
Boulder Budget 2026 Big cuts made to services
Aug 31st
Spending plan focuses on reducing and repurposing dollars to support balanced priorities
Sept 1, 2025 BOULDER, Colo. –Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde today released a 2026 Recommended Budget that aims to deliver on the city’s highest priority commitments to community while addressing significant economic pressures. today released a 2026 Recommended Budget that aims to deliver on the city’s highest priority commitments to community while addressing significant economic pressures.
The overall spending plan calls for $407.68 million in allocations across all funds. While this amounts to a 2.1% increase compared to last year, it represents the slowest year-over-year growth in the city’s overall operating budget since the pandemic period.
Most notably, the city’s General Fund – which covers many of the fundamental responsibilities of local government – has been cut by 7.8% compared to the 2025 Approved Budget, with the total set at $194.5 million.
This reflects previous acknowledgments by the city that sales and use tax collections are flattening beyond already conservative forecasts. Boulder’s budget, especially the General Fund, is heavily reliant on the sales and use taxes the city collects when people shop, build or provide services in town. Other challenges include the impact of rising costs on goods and services the city purchases, a new state limitation on what local jurisdictions can collect in property taxes, and continued questions about how the new federal administration’s changes in budget priorities and grant requirements will affect Boulder.
“Not surprisingly, economic uncertainty in the world is changing local spending habits and stretching the resources we have. We need to account for this as we consider what community expects of us,” Rivera-Vandermyde said. “Through candid conversations, contributions from across the city organization and difficult choices, however, we’ve achieved a balanced budget that focuses on our many of our highest priorities. I’m proud of this work.”
While this is not a year of expansion in programs and services, the 2026 Recommended Budget accomplishes several key objectives:
Balances a forecasted gap of $7.5 million in the General Fund
Supports priority services, programs and goals, consistent with the city’s organizational and community values
Leverages resources across all funds in best-practice and appropriate ways
Positions the city for improved long-term fiscal sustainability
The spending plan includes limited new expenditures for high-priority needs, as well as decisions to allow departments to use existing money in different ways to drive their most important outcomes. It also includes reductions, which, in some cases, will impact programs, services and funding to outside partners.
The complete 2026 Recommended Budget, including breakdowns by fund and departments, is available in the Online Budget Book. Key highlights are summarized below; the City Manager’s Message includes significantly more detail for anyone who wishes to dive deeper.
Proposed Spending Priorities and Trade-Offs
The 2026 Recommended Budget takes a balanced approach to achieve the following priorities:
Positions the city for new solutions to unsheltered homelessness by aligning resources to All Roads (formerly the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless) to bolster it as an essential partner in implementing the newly updated Homelessness Strategy
Ensures that wildfire resilience and fire prevention are adequately resourced through strategic use of multiple funding sources
Evolves the current approach to emergency behavioral health response, creating more opportunity for clinicians to support other clinicians on calls, with or without a police officer, based on data and learnings
Supports arts, culture and heritage activities, in anticipation of the launch of a new Arts Blueprint in early 2026
The spending plan also recognizes the importance of core services and seeks to advance other City Council Priorities and Citywide Strategic Plan goals.
Making progress in these areas, however, will require trade-offs, and there are some services that will be funded at lower levels or discontinued. The following are a few notable examples:
The city will eliminate three filled staff positions and 16 vacant regular positions to lower ongoing personnel costs.
In the 2025 Approved Budget, the Human Services Fund received $100,000 in ongoing funding plus another $100,000 in one-time funding. The one-time allocation, using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, was intended to address immediate community needs in the aftermath of the pandemic. The city is not financially able to extend this one-time contribution into 2026 or make it ongoing.
The Parks and Recreation Department anticipates having to increase some fees or adjust service levels to address an ongoing shortfall in recreational funding. It will rely upon existing policies – specifically the 2022 BPR Plan and 2023 Fee Policy – to make these decisions.
The Open Space and Mountain Parks Department will accelerate a planned reduction in its land acquisition budget and scale back on some capital improvement work related to trail and trailhead enhancement next year. The 2026-31 Capital Improvement Program, however, includes support for Open Space capital improvement projects in 2027 and 2028 with Lottery Fund revenues. These future projects include the Fort Chambers/Poor Farm site Management Plan implementation, the Chautauqua Tanger Cottage and Trailhead redesign, local food farm site improvements and OSMP Climate Plan implementation efforts, among others.
Capital Investments
In addition to offering valuable services and programs, the city also has a responsibility to take care of assets the community relies upon and plan responsibly for the future.
The total 2026 Recommended Capital Budget is $113.3 million across all funds, with $789.5 million programmed in planned capital investments across the 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Program. This allocation is anticipated to cover 115 projects in 2026 – with a recognition that increasing costs are resulting in rescaled projects and in some cases, extending the time it will take to complete planned repairs, improvements and construction.
Despite challenges associated with available dollars not stretching as far, the city will advance important infrastructure-related work in 2026. The following are a few examples:
Completion of the Western City Campus community service hub at Alpine and Broadway, which will open in 2027
This project supports the consolidation of staff from nine deteriorating city buildings, resulting in streamlined community access to many city services, new opportunities for collaboration across teams, and cost savings associated with ending the upkeep of facilities that are past their lifecycle.
