongoing) and a $4 million affordable housing investment with $1 million ongoing. - Specific Ownership Tax (motor vehicle registration) of about $10 million is planned to shift from the general fund to Road & Bridge to roughly double road-maintenance funding.

Board discussion and next steps

Commissioners praised the finance team and EBC for a comprehensive process that included a resident advisory committee and department-level reviews. Commissioners noted uncertainty from potential state and federal funding changes and legislative shifts affecting assessment rates; staff said the state'level assessment rate reductions are planned as step-downs and that some nonresidential rate reductions will be permanent per current legislation.

The board set Oct. 28 as a public hearing date for review and Dec. 9 as the adoption hearing. A study session to review the EBC recommended budget is scheduled for Oct. 20; a further study session and third-quarter review is planned for Nov. 18.

Action taken

The board voted to acknowledge receipt of the 2026 recommended budget and set the hearing dates. The motion was moved by Commissioner Baker, seconded by Commissioner Fields, and the chair called the motion passed. (Vote recorded by voice; motion approved.)

Ending

After confirming there were no public comments on the budget and no further commissioner questions, the board approved the motion to acknowledge receipt and closed the agenda item. The Oct. 20 study session and Oct. 28 public hearing will provide further opportunities for public input and line-item review.