Boulder unveils draft 2026 policy statement; council asks staff to refine priorities and send proposals to IGA

Heather Stauffer, Boulder’s new Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, delivered her first council presentation on the city’s proposed 2026 policy statement, explaining it is intended to give staff and council shared guidance for advocacy at the regional, state and federal levels and to concentrate the city’s political capital on a short list of priorities.

What staff proposed: Stauffer presented a package of priorities that staff recommends focusing on in 2026: regional priorities that largely mirror last year (housing, mental and behavioral health); four state priorities including (1) fully fund and protect programs that reduce and prevent homelessness, (2) establish an on‑bill repayment program to increase access to energy efficiency and electrification upgrades, (3) protect essential state funding lines amid a tight state budget, and (4) address consumer‑protection legislation for artificial intelligence (staff referenced Senate Bill 205 concerns). Federal priorities include advancing congressionally directed spending requests, support for the Northwest Area Mobility Study corridor, Surface Transportation Reauthorization fixes to improve pass‑through of federal dollars to locals, and full authorization for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.

State context: Will Coyne (Headwater Strategies), the city’s state lobbyist, warned council that the Colorado legislature will face a severe budget constraint and that general‑fund expenditures will be difficult to advance, reinforcing staff’s recommendation to concentrate political capital on targeted, feasible priorities.

Council discussion and next steps: Council debated whether the policy statement should be written in broad principles to preserve staff flexibility or be more prescriptive where the council wants specific, firm positions. Members asked for clearer processes for originating city‑sponsored bills, for ongoing monitoring of the state budget and JBC actions, and for better upfront organization (e.g., elevating anti‑discrimination language). Several council members proposed additions or clarifications—privacy and data protections for automated vehicles, more explicit language on polluter accountability and orphan wells, more detail about data‑center water consumption, and additional climate specifics.

Direction to staff: Council conducted informal straw polls and directed Stauffer and the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to take proposed additions and refinements back to IGA for drafting and to return to council with a revised statement (staff noted calendar constraints around December but committed to pursue an updated draft early in 2026). Stauffer emphasized that the policy statement is intended to enable quick, aligned advocacy and that council’s priorities will guide staff and outside lobbyists in the coming session.

Quote examples: “Our city’s policy statement creates a framework that’s intended to provide clear guidance for staff and council, as well as the community on how the city will handle various issues and topics that we encounter on the regional, state and federal levels,” Stauffer said. Will Coyne added: “The biggest defining issue right now is all about the state budget.”

Where this stands: Council did not adopt a final statement at the study session. Instead, members endorsed sending suggested refinements to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for drafting and instructed staff to return with a revised document for future consideration.