Mayor releases Colorado Springs budget for 2022 with significant increase

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (KRDO) - Mayor John Suthers presented the City Council with his version of a balanced budget for 2022 on Monday, and it includes an increase of over $50 million.

The total projected general fund budget is nearly $400.6 million, an increase of 16.26% or $56 million over this year.

According to a release from the city, most of the increase is because of budgeting millions in savings generated by federal COVID-19 relief funding through the CARES Act.

Suthers says the allocated budgetary funds are aimed to meet goals of the city's strategic plan, which promotes creating new jobs, investing in infrastructure, strengthening community relationships, maintaining a high level of city services, and more first responders on the streets, including 17 sworn-in police officers by the end of 2022 plus mental health clinicians and social workers.

Among the highlights of the 2022 budget:

• $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

A City Council work session will examine the budget on Oct. 18. The first reading of the budget ordinance will take place at a city council meeting on Nov. 23, with a second reading on Dec. 14.

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