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Boulder County proposes balanced budget for 2023

Proposal includes seven new sheriff’s office employees to comply with state mandates
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Boulder County Logo Source: Boulder County website

Boulder County’s budget for the upcoming year takes a conservative approach with revenues while funding several new staff and capital projects.

The proposed budget has not been finalized. There will be a hearing for public comment on the proposal Oct. 25 and a board workshop on Nov. 10 for final budget decisions before it is adopted on Dec. 6.

The budget as proposed projects $528.8 million in revenue for the county and $527.4 million in expenses, making it a balanced budget. About $250.9 million will go toward personnel expenses, $250.8 toward operating expenses and $25.7 million toward other financing as the budget is currently written.

The county’s budget office recommended approval of $56.1 million worth of new requests. County departments requested an additional $39 million, which is not included in current projected expenses as they are subject to commissioner approval.

Here are some of the highlights of the proposed 2023 budget.

Conservative revenue

The county is conservatively projecting a 6% increase in revenue over the estimated actuals for 2022. Property taxes, the largest portion of county funding, are expected to stay flat while sales and use tax are expected to be the source of 6% increase in revenue.

Sales and use tax was up 17% in 2021 compared to 2020, so this is a drop in revenue growth.

“In preparing the 2023 Recommended Budget, the Office of Financial Management considered all economic information available at this time and plans for flat economic growth in property taxes and modest growth in sales and use tax revenues as consumer spending stays strong,” the budget message said.

The Office of Financial Management added that it plans to evaluate economic trend data leading up to the adoption.

The county is also prioritizing increasing its reserves over the next several years to prepare for the financial response to any unanticipated natural disasters or events, so the 2023 budget aims to add to reserves over the coming years.

Workforce investment

Increasing employee pay across the board was a major emphasis for this year’s budget.

Boulder County employees will see a 5% base pay increase if approved, which totals $14.3 million to help with the increased cost of living. This could help with employee recruitment as the raise also applies to a pay increase for entry level employees.

Earlier this year, Boulder County commissioners approved a $200 monthly bonus for all employees and that will continue as well with budget approval, equal to an additional raise of $2,400 annually for all employees.

On top of that, the county is adding a discretionary pool worth $3.5 million that elected officials and department heads can use as they see fit.

“An intentional decision was made to fund compensation first and commit to the current workforce that Boulder County has as the great resignation continues to persist and create recruitment challenges,” the budget message said.

Additionally, the budget was written so that health care premiums would not increase for employees in 2023.

Sheriff's office positions

Of the 18 full time employee budget requests recommended to be approved by the budget office, eight are in the sheriff’s office and seven of those positions are mandated — but not funded — by new state laws.

The sheriff’s office is adding four mental health counselors, with salary and benefits totalling $106,985 for each position, in response to House Bill 21-1211, Regulation of Restrictive Housing in Jails. The law requires that individuals placed in solitary confinement at a jail be seen by a mental health professional within 24 hours of placement and regularly after the initial meeting.

The sheriff’s office had to add the additional counselors to comply with the new law, according to Sheriff Joe Pelle. With that law, the sheriff’s office is also adding a departmental data analyst for $101,916 to comply with the requirement to maintain records on individuals placed in solitary confinement.

There will also be two more deputies added to the sheriff’s office for court transport at $115,167 each to comply with House Bill 21-1280, Pre-trial Detention Reform. Pelle said these two deputies are to get inmates to court on the weekends, which is a result of the bill requiring a first appearance within 48 hours.

None of these positions, totalling $760,190 in additional sheriff’s office spending, were funded by the state.

The budget office recommended the approval of a deputy for the town of Superior as well, which is revenue neutral thanks to a contract with the town.

Capital projects

The county is investing another $12.4 million this year into the continued construction of the Alternative Sentencing Facility. Construction for that major project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

The sheriff’s office will also be updating the county siren response and mobile unity with $1 million worth of funding next year. The update should help improve emergency notifications.

Other major expenses recommended for approval include $1 million for the second phase of the public shooting range, $1.4 million for software at the Alternative Sentencing Facility, $1.5 million for the price increase on current county enterprise software and $1.5 million for fleet replacement of vehicles. The county will also be replacing heating, ventilation and air conditioning units at various buildings for $901,000.