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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston Officially Launches 2027 Reelection Bid
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston Officially Launches 2027 Reelection Bid

By Michael Braithwaite | The Denver Gazette Denver Mayor Mike Johnston officially filed his paperwork Monday to run again for Denver’s mayoral office next year. The filing comes weeks after Johnston confirmed to The Denver Gazette that he would seek reelection as he focuses the final year of his current term on utility costs, childcare and other affordability challenges. “I think the most important thing is to focus on the biggest cost drivers families in Denver are facing,” Johnston said. “And the biggest one, by far, is the cost of housing.” READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Denver’s chief security officer quit July 2, alleging punishment for raising concerns
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Denver’s chief security officer quit July 2, alleging punishment for raising concerns

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice The chief security officer of the Denver Security Office sent a resignation email to more than a dozen recipients at 12:57 p.m. on July 2 — the day after his seven-year anniversary with the city — and used the letter to accuse General Services leaders of punishing him for raising concerns. The letter was posted publicly on X by Do Better Denver, an anonymous account that publishes material about Denver city government. His name is redacted in the posted images. Rocky Mountain Voice has not independently authenticated the letter, and the city declined to confirm the resignation. In the letter, he described being written up for speaking about layoffs, furloughs, frozen raises, increased workloads, and changes to CSA Rule...
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Denver’s Spending Grew 60% in a Decade, But Revenues and Population Lagged Far Behind
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Denver’s Spending Grew 60% in a Decade, But Revenues and Population Lagged Far Behind

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Denver’s budget has grown sharply over the past ten years, far faster than its population and its ability to bring in tax dollars. A new analysis from the Common Sense Institute shows inflation-adjusted spending per resident rose about 60 percent since 2015. During that period, revenues grew more slowly, at about 40 percent, while the city’s population increased by less than 7 percent. The mismatch is why Denver now faces a projected $250 million gap over the next two years, even as officials push a $950 million bond proposal for housing, roads, and other projects. Spending Priorities Have Shifted Where the money goes has changed dramatically. Construction and infrastructure costs have ballooned, climbing more than elev...
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Denver workers brace for major layoffs amid $250M budget deficit
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DENVER7, Local

Denver workers brace for major layoffs amid $250M budget deficit

By Brandon Richard | Denver7 DENVER — Denver city leaders are preparing to make "substantial" layoffs in order to deal with a massive budget deficit. In May, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced the city was projecting a $50 million budget deficit this year and a $200 million budget deficit next year. Johnston said his administration must consider layoffs to help the city balance next year’s budget. “We will have to look at layoffs,” Johnston said. “We do not envision a scenario where it's possible to right-size this budget without that impact on personnel.” On Wednesday, city leaders were more definitive about layoffs. “They are absolutely happening and they're going to be substantial,” said Karla Pierce, a city employment attorney. The city has not officially ...
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Denver Council Members say Johnston bond proposal is being rushed to voters
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Denver Council Members say Johnston bond proposal is being rushed to voters

By Deborah Grigsby | Denver Gazette Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s new $800 million bond package is expected to make its way to voters this fall, but some City Council members working to whittle down the wish list of projects said the process is rushed and the bond issue could wait until next year. “I am not okay with the process at all,” District 5 Councilmember Amanda Sawyer told members of the city’s Vibrant Denver Bond working group on Wednesday. “I want to apologize to the staff in Department of Finance, because you guys have been set up for failure and you have been asked for extraordinary work in a very limited amount of time…So I want to make it very clear: you are doing an amazing job.” Sawyer added: “The problems that we are talking about here are not your fault. They are ...
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