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Weld County adopts 2026 budget, keeps mill levy at 15.956 mills after debate over victim-services funding
Summary
Weld County commissioners adopted the county’s 2026 budget and kept the mill levy at 15.956 mills. An amendment from Commissioner Scott James to add $80,734 to backfill victim-advocacy funding failed 3–2 after debate about whether the county should backfill grant-funded positions.
Weld County’s Board of Commissioners on Dec. 10 adopted the 2026 budget and left the county’s mill levy unchanged at 15.956 mills.
Jennifer Ofteli, Weld County budget manager, told commissioners the assessor certified a final assessed value of $19,722,748,799 and that keeping the mill levy steady produces an anticipated property-tax revenue total of $314,696,180 for 2026. She described the budget as “a difficult budget year,” noting a 24.8% increase in expenses largely driven by a planned five‑year capital push in Public Works and changes to personnel funded by grants and reallocations.
The board debated a proposed amendment from Commissioner Scott James to add $80,734 from the general fund balance to restore victim-advocacy funding in the district attorney’s office. James said the money would “insert $80,734 into the district attorney’s request for victim’s advocacy,” arguing the county should prioritize support for crime victims. He framed the change as restoring program funding, not a single position.
Commissioners Jason Maxey, Lynette Peppler and Kevin Ross opposed the amendment, citing the county’s established practice of not backfilling positions when external grant funding is reduced and stressing the need for consistency across departments. Peppler suggested exploring volunteers or interns to support services; Ross emphasized fiscal prudence and the need to treat similar requests the same. The amendment failed on a roll call vote, 3–2.
After the defeat of the amendment, the board approved the final reading of Ordinance 262, adopting the 2026 budget with revenues of $586,357,832, expenditures totaling $702,770,703 and using fund balance to cover the difference. Jennifer Ofteli and Linda Duncan, budget staff, will implement the ordinances and associated allocations for the coming year.
The board’s action follows a budget process in which staff removed 15 positions and added 16, several of which are grant-funded; officials said many departments reprioritized requests and identified savings to avoid larger staff reductions. No public speakers addressed the mill-levy hearing.
