Douglas County adopts $608.6 million 2025 budget; local district budgets, appropriations and levies also approved

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 10, 2024 adopted a countywide 2025 budget of $608.6 million, approved related appropriations and levied property taxes to fund the plan. The board also adopted budgets and appropriations for two special districts and adopted separate budgets, appropriations and levies for the Douglas County Law Enforcement Authority.

Martha Marshall, director of budget for Douglas County, presented the proposed 2025 budget. She said the total proposed budget is $608,600,000, with an operating portion of $282,000,000, representing a 5.09% increase over 2024 operating levels. Marshall told the board the county's 2025 budget is under the state TABOR growth factor and complies with county policy and statutory deadlines. She said the budget contains $229,000,000 in one-time initiatives, about $192,000,000 of which is transportation-related, and $58,400,000 funded by state and federal sources, primarily human services.

Marshall said the budget directs a temporary mill levy credit of 1.048 mills—about $11,000,000—to provide property tax relief on bills issued in 2024 for taxes collected in 2025, noting Senate Bill 23-108 authorizes temporary reductions for tax relief. She also said the county has no debt included in the budget, is not adopting any new taxes or fees, and balanced all funds to meet statutory and county fiscal policies.

Key operational changes contained in the budget include a 0.75% high performer merit pool recommended by Human Resources, six additional sheriff's office positions with one-time equipment and vehicle costs, an additional vehicle for a new district attorney investigator, increased funding for economic development now at $1,000,000, and a $3,000,000 allocation for a biochar facility drawn from a $5,000,000 infrastructure reserve. The budget also funds a pilot therapy-dog program in a middle school, expansion of the county's Link mobility service into Highlands Ranch with $2,000,000 redirected by Public Works Engineering, a year-round camping initiative to launch by Memorial Day 2025 funded from the Parks and Open Space Sales and Use Tax Fund, and a $1,000,000 allocation for county welcome signs.

At the meeting Sheriff Darren Weekley thanked the board for the funding, saying, “Douglas County is going to be safer, because of you and the budget request that you have approved.” The board and staff discussed priorities including transportation and public safety; commissioners praised the county's fiscally conservative approach, noting no new taxes and no county debt in the adopted plan.

Earlier on the agenda the board processed budget resolutions for two local entities with short presentations and no public opposition: a resolution adopting the budget and appropriating funds for Lincoln Station Local Improvement District (LID number 0701) and three resolutions for the Woodmoor Mountain General Improvement District (adopting the budget, appropriating funds, and levying general property taxes for 2024 to support the 2025 fiscal year). Each of those district resolutions was presented by Martha Marshall and approved by motion and voice vote.

The board also adopted separate resolutions for the Douglas County Law Enforcement Authority: adopting a 2025 budget, appropriating funds, and levying general property taxes to support the authority. Staff clarified the Law Enforcement Authority levy appears as its own line on property tax statements and applies only to unincorporated properties within Douglas County.

All budget, appropriation and levy resolutions recorded on the Dec. 10 agenda were approved by motion and voice vote with no public testimony recorded for these agenda items.