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Tag: denver budget cuts

  • Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure proposes 15% budget cut amid city’s shortfall

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    DENVER — During a budget hearing Friday morning, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) laid out a proposed 15% decrease in its general fund budget, impacting some of the department’s functions, as the city looks to shore up its multi-million dollar shortfall.

    Denver7 has closely tracked efforts to fix the $200 million budget shortfall. The city laid off 169 city workers, eliminated more than 600 open positions, and started requiring furlough days to help balance the budget. DOTI said it cut 31 employees and eliminated more than 100 vacancies, which was the largest number of layoffs for any city department.

    Last month, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston laid out his 2026 budget proposal, which included millions in budget cuts.

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    Denver mayor unveils 2026 budget proposal amid $200 million shortfall

    This week, city departments are presenting their 2026 budget proposals to the Denver City Council, which must approve the final budget.

    Amy Ford, executive director of DOTI, said while funds will decrease next year, the department is promising to keep some services to residents the same.

    “We made sure that we held to our core commitment and level of services on things like snow plowing, trash pickup, ensuring that we keep projects that we’ve got moving, moving,” Ford said.

    According to DOTI’s 2026 budget presentation, some upcoming projects will move to a backlog list; inspector visits to roadway projects on Saturdays, evenings, and in emergencies will be limited; and residents will see longer response times for some 311 calls. 311 is the city’s hotline and online portal where residents can submit non-emergency issues, including public right-of-way violations, abandoned vehicles, illegal parking, missed trash pickup, and major sidewalk damage.

    • View the full presentation below:

    During Friday’s meeting, Denver City Councilmember Amanda Sawyer expressed her concerns about cuts to DOTI’s right-of-way enforcement.

    “I know that there are longer response times for 311, and a number of different things, right? I will tell you, I filled out two cases to get new trash cans because mine are cracked in half on August 30, and I’ve never heard anything from DOTI,” said Sawyer. “How are we going to be able to address the needs of our residents and the things that they see and care about if we’ve got these longer wait times, and we’ve got these, you know, less staff and kind of less ability to be responsive to it?”

    Ford said the department did not lay off any enforcement agents, but it did cut some of their job vacancies.

    “The people who go out every single day, those right-of-way enforcement agents who write tickets for people, for parking, for parking violations, for violations on how we use our right of way… those are those things and programs that we’re continuing to work to see how we can get efficient with how we deliver those services,” said Ford.

    Denver7 spoke with several residents about their concerns surrounding transportation, street maintenance, parking enforcement, and overall responsiveness to 311 requests by DOTI.

    Carlo Campagna, the owner of Toro Food Concepts on East 11th Ave, said he has made multiple reports to 311 about trash, a broken street light, and encampments on public sidewalks. He said he’s also concerned about the state of major roads, like Federal Boulevard, Sheridan Boulevard, and Alameda Avenue.

    Ty Chelec, who has lived in Denver for about two months, said he noticed there are not many parking tickets placed on cars that stay in his neighborhood too long. He said he sees those cars get tickets only during street sweeps.

    Chelec said when it comes to overall transportation and infrastructure across the city, every resident should care.

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  • Denver Mayor Mike Johnston addresses questions, criticisms surrounding city employee layoffs

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    DENVER — The mass layoffs at the City and County of Denver have been completed, city officials announced Wednesday.

    The city laid off 169 employees and eliminated 666 vacant positions. Previously, the city said 171 employees had been laid off, but on Wednesday, officials said two employees resigned ahead of the layoffs, bringing the number down to 169.

    Mayor Mike Johnston hosted a roundtable with reporters on Wednesday to provide more details about the layoffs and answer questions.

    Denver7

    Denver Mayor Mike Johnston hosted a roundtable with reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 20 to answer their questions about the city’s recent layoffs.

    With the city facing a $200 million budget gap, Johnston said layoffs became unavoidable.

    “I never wanted this part of this job,” Johnston said. “This is a hard thing to do, the honest and courageous thing in this moment, which is to say we can’t just keep doing what we’re doing.”

    Some critics have blamed the city’s spending on immigrants for causing the budget gap.

    “People are certainly entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. And so, I think this is why the facts matter here,” Johnston said.

    Denver Mayor Mike Johnston addresses questions, criticisms surrounding city employee layoffs

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    The mayor told Denver7 the city’s spending on immigrants and homelessness programs is only $3 million more than two years ago, not hundreds of millions as some claim.

    “In fact, our migrant spending next year will go to zero in the 2026 budget,” Johnston said. “That is not part of this crisis.”

    Instead, the mayor blamed the budget gap on declining sales tax revenue and government growth over the past decade before he took office. As for the layoffs, Johnston said the city tried to be fair and consistent.

    “We were able to do that without either disproportionately impacting our longest tenured employees, which was a concern, without disproportionately impacting frontline, direct service employees, or employees of color,” Johnston said.

    The city on Wednesday released a breakdown of layoffs by department. The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) had the most layoffs with 31, followed by the Community Planning and Development Office with 19, and the Human Resources Office with 18. There were no layoffs for the police, fire and sheriff’s department.

    Johnston rejected accusations that his administration was deliberately targeting its critics through the layoffs. Denver City Council Member Stacie Gilmore, whose husband, Scott, was laid off from his position at the Parks & Rec Department, told Denver7 she believes he was targeted because of her outspokenness against Johnston and his administration.

    “I think it’s irresponsible and factually false,” Johnston said. “When we make these decisions, we don’t base them on who you know or who you’re married to.”

    Johnston said the layoffs and elimination of vacant positions will help the city fill $100 million of the $200 million budget gap. The remaining gap will be filled by cuts to contracts, supplies and services, according to the mayor.

    Johnston said additional layoffs and furloughs won’t be necessary in the year ahead.

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    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Brandon Richard

    Denver7 politics reporter Brandon Richard closely follows developments at the State Capitol and in Washington, and digs deeper to find how legislation affects Coloradans in every community. If you’d like to get in touch with Brandon, fill out the form below to send him an email.

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