Boulder County Adopts $745 Million Budget for 2026

Commissioners Take Steps to Avoid Budget Shortfall in Future Years

The Boulder County Commissioners have decided how public money will be spent in 2026.
Over the last eight months, the commissioners spoke to staff, other elected officials, and county residents to figure how to spend the money.
To receive this information in another language, please contact Gloria Handyside at 303-441-1622 or email ghandyside@bouldercounty.gov.

Boulder County, Colo. - At a public meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Boulder County Commissioners adopted a budget of $745 million for 2026. The public meeting was the culmination of the county’s budget process, which included a public comment period and public hearing.

Boulder County’s budget covers all departments and elected offices, including the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Clerk and Recorder’s Office, the Treasurer’s Office, the Coroner’s Office, the Assessor’s Office, and the Boulder County Surveyor. The budget funds services, programs, 74,000 acres of land and facilities management, and infrastructure across the county, including 629 miles of roads, the Boulder County Jail, and the Joe Pelle Center.

During the eight-month budget process, the commissioners worked with the county’s budget and finance team, elected officials, and department heads to create a budget that balances the needs of the community, the impacts of inflation, and uncertainty around future revenue from property taxes and sales and use taxes.

The guiding principle of the budget process was Good Governance to ensure that the county balances its future revenue with its future spending.

Based on projected savings for 2026 and plans to continue to reduce expenditures in 2027 and 2028, Boulder County is on track to avoid a budget shortfall in future years.

During the Dec. 9 presentation to the commissioners, Budget Officer Emily Beam and County Administrator Jana Petersen provided an overview of the key aspects and decisions reflected in the adopted budget. The budget resolutions and a recording are available on the county’s website.

Structural Budget Deficit

Through the budget process, the county’s Office of Financial Management projected that county spending would soon outpace county revenue if reductions were not made. To address this structural deficit, a total of $30 million - $40 million in savings are required over the next three years: 2026, 2027, and 2028.

To find the required savings, the commissioners announced in September the difficult decision to eliminate vacant positions and cut jobs for some existing employees. Through these cuts, $7.625 million in savings were made.

On Dec. 9, the commissioners directed a further $5.57 million in budget reductions, including job cuts, in the first quarter of 2026 to find ongoing savings. County leaders will continue to take a thoughtful approach to minimize disruptions to staff and community members.

2026 Budget Highlights

Total Budget Expenditure for 2026 is $745,186,611, which includes both approved reductions and approved decision requests
The Approved Decision Requests total is $57,196,257 and includes the following notable categories of one-time investments
- $10.9M Capital acquisitions, projects and maintenance on parks and open space properties
- $9.2M Capital projects and maintenance costs for county roads and bridges
- $8.5M Capital projects and maintenance of county buildings and facilities
- $2M Information Technology projects
- $2M in one-time funding for additional Community Partner Grants
Total Budgeted Revenues are $654,366,495
- $277M in Property tax (42%)
- $118M in Sales and Use Tax (18%)
- $101M in Intergovernmental Revenues (16%)
- $158M in Other Revenue (24%)
Total Use of Fund Balance (i.e. money from reserves) in the adopted budget is $90,820,116
- $42M in the General Fund
- $23M in the Parks and Open Space Fund
- $15M in the Dedicated Resources Fund

Visit the county’s Budget website to find out more about the county’s budget.

The Budget Book is an online resource where you can explore the county’s different funds and spending for current and previous years. The online Budget Book will be updated with the adopted 2026 budget in the first quarter of 2026.

Throughout the year, amendments to the budget will be considered in quarterly public hearings. Sign up to receive the Commissioners’ Advance Agenda to receive information about the hearings.

Americans with Disabilities Act Notice

Special Assistance
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 the ADA Coordinator at ada@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. Submit your request as early as possible, and no later than two business days before the event. Review the Boulder County's ADA Policy