By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette
The Denver City Council on Monday agreed to spend $4 million in an attempt to curb youth violence and support the struggling city center.
A $1.5 million contract with Denver Public Schools was doubled, and $1 million will be spent to hire a planning firm to update an area plan for downtown.
The city has approved spending almost $5 million this year to keep Denver’s kids occupied during the summer months, and away from crime. The city will now spend $3 million on the Denver Youth Employment Program on top of Mayor Mike Johnston’s own YouthWorks effort which, broadly speaking, has the same goals.