Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced a new budget proposal last week that would provide more than nearly $90 million in funding for assistance services that help migrant arrivals in the city, which Johnston calls “newcomers.”
This funding is made possible in part by a reallocation of police and fire department resources, which will reportedly result in budget cuts for these and other government organizations.
Police Budget
Reportedly, the new budget changes proposed by Mayor Johnston would result in the police budget being stripped by $8.4 million. Johnston claims that his proposal was the best option to fund services for incoming migrants.
The $90 million allocation for assisting migrant newcomers will also be drawn from a $45 million fund that is primarily used for other public programs and services.
Managing Cuts
Newsweek reports that the Denver Police budget will make these cuts primarily by not hiring new recruits to fill currently open positions at the department. The proposed $8.4 million budget cut represents 1.9 percent of the Department’s total budget.
Johnston spokesperson Jordan Fuja asserts that the “adjustment to the Denver Police Department’s budget was carefully crafted with safety leaders and Mayor Johnston to ensure there would be no impact to the department’s public services.”
Law Enforcement Morale
Last year, The Colorado Sun reported that Denver police have already been struggling to find recruits as officer turnover rates have been steadily increasing in recent years.
A staffing shortage at the Denver Sheriff’s Department has hurt morale, forced deputies to work longer hours, and take on more mandatory overtime. The Sheriff’s department will reportedly be receiving a 2.2% budget cut.
911 Operators
9 News reports that 911 operators in Denver will now have to be paid differently to save the city money. According to the report, the city use a “911 trust fund” that will pay operators for their services in 2024.
It’s unclear how this fund will save the city money in the new budget.
Pushing Back Against Defunding Narrative
In an email statement to Newsweek, spokesperson Fuja pushed back against claims from critics that Denver is defunding the police.
“To say that Denver is ‘defunding the police’ is a willful mischaracterization of the budget adjustments, which actually just delays the purchase of new furniture and shifts the funding source for one cadet class,” said Fuja.
Johnston’s Comments
During a press conference, Mayor Johnston expressed hope that this budget allocation will help Denver overcome the financial challenges created by an influx of migrants into the city.
“After more than a year of facing this crisis together, Denver finally has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services,” Johnston said.
Compassionate Budget
Johnston views these cuts as necessary to give incoming migrants dignity during their stay in Denver while protecting the financial future of the city.
“So many times we were told that we couldn’t be compassionate while still being fiscally responsible. Today is proof that our hardest challenges are still solvable, and that together we are the ones who will solve them,” said Johnston.
Top Destination
Denver has become one of the country’s top destinations for migrants. The city, with a population of only 710,000 has struggled with the influx of 40,000 recent migrants in 2023. Denver has the highest per capita of migrants of any US city.
Its shelters were quickly overwhelmed by migrants entering, causing the city’s shelter system to fill up. Around half of the migrants who arrived since December 2022 stayed in city-funded hotel rooms.
Budget for Migrants
In January, Mike Johnston said that he predicted the city would need to allocate 10 percent of its 2024 budget just to address the needs of the migrant population.
Denver Health, one of the city’s hospitals said in late January that unpaid medical bills wracked up by migrants have cost them $10 million.
Asking For Help
Denver Health and other “safety net” hospitals have been asking for aid for a while.
“I think it’s been an unheeded call so far in terms of who’s going to be responsible for the health care of this population,” Dr. Steven Federico of Denver Health said in January. “In the meantime, it falls on safety net hospitals like Denver Health.”
Mayor’s Office Cut the Most
The government agency that will be receiving the largest cut percentage is the mayor’s office. Johnston’s proposal will cut 9.6% of his office’s budget, totaling $335,155.
Reportedly, Johnston’s office plans to make the budget cuts by saving on services and supplies, as well as not filling vacant staffing positions.
