Feedback Can Be Shared Online and at a Public Hearing

Boulder County, Colo. -- During a public meeting last week, Boulder County’s Office of Financial Management presented a recommended budget of $578 million* to the Boulder County Commissioners for their consideration, review, and guidance. Preliminary budget documents include a description of proposed spending packages by fund, elected office, and department, as well as projected revenues for calendar year 2024.

Earlier this year, the commissioners set budgeting goals to guide the Office of Financial Management in drafting the recommended budget for 2024. Staff highlighted the following goals in their presentation of the recommended budget:

• Provide a total compensation package that is in line with the current labor market.
• Analyze current on-going General Fund expenses, both personnel and operating, to identify what could legally be moved into the Sales Tax Funds.
• Model a cost allocation plan to potentially move sales tax revenues into the General Fund to support the administrative functions of Human Resources, Information Technology, Financial Management, and the County Attorney.
• Analyze the current property tax distributions for a potential redistribution conversation.
• Revisit fund balance policies adopted in 2022 and provide analysis of the current state of each fund.
• Make recommendations related to the Disaster Reserve Fund to include yearly contribution amounts, usage, and identify a desired fund balance.
• Base budgets will be reallocated to standardize the amount of training costs calculated at a minimum of $1,000 per employee.

During the budget process, the commissioners will certify the county’s 2024 mill levy. The Boulder County Treasurer uses the county’s mill levy and the mill levies from the other 134 taxing entities to calculate property tax in January. Find out more about how tax is calculated.

Public Feedback on the 2024 Recommended Budget

The commissioners welcome public feedback, questions, and comments on the 2024 Recommended Budget.

• A public hearing will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Members of the public are invited to attend the public hearing and share feedback. The hearing can be attended in person (Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 3^rd Floor, 1325 Pearl Street, Boulder), online through Zoom, or by phone. Registration details are available in the Commissioners’ Advance Agenda.
• Written comments may be submitted using the comment form.

Budget Process

• The budget officer presented the recommended budget to the Boulder County Commissioners at a public meeting on Oct. 10.
• Additional budget requests, priorities, and adjustments to the recommended budget will be considered by the Boulder County Commissioners at their annual budget work session at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9.
• The final 2024 Boulder County Budget will be adopted at a public meeting at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
• The public are welcome to attend the Nov. 9 and Dec 5. meetings in-person or virtually, but there is no opportunity for public comment at these meetings. Sign up for the Commissioners' Advance Agenda to receive an email when registration links are available for these meetings.

Additional details about the 2024 Budget adoption process and information about current and prior years’ budgets are available at boco.org/Budget.

*The 2024 Recommended Budget is a baseline budget prepared by the Office of Financial Management to serve as a starting point for the Board of County Commissioners to consider as part of their statutory responsibility to set a balanced budget by Dec. 15.

• Contact the Board of County Commissioners

• View Commissioners' Meeting Documents and Records

• Visit the County Commissioners' webpage