Colorado Springs City Council passes 2025 budget

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Springs City Council passed the city's 2025 budget on Tuesday.

According to an announcement from the city, the general fund budget is $438 million, which is a 2.4 percent increase from the 2024 budget.

The complete proposed 2025 city budget is available at ColoradoSprings.gov/Budget.  

According to the city, while sales tax revenue is expected to increase by 3.5% in the next year, revenue increases are not expected to fully cover the increased costs of providing key services to residents. To ensure a balanced budget and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars, budget reductions from last year have been kept in place, along with rebudgeting savings from 2024 to 2025, and utilizing $3.9 million of reserved funds, the city said.   

The city will also continue to cap its 2025 property tax rate.

According to the city, the following are highlights of the 2025 general fund:

• The addition of 20 Police officers to grow authorized strength and keep pace with the city’s growth. 

• The addition of 3 police department civilian positions in the areas of photo enforcement, Training Academy support, and the body-worn camera program. 

• Continued funding for the replacement of police department emergency vehicles and fire department apparatus. 

• Continued funding for the Homeless Outreach Program (HOP) in the fire department; this program provides resources and navigation for access to healthcare, housing, and mental and behavioral health resources. 

• Continued funding for the police department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). 

• Compensation increases of 2% for all Police and Fire sworn employees and an average of 2% pay for performance increase for civilian employees. 

• An additional Quality of Life Team in the Neighborhood Services Division was added by reallocating vacant positions and associated funding from other areas of the organization. 

• A maintenance technician in Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services to address neighborhood parks, including the new Grey Hawk Park. 

• Transfer four vacant positions to housing services, replacing positions that were previously grant-funded. 

• Continued funding of $500,000 for shelter bed operations for people experiencing homelessness. 

• Transfer the Neighborhood Services division to Public Works Operations and Maintenance, to increase efficiencies of equipment use and work assignment.