Denver will cancel a police recruit class, reduce fertilizing in parks and consider leasing some heavy vehicles instead of buying them, under a $20 million budget-saving plan Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s administration unveiled Thursday.
The city is struggling with a $56 million budget shortfall for next year because of the slowdown in the economy.
The administration released more than 100 budget cuts Thursday to help close the gap.
The $20 million in reductions follow an earlier round of $34 million in cuts already announced.
The administration also plans to increase revenue above projections by about $1.5 million, partly by doing a better job of collecting unpaid court fees.
“I don’t think the citizens are going to notice the impact of this list at all,” said Ed Scholz, the mayor’s director of budget and management. “We stayed away from direct services to citizens, like libraries and rec centers.”
Scholz said fewer police have ended up retiring than originally projected, leaving the Police Department above its authorized force of 1,446. He said the city also plans to shift the cost of 16 patrol officers from the city’s general fund to Denver International Airport. Currently, the airport pays officers overtime to do that work.
The administration also hopes to save about $591,000 from the budget for the city’s jails by having police officers transfer those they arrest to the jail. Currently, deputies do that work. The jail will save money through attrition and without layoffs, Scholz said.
Denver City Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz, who has a reputation as a stickler on spending and as a booster of a robust police force, said she is mostly supportive.
“It’s unfortunate that we will take some of our officers doing street duty and send them to DIA, but I also recognize the fiscal reality,” Faatz said.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954- 1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
