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Pueblo budget hearing: Residents press council to support the zoo and address rising personnel costs
Summary
At a public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget, zoo staff and supporters pleaded for additional funding while multiple speakers warned about increasing personnel costs, falling reserves and a projected $11.9 million deficit; councilors and residents urged more transparency and explored cuts and hiring freezes.
The Pueblo City Council's Oct. 27 public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget featured more than a dozen residents urging support for the Pueblo Zoo and urging fiscal responsibility across departments.
Renee Wahlen, director of education at the Pueblo Zoo, told the council the facility serves thousands of students each year through school programs, camps and outreach and meets national accreditation standards; she asked officials to continue support so the zoo can remain educational and accessible. Kyle Aber, president of the Pueblo Zoological Society, asked the council to meet the…
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