More layoffs ahead as Boulder County trims 2026 budget
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The Boulder County Courthouse. Photo: Katie Wood / The Denver Post via Getty Images
Boulder County signed off on its final 2026 budget Tuesday, but only after carving out an additional $5 million in cuts, most of which will hit personnel budgets across departments.
Why it matters: The reductions mean more layoffs are coming for county workers in the new year.
Catch up quick: Commissioners unanimously approved $745 million in 2026 spending, up from $708 million in 2025.
- But the county faces a three-year revenue shortfall of $30 million to $40 million, requiring large spending cuts in coming years.
Officials previously said they needed to trim $13 million from the general fund in 2026 alone.
- Boulder County already endured a round of layoffs and vacant position eliminations in September and offered voluntary buyouts to roughly 70 employees.
- The Public Health department eliminated 31 positions, including 12 layoffs
- The Housing Authority cut 16 positions, including seven layoffs, officials told Axios Boulder.
The latest: Even after those moves, the county was still $5 million short. County administrator Jana Petersen and budget director Emily Beam gave a presentation Tuesday outlining 30 additional areas for cuts to make up the difference.
- With most long-vacant positions already eliminated, only three newly vacant roles remained to cut.
- Nearly all additional savings come from personnel reductions — unsurprising given personnel accounts for about 70% of the general fund. The cuts will take effect in the first quarter of 2026.
- The recommendation also includes a hiring freeze across numerous departments.
Zoom in: Two of the largest trims hit law enforcement, with the recommendation that both the district attorney's and sheriff's offices slash their personnel budget by $500,000.
- County officials say both departments have recently underspent on personnel, suggesting they might absorb reductions without major layoffs.
- Commissioner Marta Loachamin pushed for deeper cuts to the sheriff's office, but commissioner Claire Levy objected, citing concern for public safety.
By the numbers: Other departments facing personnel reductions include:
- Community Services administration: –$377,000
- Parks & Open Space: –$300,000
- Community Planning & Permitting: –$210,000
- Public Works engineering/resource conservation: –$278,000
- Public Works building services: –$293,000
Additional savings measures include canceling a $500,000 transfer to the county's Disaster Recovery Fund and shifting a $453,350 community partnership grant from the general fund to the Human Services Safety Net Fund.
- The county will also have to find about $335,000 in "efficiencies" across departments.
Friction point: Levy unsuccessfully pushed an amendment to remove personnel cuts from three divisions, arguing that the budget presentation failed to convey the real-world impact of the reductions.
- "These are just numbers and divisions," Levy said, adding, "I need more about what the impact would be on the services."
The big picture: Levy said the county must begin confronting long-term revenue questions — including possible mill levy increases — rather than relying on repeated rounds of cuts.
- Residents need to acknowledge the fact that costs are increasing, she said. "I'm not really supportive of the approach we've been taking."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with details on the number of layoffs and vacant positions eliminated by the county's housing and health departments.