Denver’s recent Newcomer Operations and 2024 Budget proposal has prompted a major outcry against the city’s plans to defund the police in order to free up more money to cover the migrant crisis.
Denver’s Budget Allocation for Undocumented Migrant Arrivals
Sanctuary City Mayor Mike Johnston announced the new budget, which includes just under $90 million earmarked for new undocumented migrant arrivals to the city.
Breakdown of Budget
Denver has $45 million set aside for use on public programs and services. However, the other $45 million is predicted to come from the budgets of both the police and the fire service.
Mayor Johnston’s Justification
Mike Johnston argued that these cuts are the best way to serve the migrant community without cutting too many other public services.
Community Impact
In an announcement, he said, “After more than a year of facing this crisis together, Denver finally has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services.”
Johnston’s Optimism
He went on to explain, “So many times, we were told that we couldn’t be compassionate while still being fiscally responsible. Today is proof that our hardest challenges are still solvable and that together, we are the ones who will solve them.”
Over 40,000 Arrivals in a Year
In just over a year, Denver has seen more than 40,000 migrants arrive in the city. It’s one of the biggest increases in migrant populations across the nation, and the city has spent almost $68 million so far on migrant services and housing.
Previous Struggles
Johnston’s new budget is an about-turn for the city, which has been struggling to deal with the influx of people, and in February, Johnston announced that “we are out of shelter space. We are out of staff. And we are facing a budget deficit of up to $180 million to cover sheltering costs.”
Resource Exhaustion
Later on in March, he announced the closure of four of Denver’s temporary migrant homeless shelters.
Federal Aid Attempts
After trying unsuccessfully for months to secure federal aid to help cover the costs, Johnston has had to pivot to cutting services in order to stretch the city’s resources further.
Budget Proposal Details
His new $89.9 million budget proposal sets out how he plans to respond to the continued migrant crisis in 2024 and will be funded in part by reallocating funds used for the police and the fire service, as well as budget cuts across Denver’s government agencies and a freeze on hiring new workers.
Program Administration, Shelter, and Housing
The budget includes $3 million for program administration, $51.7 million for shelter and housing, $9.7 million for supportive services, $9.5 million for one-time capital costs, and $10 million for contingency costs.
Cuts in Various Departments
A lot of the money will be coming from cuts in different areas: $9.5 million from capital funds, $8.2 million from services and supplies, $6.7 million from reallocating the general fund, and $1.5 million from technology projects.
Budget Reallocation
This includes things like marketing funds, official events, conference travel, and some administrative costs.
Budget Cut for Emergency Services
This means the fire department will see a budget cut of $2.5 million, and the police department will also have to cut $8.4 million – just under two percent of its total budget.
Employment Strategy
Johnstone has promised that the city won’t lay off employees but will save around $20 million by not hiring for vacant positions in city agencies. Out of the 13,000 positions in Denver, about 160 will stay empty.
Change in 911 Operators’ Payment Structure
Denver also plans to change how 911 operators are paid to save money. They’ll use money from the “911 trust fund” for 911 operators pay in 2024, although exact figures aren’t available at the moment.
Cuts in Mayor’s Office and Other Departments
The mayor’s office will see the biggest cuts, with a 9.6 percent reduction in funding, totaling $335,155.
Sustainability and Infrastructure Departments
The Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency Department will have a 6.1 percent cut, and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will be cut by 3.8 percent.
Saving for Future Needs
Denver is planning to save some money to use next year, hoping to have funds left over at the end of this year to carry over to 2025.
Financial Precaution
However, experts warn that if the crisis worsens, funds may become tighter, resulting in the need for further cuts.
The post – Outrage in Denver as Police Funding Diverted to Migrant Aid – first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jim Lambert.
The content of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or replace professional financial advice.