Process and technology updates designed to improve customer experience for community members who seek to access services or interact with the city
Equipment and venue investments to prepare Boulder for hosting the Sundance Film Festival in 2027
Replacement of Fire Station 2 at Baseline Road and Broadway Avenue to serve University Hill, Chautauqua, and the CU Boulder campus – one of the busiest districts in the city
Continued planning for enhancements to the Civic Area, with a goal of reimagining and reinvigorating the heart of the city; the primary focus in 2026 will be on completing important floodplain review processes
New Revenue Sources
While the 2026 Recommended Budget stands on its own, its creation coincides with the ongoing development of the city’s Long-Term Financial Strategy. City Council set this as a top priority in 2024, recognizing that over-reliance on sales and use taxes put the city in a vulnerable position, especially during economic downturns. One of the focuses of this initiative has been on examining alternative revenue sources.
In 2026, the city will take a balanced approach to increasing revenue by adjusting some existing fees and adding a few new sources while continuing to study others. The recommended budget includes the following measures:
Implementation of a Transportation Maintenance Fee: The potential of a fee has been considered and studied for several years, and the city is eager to move forward with a more sustainable way to fund maintenance of transportation infrastructure. Paid by property owners, this fee would fund critical needs such as bridge maintenance, pavement management, sidewalk repair and street markings. The city expects to collect an estimated $2.25 million in 2026 to put toward this important and underfunded work. Fees would be set based on property type – the fee for a single-family home, for example, has been modeled at $53 a year.
An increase in parking fees: A very modest 50 cents increase in hourly parking fees for both on-street and city-owned garage parking in alignment with our current performance-based pricing model. This change is expected to generate approximately $800,000 in 2026.
Launch of speed on green cameras: While the primary objective for this technology is to reduce speeds and increase safety, consistent with Vision Zero, this budget assumes collection of about $2.6 million in 2026, with a modeling assumption that revenue will go down as driver behavior changes.
Single-family housing expansion fee: A $15-per-square-foot fee is proposed to be charged for expansion or replacement of existing single-unit dwellings if plans increase the size by 500 square feet or more. This is expected to generate $400,000 in 2026 to support affordable housing development.
These fee changes are designed to address some of the city’s highest priority but unfunded or underfunded needs, based on community input during the past few budget cycles.
Next Steps
City Council will discuss the 2026 Recommended Budget at a study session on Sept. 11, followed by public hearings on Oct. 9 and Oct. 23. Community members are invited to sign up to speak at the hearings. The city’s website has more information about how to participate in council meetings.

Ever Fancy Yourself an Actor?? Now’s your chance gram and gramps
Aug 30th
VIVA is community theater with, by, and for older adults. VIVA’s Theater Lab classes are designed to educate older adults in the arts of acting. These classes can be experienced for fun and creative growth or lead to performances on stage in front of an audience. Join one (or both) of these Theater Lab Classes for Beginners and experience theater from the actor’s side of the footlights!

VIVA Theater Lab – Acting for Beginners
EAST | Tuesdays, September 16 – October 21 | 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Fees: R/NR $60/$75 (6 classes)
This course introduces participants to the fundamentals of acting for the stage. In an atmosphere of fun and non-judgment, participants can connect with each other, learn the basics of story, character, voice, age-appropriate movement and observation, and practice acting in a scene with other actors.
Instructor: Anne Sandoe is an actor, director, and teacher who has been in the theater since the age of six, and whose father directed the very first show of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. She has performed with the Colorado, Oregon, Alabama, Virginia, and Antioch Shakespeare Festivals. She’s taught acting and voice for more than thirty years, including at UNC, San Francisco State University, and Wright State University in Ohio. Locally, Anne has performed at BETC, the Catamounts, Longmont Theater Company, the Arvada Center, Coal Creek Theatre, and has acted with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival since she was 16.
VIVA Theater Lab – Improv for Beginners
EAST | Fridays, September 12 – October 17 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Fees: R/NR $60/$75
(6 classes)
Improv (improvisation) is a form of live theater in which plot, character and dialogue are all made up in the moment – and hilarity often ensues. With fun warm-ups and collaborative games, beginners are guided in creating short scenes. Participants may stand or remain seated if desired.
Instructor: Rachel Trueblood has been involved in the world of theater all her life as a writer, teacher, performer, director, and professional mime. She specializes in comedy, including stand-up, and has trained and performed with Rise Comedy in Denver and most recently with Superior Improv Co last December. She was last seen on stage in VIVA Theater’s “The Man who Came to Dinner” and “Our Town” at The Dairy Center in Boulder. She teaches an ongoing improv class to older adults in Boulder.
CONTACT
West Age Well Center
909 Arapahoe Avenue | 303-441-3148
Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
East Age Well Center
660 Sioux Drive | 303-413-7290
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Please visit Older Adult Services online
Email: OlderAdultServices@bouldercolorado.gov

Boulder County Strategic Transit Plan plus community input
Aug 29th
Boulder Colorado, August 29, 2005 Boulder County is creating its first Strategic Transit Plan and wants community input on future transit services.
