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El Paso County adopts 2025 budget, certifies 7.315 mill levy and authorizes transfers
Summary
The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 10 adopted the county's 2025 budget, approved a mill levy certification that includes a TABOR refund, and authorized administrative transfers to implement the budget. Commissioners prioritized public safety and roads in the spending plan.
El Paso County commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 10 to adopt and appropriate the county's 2025 budget, certify the county's mill levy for property taxes payable in 2025 and authorize the county treasurer to make transfers necessary to implement the adopted budget.
The budget presentation and votes came after a staff briefing by Nikki Simmons, the county's chief financial officer, who described the plan as the product of months of work by county staff, elected officials and department directors. Simmons said the budget lists roughly $500,000,000 in total revenue sources and shows about $533,000,000 in total expenditures on charts in the packet. She told commissioners that the budget includes a refund under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) estimated at about $8.3 million that will appear on 2024 property tax bills payable in 2025; Simmons said the refund will be distributed as a flat credit to residential real property taxpayers and estimated it at about $36 per household.
Commissioners praised the budgeting process and highlighted funding priorities. Several commissioners said the adopted plan emphasizes roads, transportation and public safety, including pay adjustments for deputies and additional resources for the district attorney's office.
Votes at a glance
- Adopt and appropriate 2025 budget (Agenda item 11): Motion by Commissioner Stan Vanderwerff; seconded by Commissioner Holly Williams. Vote: Williams Aye; Vanderwerff Aye; Commissioner (Lojenos) Gonzales Aye; Vice Chair Cammy Bremer Aye; Chair Carrie Geithner Aye. Outcome: approved (5-0). Evidence: CFO presentation and roll call during the meeting.
- Certify 2024 mill levy for taxes payable in 2025 (Agenda item 12): Motion by Commissioner Holly Williams; seconded by Commissioner Lojenos Gonzales Jr. Vote: Williams Aye; Vanderwerff Aye; Gonzales Aye; Bremer Aye; Chair Geithner Aye. Outcome: approved (5-0). Evidence: CFO explanation of the mill levy and direction to assessor/treasurer to process the TABOR refund.
- Authorize county treasurer to make transfers anticipated in the 2025 budget (Agenda item 13): Motion by Commissioner Holly Williams; seconded by Commissioner Stan Vanderwerff. Vote: Williams Aye; Vanderwerff Aye; Gonzales Aye; Bremer Aye; Chair Geithner Aye. Outcome: approved (5-0). Evidence: brief staff explanation that the transfers are administrative and reflect fund totals in the adopted budget.
What the resolution and staff comments said
Simmons told the board the certified mill levy being transmitted to the assessor is 7.315 mills and said the resolution directs the assessor and treasurer to implement an $8,252,000 TABOR refund as a flat credit on residential property tax bills. She said the resolution also allocates the county's specific ownership tax (motor vehicle registration receipts) to the road and bridge fund and directs sales and use tax distributions as set in the budget.
Commissioners offered several remarks during the meeting, thanking the budget team and department heads for a deliberative process that they said helps the board prioritize core county services while keeping the mill levy and tax burden low. Multiple commissioners noted the board's focus on infrastructure and public safety in the adopted budget.
What the board did not do at the meeting
No amendments to the budget or mill levy certification were introduced at the Dec. 10 meeting. No members of the public asked to speak on the budget during the final vote.
