Learn more about how the City and County of Broomfield budget is prioritizing financial sustainability and resilience by utilizing the three buckets of mandates, obligations and critical functions, as well as the continued focus on asset management, infrastructure and public safety (specifically Broomfield Police Department and Public Works), at a series of upcoming Broomfield 101 Forums. Topics covered in the forums, being held between Sept. 11 - 18, will be economic vitality, development, transportation, fiscal sustainability and elections. Get all the details of the forums on BroomfieldVoice.com/101Forums.
Financial sustainability and resilience was identified as the number one goal when the Broomfield City Council approved the 2022-2024 Community Goals in January 2023. As part of the 2023 Broomfield Community Survey, our community confirmed the city council’s commitment to financial sustainability and resilience with 50% of residents ranking this goal as their number one priority.
Outlined below are a few of the ways in which the City and County of Broomfield (CCOB) is prioritizing fiscal sustainability and resilience, with a continued focus on asset management, infrastructure and public safety (specifically Broomfield Police Department and Public Works), and making a difference in the community.
How the Police Department Fits into the Overall Budget
- Per the Police Department, CCOB has seen an almost 20% decrease in car theft from June 2022 to June 2023.
- As part of the original 2023 Adopted Budget (October 2022), the Broomfield Police Department was allocated $37,768,741 for personnel and operations.
- The pie chart below illustrates only the department operating budgets, which total $175,325,584. Therefore, when comparing only the department operations, Public Works, Police, Parks, Recreation & Senior Services, and Human Services are the largest expenditure departments.
- Since 2019, the budget for the Police Department has increased 27%, from $30M to $38M in 2023.
- Year after year, the number of full time employees has been prioritized, increasing by 12% from 226 in 2019 to 256 in 2023. The Police Department feels that this increase has affected the community by the decreasing crime rate in Broomfield.
- Get more details on the operations of the Broomfield Police Department in this year’s presentations to city council.
Finance Department
- Broomfield continues to allocate resources within budgeted and available amounts. The overall expenses continue to be less than the overall revenues, allowing for available funds to be carried forward in future years rather than utilizing reserve funding.
- Operational Expenses:
- Tax revenue alone is not sufficient to support the ongoing operational expenditures at the level to which CCOB residents have become accustomed, which is why the additional revenue stream is being explored as a way to pay for the total costs for services. We have seen a 25% increase in cost per resident over the last five years:
- In 2019, Broomfield’s population was ~70,000 at $2000 per resident
- In 2023, Broomfield’s population is ~78,000 and we are now spending $2500 per resident.
- It is noteworthy that BUDGETED AMOUNTS are always different from the ACTUAL AMOUNTS (see table).
| Original Budget | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
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| All Revenues* | 470,353,957 | 446,683,562 | 632,952,506 | 680,851,613 | 812,107,615 |
| Tax revenue only | 123,383,986 | 125,386,941 | 123,175,831 | 132,050,969 | 143,638,969 |
| Beginning fund balance | 170,647,760 | 144,622,380 | 195,488,023 | 212,082,401 | 237,465,319 |
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| All Expenses | 319,111,137 | 303,129,815 | 485,602,605 | 496,124,115 | 570,862,785 |
| Operating expenses only** | 139,805,620 | 152,502,863 | 160,932,809 | 180,335,520 | 191,452,166 |
*Revenues include Beginning Fund balances carried from prior year available balance for use. Additionally revenue sources include fiduciary plan contributions and other proceeds that are considered as passthrough revenue.
**Operating expenses are funded through various revenue streams such as federal funding, fees, or charges for services and not strictly tax revenue. |
Property Taxes
Increases were seen statewide in valuations for 2023 as the State of Colorado makes the laws for how property values are set for all counties and Broomfield is required to follow the laws. How the estimated increase that may be realized is spent falls under CCOB purview. Staff has not built these additional funds into the 2024 budget. Based on staff’s current recommendation and city council’s direction, a portion of that increase will be spent on developing, designing and moving toward an RFP for the new Police Department and Court building. Learn more on property taxes and the valuation process with the links below:
Debt Obligations, Management and Capital Planning
The current city council and staff have had the unenviable task of moving through a three-year process of reconciling outstanding obligations, both past, present and future, including future planning to accommodate growth.
- In June 2021, staff developed and the city council adopted a debt policy, a first for CCOB, which established criteria for debt obligations and serves as a functional tool for debt management and capital planning.
- The current city council’s only additional debt incurrence was securing, after a 20 year effort, the Windy Gap firming project, which ensures our future water storage capacity. This is reflected in the Enterprise Fund, not the General Fund.
- The current city council has had to determine how to pay for the debt that was incurred by prior councils. While the total remaining debt obligations through 2046 total $269,950,000, the annual debt payments are approximately $15M, which is programmed in each annual budget (see table).
| Remaining Total Debt Obligations | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|
| Total Debt (Principal Only)* | 185,750,000
| 171,555,000
| 301,930,000
| 286,295,000
| 269,950,000 |
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| General Fund Debt (Principal Only) | 143,785,000
| 37,375,000
| 149,875,000
| 138,720,000
| 127,085,000
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| Enterprise Fund Debt (Principal Only)** | 41,965,000
| 34,180,000
| 152,055,000
| 147,575,000
| 142,865,000
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*Excludes BURA Debt Obligations for Event Center - Paid through BURA
**Windy Gap Firming Project added in 2021 |
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Streets Infrastructure and Maintenance
There are many factors that must be taken into account when it comes to the maintenance of our streets and infrastructure in Broomfield.
- This winter’s weather was unprecedentedly cold which caused a delay in the start of this year’s pavement preservation program. The unusually wet spring weather has also caused some delays for crews in work that gets done in the spring/summer months.
- Additionally, based on staff recommendation and city council approval, the 2024 budget will be prioritized into three buckets: mandates, obligations and critical functions, with a continued focus on asset management, infrastructure and public safety (specifically Broomfield Police Department and Public Works).
- This includes increasing the number of miles to be included in our pavement preservation and crack/seal programs.
Broomfield continues to maintain its streets at the recommended levels as demonstrated by the Streets Rating Summary. Continued efforts by staff to invest in appropriate mitigation strategies such as sealing and paving are supported by the budget.
Upcoming Broomfield 101 Forums
Please join us at one or more of the Broomfield 101 Forums to learn more about Broomfield’s economic vitality, development, transportation, fiscal sustainability and elections. Hear a high-level overview of departmental goals and objectives and be able to ask questions of Broomfield staff. If you cannot attend one or all of the forums, you can watch virtually on Broomfield.org/LIVE. To learn more about the forums, submit your questions before the session and to review the recording of each presentation, visit BroomfieldVoice.com/101Forums. All forums are scheduled to be held in the Broomfield City Council Chambers at One Descombes Drive:
- Economic Vitality and Development: Monday, Sept. 11 from 3-4:30 p.m.
- Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Wednesday, Sept. 13 from 3-4:30 p.m.
- Transportation: Friday, Sept. 15 from 3-4:30 p.m.
- Elections: Monday, Sept. 18 from 1-3 p.m.