Re: “Linkhart: ‘I’m in it for the long haul,’ ” April 10 mayoral candidate Q&A.
How to address the city’s budget shortfall is one issue that distinguishes the various candidates for Denver mayor, which is why I want to clarify The Post’s portrayal of my budget plan in Sunday’s paper.
Denver has faced budget cuts in five of the past seven years, resulting in reduced library and trash services, less money for economic development and other cuts. These reductions have sometimes occurred even in years with increasing revenues, which is what is projected for 2012, when we expect a $100 million shortfall despite a revenue increase of 2 percent.
Our recent budget challenges reflect long-term structural problems, which have been amplified by the Great Recession. It’s time to move beyond business-as-usual tactics and chart a bold path toward investing in our future.
One cause of our structural problems is long-term cost increases in services like jail beds, which have tripled since 1980, partly because we are not investing enough up front in areas like mental health care and drug treatment. Another cause is overdependence on sales tax, which makes up half of our revenues and is no longer rising as much because people are buying more services and fewer goods.
My budget solution for 2012 involves $55 million in strategic spending shifts and delays that allow us to restore library hours and furlough days while reducing costs that do not affect public services. The remaining $45 million will come from new non-tax revenues that help diversify our revenue base. The plan’s details are on my website, .
I am also proposing a $40 million fiscal stability fund. This fund will be used for investments in energy efficiency, technology, alternatives to jail, mental health, drug treatment and other programs that will save money down the road and begin to stabilize our budget.
Denver has already shown the effectiveness of these types of investments through the Crime Prevention and Control Commission, Denver’s Road Home and Greenprint Denver. Our annual investment of $3 million a year in drug court and other programs, for example, has saved more than $6 million a year in jail costs.
The people of Denver continually show their willingness to invest in our city to secure a stable future. It’s time to once again invest in our community. By acting strategically, we can resolve current budget problems in a way that creates sustainable prosperity and improves the lives of Denver residents.
Doug Linkhart is an at-large member of the Denver City Council and a candidate for mayor.
