Denver's next two years: Johnston fights to save his "vibrant" vision
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston outside his office in the Denver City and County Building. Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston reaches the halfway mark of his first term Thursday, with his bold agenda running headlong into fiscal and political minefields.
Why it matters: Johnston's next two years — with looming budget cuts and federal funding in doubt — could determine whether voters give him another four years in 2027, when he plans to run for reelection.
The big picture: Johnston, a self-described "entrepreneur at heart," spent his first two years dreaming big and moving fast — drawing praise for results and criticism for rushed decisions and closed-door tactics.
He's claimed some major wins:
- Reducing visible street homelessness (7,000 people have been moved into shelters since 2023 — though at a steep $58 million per year).
- Lowering violent crime (the homicide rate is down 58% this year, which Johnston says is "the largest drop of any of the top 100 cities in the country").
- Reopening and rebranding 16th Street.
- Orchestrating a land swap to turn Park Hill Golf Course into a park.
- Securing a new women's soccer stadium.
Mixed results:
- Navigating a migrant crisis, which triggered major budget cuts and tapping city savings to cover its roughly $100 million cost from December 2022 to present.
- Revamping the city's building permitting process, though multifamily residential buildings still average a 276-day wait time.
And some setbacks:
- Voters rejecting his sales tax to fund affordable housing.
- City audits revealing homeless shelter failures and financial mismanagement of encampment sweeps.
- Stubbornly steep office vacancies downtown (currently 36.8%).
- Strained relationships with City Council for moving too fast, overruling their authority and lacking transparency — plus plummeting staff morale ahead of layoffs.
- Declining public approval.
- And, the latest, his flagship bond proposal — an $800 million plan for infrastructure, parks, rec centers — hitting intense resistance.
State of play: Johnston's second half of his first term is shaping up to be less about big swings and more about surviving the fallout.
- Denver faces a $250 million shortfall, with layoffs and service cuts expected. With more than 13,000 city workers on payroll, even a 5% reduction would mean 650 jobs gone.
- That squeeze could translate into slower trash pickups, reduced library hours and other unpalatable cuts just as Johnston prepares for a reelection bid.
Zoom out: Washington is tightening the vise, with federal funds already withheld.
- President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" guts Medicaid and SNAP — which could further strain Denver's safety net and Johnston's signature "All In Mile High" initiative.
- The bill also funnels $170 billion into immigration enforcement. Johnston's vows to protect undocumented residents, even at the risk of jail, already triggered a federal lawsuit and FEMA clawbacks, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns could intensify.
- Meanwhile, new tariffs on steel, lumber and solar gear are inflating construction budgets, jeopardizing Johnston's housing and climate goals.
Yes, but: Betting big is his brand. "Our toughest problems are solvable, and we are the ones to solve them," he says often.
The bottom line: The mayor's vision for a "vibrant" Denver is facing its most daunting challenges yet. The next two years won't just define Johnston's administration. They'll test whether voters still believe in him.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show the migrant crisis cost the city about $100 million (not $180 million) from December 2022 to present.