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Denver council restores $379,038 to Auditor's office after debate over independence and contingency
Summary
Council voted to amend the mayor's proposed 2026 budget and transfer $379,038 to the Denver Auditor's Office, a move sponsors said protects the office's independence while finance staff warned about drawing on contingency during budget formation.
Denver City Council voted to amend the mayor's proposed 2026 budget to send $379,038 to the city Auditor's Office after a lengthy debate over budget mechanics and the independence of elected offices. The amendment was moved by council members Torres, Perdi and Gonzales Gutierrez and passed after questions from colleagues and city finance staff.
Council Member Torres, one of the amendment sponsors, said the additional allocation would make the auditor's base budget whole while preserving the office's autonomy. "The auditor is returning over $500,000 in 2025 and will plan to underspend in 2026 by the same amount," Torres said, urging colleagues to respect the auditor's discretion to manage vacant positions and underspends.
Matthew Fritz Maurer of the Auditor's Office told the council the office expects to return at least $500,000 to the city's reserves this year and to underspend next year as well, in part because multiple positions have remained vacant. "We will, by our conservative estimates, return at least $500,000 to the contingency fund this year," Maurer said.
Department of Finance staff and other members pressed for clarity about how returned funds and contingency interact. Finance said returned dollars first lapse to the city's fund balance and are considered in the annual budget process. Council members who opposed routine cuts to independent agencies' budgets framed the amendment as a protection for the auditor's independence.
After discussion and a formal roll call, the council approved the amendment. The action will be reflected as an adjustment to the mayor's proposed 2026 budget and requires the auditor's office to manage the funds within its existing budget structure. Council members said the vote was meant to balance fiscal responsibility with the need to preserve the independence of a constitutionally elected official.
The council will consider remaining amendments to the 2026 budget in follow-up sessions; finance staff said they will account for the change in the city's overall fund balance projection.
