September 10, 2026 City of Boulder City Council Study Session

2027 Recommended Budget Study Session Staff Time: 20 Min Council Time: 160 Min Total Time: 180 Min

The 2027 rep recommended budget is 552.6 million across all funds. The capital budget is 135.4 million.

sewer and water pipelines, traffic signals, street lights and pavement to name a few on that short on that list.

The bud budget balanced operating expenses against flattening revenues with ongoing reductions, realignments across city funds

Our additional recreational marijuana retail sales tax. So, there's increases

including the transportation maintenance fee with implementation of this fee anticipated in 2027

Affordable housing cash and L fees are estimated at an 11% increase compared to 2026.

7% for storm water flood flood management utilities to support the utilities enterprise.

that increase fees by 5% for water utilities, 7% for wastewater utilities, and 7% for storm water flood

this graph shows our comparison of the city's adopted budgets from 2019 to 2026 and the recommended budget for 2027

to homelessness efforts, behavioral health response, wildfire resilience, public safety, and affordable housing efforts.

a one-time increase of 300,000 in the climate tax fund for wildfire ready priorities

investments in wildfire resilience include a one-time increase of 300,000 in the climate tax fund for wildfire ready priorities

There are significant affordable housing investments, including 5.3 million for the Alpine Balsam site

There are significant affordable housing investments, including 5.3 million for the Alpine Balsam site, supporting the city's largest affordable housing project with 144 affordable units.

that is 2.2 2 million and 1.9 million to prepare the Valmont site in East Boulder to

a $250,000 realignment from the sugar sweetened beverage distribution tax fund to support health equity outcomes through parks and recreation's existing programs such as the expand program for people with disabilities

There is also the elimination of child watch services at East Boulder Community Center.

the budget proposes a $150,000 realignment of climate tax funds for parks and recreation's urban forestry, tree planting, and tree trust programs.

for the continuation of the downtown ambassador program providing hospitality, safety, and cleaning services within the business improvement districts

for the continuation of the downtown ambassador program providing hospitality, safety, and cleaning services within the business improvement districts

stockwater planning for drought resilience uh and supporting of diversified agriculture.

Investments at East Boulder uh Community Center will include renovations to meet modern recreation needs

as well as at the uh civic area or Boulder Creek Park.

long-term financial strategy including the work on the long-term financial comprehensive plan which will come forward to city council this December

And then finally, our ballot measure strategy for 2025 and 2026 led to the successful 2025 ballot measure

Um I for example I think about um police oversight or some of our smart rags those are codec created.

we shared forward our uh list of examples uh and investments in wildfire prevention um and wildfire resilience that is uh that will take place on open space land.

an overview of our investments um highlights associated with wildfire resilience um including our wildland uh uh wildland unit

And for public safety uh we have uh performed tradeoffs associated with public safety.

for affordable housing investments, uh we have uh as listed and shared forward, uh a total of 5.3 million

a total of 5.3 million to support the city's largest affordable housing, uh hub at the Alpine Balsam, 8.8 acre site.

is it possible to get money to uh help these pools run by either the health equity fund or the sugar sweetened beverage um tax?

Every time we ask the community who is it most important we serve, they always answer by saying people with disabilities, people with low-income, seniors and youth.

So, that's not something we can answer with this budget, but it is on our work plan for 2027.

our public safety building. Um and uh as shared forward with uh city council throughout the year

Recreation Center replacement, North Boulder Recreation Center, our public safety building.

as well as our civic area Boulder Creek um phase 2 and uh Michelle I uh happy to have you chime in

even with the new 3 million transportation maintenance fee and a sizable uptick in our water revenue

I just would love to hear a little bit more about the circular economy um work as well as the na naturebased solutions

And just to clarify, you're looking specifically for the nature-based solutions work related to wildfire that and the circular economy.

I've had some questions about the circular economy um efforts and also the um naturebased solutions work.

preservation of critical water supply. Um, the team is also working to help the community transition from some of the thirsty

pilot and um profile wildfire resist uh resilient landscape installations in the wildland urban interface

the team has been really instrumental in in trying to help community remove, you know, potentially flammable materials

management, crews, equipment, prescribed fire, grazing, mowing, thinning related landscape work.

we did miss a couple grants um that went to Laramie and Jefferson County and I I just want to make sure

We get a lot of requests to apply for a variety of grants or opportunities. We don't do them all

So if we want different wildfire strategies or climate strategies or new audit authorities or things like that

I don't know if um if potential annexation and financial support from the city would actually be in 2027.

considers uh uh energy uh uh costs associated with um their uh capital planning.

water in general um is something that I continue to have concerns about um given the uh water supply scenarios