Mayor Suthers presents a balanced 2022 budget to City Council

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Mayor John Suthers presented a balanced 2022 City Budget to Colorado Springs City Council today. The 2022 General Fund budget is $400.6 million, which is $56 million or 16.26% more than the 2021 budget. Of this increase, $17.1 million is the amount of estimated revenue in excess of the 2022 TABOR cap, and is therefore not available for funding City services, pending the outcome of the November 2021 TABOR ballot issue 2D. If issue 2D is approved by voters, $10.5 million will be dedicated to Public Safety infrastructure, over $4 million will be placed in reserves, and approximately $2 million will fund City services. The budget-to-budget increase is largely due to a significant projected increase in sales tax revenue of 20.1% over the 2021 budget (and 5.2% increase over the 2021 end-of-year forecast) and an increase of $10.8 million in re-budgeted dollars. The rebudgeted dollars are the result of expenditure savings in prior years.

Attached is Suthers’ letter to City Council outlining the allocation of funds in line with the City’s strategic plan goals: Promoting Job Creation, Investing in Infrastructure, Building Community and Collaborative Relationships, and Excelling in City Services.

2022 General Fund Highlights:

• $700,000 of increased funding for 17 new sworn Police positions that will be added towards the end of 2022
• Funding for the Fire Department for the addition of 4 civilian positions and related operating and capital outlay, which will allow for the establishment of 2 Alternate Response Teams (ARTs) within the Community Response Team (CRT) Program. The Law Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Commission (LETAC) recommended the City expand the CRT program – the addition of the two Alternate Response Teams fulfills this recommendation by broadening the response to behavioral health calls for service regardless of level of acuity.
• $2.15 million continued funding for the City’s Americans with Disabilities Act operating and capital programs
• $1.7 million of increased funding for city fleet and equipment replacement
• $500,000 of continued funding to support shelter bed operations for the homeless population
• $934,000 additional funding to Mountain Metro Transit for increased contract and other operating costs to sustain transit services
• $1.5 million increased funding to address Information Technology core infrastructure, applications, and cybersecurity
• $9.1 million for market increases for all civilian and sworn (Police and Fire) employees, step increases for sworn, pay progression for civilian employees, and pay for performance for civilian employees
• $14.4 million for full-year funding for the portion of compensation and added positions that were phased in during 2021

The complete proposed 2022 budget is available at: coloradosprings.gov/budget

Upcoming Important Budget Dates: