Denver mayor releases preliminary FY2027 budget proposal

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston released a preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget proposal for the City and County of Denver on July 22, 2026, beginning the city’s next budget process.

The release is an initial step, not final adoption of a city budget. The available record identifies the document as a preliminary proposal and says it will be subject to public and Denver City Council review before adoption.

What the proposal covers

The proposal concerns Denver’s municipal budget, rather than Colorado’s statewide budget. It provides the starting framework for decisions about city spending, service levels and policy priorities for fiscal year 2027.

Those decisions can affect how the city organizes its finances and delivers municipal services. But the available announcement record does not specify the proposal’s total spending, department-by-department allocations, tax assumptions or any projected shortfall.

What has not been decided

No final budget action is identified in the available record. The release does not establish that any particular spending change, tax change, staffing action or program change will occur.

It also does not provide a date for final Denver City Council adoption. The preliminary designation is significant because the proposal remains under review and may not reflect the final budget ultimately adopted by the city.

What comes next

The next known stage is public and Denver City Council review of the preliminary proposal before adoption. The source record does not provide additional dates, a review schedule or details about specific budget choices that may be considered during that process.

For now, the confirmed development is the July 22 release of the mayor’s preliminary FY2027 proposal. More detailed assessments of its spending priorities or effects would require the budget document or further official information not included in the available record.