• Boulder County has a structural budget deficit. This means that the money that Boulder County is projected to take in will soon not be enough to cover the county's costs.
• The county needs to reduce costs. Vacant positions are being eliminated and jobs are being cut for some existing employees.
• To receive this information in another language, please email commissioners@bouldercounty.gov

Boulder County, Colo. - In a difficult economic environment, the Boulder County Commissioners are working with senior leadership and the Office of Financial Management to address the county’s structural budget deficit.

Current projections are that county spending will soon outpace county revenue. To address this structural deficit in the county’s General Fund, the county will need to find a total of $30 million - $40 million in savings over the next three years: 2026, 2027, and 2028. Seventy percent of the General Fund expense budget is personnel.

Uncertainty around federal and state funding continues to put pressure on an already challenging economic situation with rising inflation and uncertainty around future revenue from property taxes and sales and use taxes.

Through the county’s annual budget process – which began in May and concludes in December – county leaders are taking a thoughtful approach to minimize disruptions to staff and community members. Unfortunately, in order to find the required savings, the commissioners have had to make the difficult decision to eliminate vacant positions and cut jobs for some existing employees.

Job Losses and Eliminating Vacant Positions

After four months of work with the Office of Financial Management and the county’s Elected Officials and Department Heads, the commissioners determined that some positions will be eliminated over the next three years and some programs will be ended.

For the 2026 Boulder County Recommended Budget, this will mean around 90 positions will be eliminated: around 60 of those positions are vacant and will not be filled while 31 people have been notified that their job will be eliminated through this round of budget cuts. The Boulder County Housing Authority and Boulder County Public Health will also be eliminating positions in their agencies and budgets.

Beyond staffing, about $4 million of the General Fund budget reduction is expected from operating cuts.

Budget Guidance

At the start of the county’s internal budget planning in May, the commissioners shared the county’s budget challenges with county leadership and employees.

Elected Officials and Department Heads were asked to make budget reductions by assessing programs and finding ways to reduce costs.

The budget guidance included:

• No new full-time positions will be considered. The county will, however, honor prior commitments to add staff for new facilities on the jail campus, after a review to prevent role duplication.
• All positions that have been vacant for 12 months prior to May 1, 2025, were removed from the budget. Consolidation of positions through attrition is a recommended strategy.

The guiding principles for the 2026 budget process are the Commissioners’ Strategic Priorities. Underpinning all these priorities is the belief that good governance is impossible without racial equity.

Budget Next Steps and Community Feedback

• Recommended 2026 Budget Presentation Public Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1 p.m.
• Elected Official and Department Heads Budget presentations: 9:30 a.m. on both Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Thursday, Oct. 9
• Public Hearing on Boulder County Recommended Budget: Tuesday, Oct. 14
• Budget Work Session presentation: Thursday, Nov. 6
• Budget Adoption: Tuesday, Dec. 9

Community members are invited to share written comments and feedback with the commissioners through the online form or speak at the Oct. 14 Public Hearing.

Visit boco.org/Budget for hearing and meeting details and to access budget documents.

• Visit the County Commissioners' webpage
• View the Commissioners' Meeting Documents and Records
• Email the Board of County Commissioners

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, or call 303-441-1386. Submit your request as early as possible, and no later than two business days before the event. Boulder County's ADA Policy