Two Community Advisory Committees—one in English and one in Spanish—will help guide the plan starting in October 2025.
The county is seeking a diverse group of committee members to share perspectives. Apply online by Sept. 19, or contact Alex Hyde-Wright at ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.gov or 303-441-4910.
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County needs your help to shape our first Boulder County Strategic Transit Plan. Over the next 18 months, we’ll set a countywide vision for transit—that includes our local and regional buses, on-demand services like Ride Free Lafayette, and future Northwest Rail—and explore what it will take to make that vision a reality.
From new transit routes that connect us to each other to buses that come more often to more flexible services for more kinds of trips, we want to think big about what Boulder County needs most.
To help us shape the plan, we’re setting up two Community Advisory Committees, with one in English and one in Spanish. Each committee will meet six times between October 2025 and November 2026. Meetings will be a combination of in-person and virtual and will last approximately 90 minutes, with some review of materials between meetings.
Each committee will have approximately 15 members who will learn more about our current transit services, help identify what’s needed in the future, and work with our team to advise on priorities for Boulder County communities. We are looking for committee members who:
Live and/or work in Boulder County and have an interest in or curiosity about transit.
Are willing to understand different perspectives and want to help shape the future of Boulder County.
Represent all aspects of our county’s diversity, including race and ethnicity, gender, age, and ability.
To apply, please complete an online application by Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. The questions ask for information that will help us ensure the committees represent the many perspectives across our county. Committee members will receive compensation for their time, food at the in-person meetings, translation and interpretation services, and support for transportation and childcare.
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Alex Hyde-Wright at ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.gov or 303-441-4910, or visit boco.org/TransitPlan.
Contacto de Prensa:
Alex Hyde-Wright
ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.gov
303-441-4910
El Condado de Boulder busca la Opinión de la Comunidad Para Crear el Primer Plan Estratégico de Transporte Público
Miembros de la comunidad están invitados a aplicar para formar parte de Comité Asesor Comunitario, uno en inglés y otro en español
El Condado de Boulder esta desarrollando su primer Plan Estratégico de Transporte Público y desea conocer la opinión de la comunidad sobre los servicios futuros de transporte público.
Se formarán dos Comités Asesores Comunitarios—uno en inglés y otro en español—que ayudarán a guiar el plan a partir de octubre de 2025.
El Condado está buscando un grupo diverso para que los miembros del comité compartan sus perspectivas. Aplique en línea antes del 19 de septiembre o contacte a Alex Hyde-Wright en ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.gov o 303-441-4910.
El Condado de Boulder necesita de su ayuda para dar forma a nuestro primer Plan Estratégico de Transporte Público del Condado de Boulder. Durante los próximos 18 meses, estableceremos una visión del transporte público para todo el condado, esto incluye los autobuses locales y regionales, servicios a pedido como Free Ride Lafayette, y el future tren Northwest. Asimismo, exploraremos qué es necesario para hacer realidad esta visión. Desde nuevas rutas de transporte público que nos conecten entre nosotros y autobuses que pasen más seguido, hasta servicios más flexibles para distintos tipos de viaje, queremos pensar en grande sobre lo que más necesita el Condado de Boulder.
Para ayudarnos a darle forma al plan, estamos estableciendo dos Comités Asesores Comunitarios, uno en inglés y otro en español. Cada comité se reunirá seis veces entre octubre de 2025 y noviembre de 2026. Las reuniones serán una combinación de presenciales y virtuales y tendrán una duración aproximada de 90 minutos, con la oportunidad para revisar materiales entre cada reunión.
Cada comité tendrá aproximadamente 15 miembros que aprenderán más sobre nuestros servicios de transporte público actuales, ayudarán a identificar lo que se necesita en el futuro y trabajarán con nuestro equipo para asesorar sobre las prioridades para las comunidades del Condado de Boulder. Buscamos miembros para el comité que:
Vivan y/o trabajen en el Condado de Boulder y tengan interés o curiosidad sobre el transporte público.
Estén dispuestos a entender diferentes perspectivas y deseen ayudar a dar forma al futuro del Condado de Boulder.
Representen todos los aspectos de la diversidad de nuestro condado, incluyendo raza y etnia, género, edad y capacidades.
Para aplicar, por favor llene esta aplicación antes del viernes 19 de septiembre de 2025. Las preguntas nos ayudarán a asegurar que los comités representen diferentes perspectivas en todo nuestro condado. Los miembros del comité recibirán compensación por su tiempo, comida durante las reuniones presenciales, servicio de traducción e interpretación, y apoyo para transporte y cuidado infantil.
Si usted tiene alguna pregunta o desea más información, por favor contacte a Alex Hyde-Wright en ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.gov o 303-441-4910.
Boulder County wants to ensure that everyone has equal access to our programs, activities, and services. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email ada@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. If you need help in another language, please email cppfrontdesk@bouldercounty.gov or call 303-441-3930.