Speaker 1 warned city leaders that changes to indigent defense case standards and rising contract rates are increasing costs for Lakewood and other cities, and said the fiscal note he reviewed ‘‘would choke a horse.’’ He told the meeting the city will ‘‘comply’’ with the new standards but cautioned that the $20.15 funding stream will not be sufficient long term.

The concern centers on how much of the $20.15 tax revenue will be used for public defense. Speaker 3 said the city’s share should be about $2,000,000 when the funding is enacted and that the new council seated in 2026 would be the first to receive it. Speaker 4 presented an analysis showing that even if the tax were implemented in 2026 Lakewood would only ‘‘break even’’ by 2027 and would begin running a budget delta in 2028; he added the shortfall grows in subsequent years.

Officials flagged sharply higher contract costs this year, with one participant estimating an additional $400,000–$500,000 in the coming year for indigent defense services. Speaker 3 and others said many jurisdictions are using the one‑tenth of 1% criminal justice funding or other local streams to help cover rising defense costs, but that those sources do not eliminate a future gap if contract rates and case standards continue to escalate.

‘‘We have no choice but to comply, and we are probably gonna do the $20.15 money,’’ Speaker 1 said, adding that without broader agreements or additional appropriations the city will need to seek solutions over the next 24 months.

The meeting included a discussion of past state bills and litigation related to defense reforms — Speaker 1 referenced ‘‘50 senate bill 54 0 4’’ and noted ongoing talks between associations and the state — but no formal local action or vote was taken at the session. Officials said they will continue discussions with state legislators and regional partners to identify funding pathways and policy options.

The council did not adopt any new policy at the meeting; next steps cited by participants included further fiscal analysis and continued outreach to state lawmakers to seek possible relief or additional funding mechanisms.