DENVER — Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López and Mayor Mike Johnston are at odds over the city’s $200 million budget shortfall and how Johnston plans to rectify it.
Johnston recently laid off 169 city workers and asked city departments to make cuts wherever possible in the mayor’s attempt to address the deficiency, which was brought on by several factors, the city said, including reduced sales tax revenue.
The mayor’s office told López’s office that it needed to cut 5%, or $4.5 million, but it refused, according to Johnston. So, the mayor’s office assigned the department cuts without López’s input.
On Monday, Johnston unveiled his $1.660 billion budget proposal for the upcoming year, which includes a combined $195 million in savings from the August job cuts and departmental reductions, as well as an additional $5.7 million in new revenue.
López plans to hold a separate press conference on Tuesday, claiming that proposed cuts introduced by the mayor’s office would “decimate election operations in Denver by forcing the closure of polling centers and ballot drop boxes in every part of the city.”
Meanwhile, Johnston on Monday promised there would be no cuts to trash collection, snow plowing, or street sweeping. Additionally, Johnston stated that police staffing and employee benefits would not be impacted under his 2026 budget proposal.
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