Parker finance director outlines budget calendar, heavy reliance on property taxes at July 15 workshop

Parker’s finance director, Grant Savage, presented a budget overview at a July 15 council workshop that set the schedule for the city’s 2025–26 budget process and detailed the city’s revenue mix, staffing levels and outstanding debt.

Savage told the council the city’s current (2024–25) budget shows roughly 75% of Parker’s general revenue comes from property taxes and that interest income has become a larger revenue source since interest rates rose three years ago. He said the certified preliminary taxable value used for initial budget calculations is about $2,000,000,000, an increase of roughly $135,000,000 from the prior year that yields an estimated $418,000 in additional revenue based on existing rates.

The presentation summarized Parker’s fund structure, distinguishing government funds (general fund, special revenue, debt service, capital projects) from proprietary enterprise funds (water, wastewater, solid waste). Savage described special revenue accounts such as the law enforcement forfeiture fund, equipment replacement and technology replacement funds, court security and technology funds and child safety funds, and explained many of those are restricted for specific uses.

Savage rev…