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Denver council opens required hearing on mayor's proposed 2026 budget as residents urge restorations for shelters, youth programs and elections
Summary
Denver's City Council held a required public hearing Oct. 27 on Mayor Mike Johnston's proposed 2026 budget, which seeks roughly $200 million in reductions and would cut nearly 1,000 FTEs from the general fund; public testimony focused on restoring funding for family shelter, the Office of Children's Affairs and the Clerk & Recorder's election operations.
Denver City Council held a required public hearing Oct. 27 on Mayor Mike Johnston's proposed 2026 budget, a proposal that officials say would require roughly $200 million in reductions and eliminate nearly 1,000 full‑time equivalents in the general fund.
In a staff presentation, Justin Sykes, director of the city's Budget and Management Office, said the proposed budget would keep the city's total spending request at about $4.4 billion while preserving core public services. The mayor's plan does not raise taxes, Sykes said, and includes targeted increases for a small number of priorities while projecting a general‑fund reserve of about $183 million — roughly 11 percent of projected 2026 expenditures.
Why it matters: Council members and dozens of residents said the mayor's cuts risk immediate harm. Testimony and council questions focused on whether reductions to the Office of Children's Affairs (OCA),…
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