Boulder County commissioners revise proposed 2027 budget cuts

Boulder County commissioners directed staff to restore $35,000 in economic-vitality grants and remove a proposed $60,500 cut to Youth Corps from preliminary 2027 budget reductions at a Nov. 5 work session, and staff said it would make the changes. Commissioners left other proposed reductions in place, including cuts to community grants and racial-equity training. The budget has not been adopted; adoption is scheduled for Dec. 8.

Staff proposed about $13.1 million in general-fund reductions: roughly $8.2 million in personnel costs and $4.8 million in operating costs. That was about $59,000 short of the county’s $13.2 million target. Staff recommended accepting the package rather than making further cuts to close the gap.

Some proposed personnel reductions would change how services are staffed. Staff said a reduction tied to agriculture and Colorado State University Extension was revised from 2.6 full-time-equivalent positions to two. A county administrator said the programs would continue with duties redistributed, though one 4-H group would be reduced.

Staff also said a proposed reduction in the general-fund transfer to Public Health would not require eliminating both communications positions: the department would retain one communications employee, use the county’s centralized web team and allow the other employee to fill a vacancy. Separately, staff identified savings from a vacant Appraiser I position.