The draft El Paso County budget for 2024 proposes TABOR refunds on residential properties, raises for staff, a one-time cash infusion into road and bridge spending and healthy reserves ahead of what could be a tough economic year. 

“One of the highest priorities was to ensure we had a recession-resistant budget,” said Nikki Simmons, chief financial officer for the county. 

The county is factoring in some economic growth – about a 3% increase in sales tax revenues. But at the same time, the county is setting aside 22% of budgeted revenues for reserves, including a $9 million emergency fund. 

El Paso County Commission Chairwoman Cami Bremer praised the high level of reserves.

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“I am incredibly comfortable with that, given the level of unknowns we have.”  

Overall, county spending will still rise from about $471 million this year to about $483 million next year, the draft budget shows. 

Some of that spending will go toward raises. County employees will see a 2.5% cost-of-living pay increase, and they can also earn a 2% increase for performance, Simmons said. The county is setting aside $9 million to fund that increase across its more than 3,000 employees, she said. The boost is intended to keep up with inflation. 

The county also will be giving back $31 million to residents next year, because its revenues exceeded the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap on growth. The cap is based on inflation and population growth.

Residents can expect to see a flat refund of $138 per residence on their property tax bills, Simmons said. 

“This gets it back to the people versus corporations,” she said. 

The county is expecting its revenue from property taxes to rise next year based on the increase in property values, but it will be instituting a temporary reduction of 1.661 mills to keep within TABOR limits and provide some tax relief. 

The county estimates revenues still will rise 9.79%, up to $81.7 million next year with the temporary reduction in mills, she said. 

In terms of new investments, the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office could see the largest addition of staff with seven of the 14 new positions proposed. The District Attorney’s Office is hoping to hire four discovery clerks, two restitution clerks and a human-resource employee. Total spending on public safety, including the Sheriff’s Office and the DA’s Office, is expected to be about $164 million. 

The Veterans Service Office also could see three more positions to help process disability claims that are submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of people eligible for monthly disability payments has risen substantially because of a new law focused on those exposed to Agent Orange and the burn pits in the Middle East. 

The county’s backlog of road and bridge projects also could see a boost of $10 million in one-time spending. However, overall road and bridge spending is expected to be down, from $43.8 million this year to $38.7 million next year, because the road and bridge department had an infusion of $16 million in one-time spending this year, the budget shows. 

County commissioners expect to hear from their fellow county elected leaders in the coming weeks about some of the details in the budget and may refine spending in the coming weeks. 

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The board is expected to vote on the budget on Dec. 5. 

However, if the statewide Proposition HH ballot question passes in November, the valuation of properties in the county could change and that could delay the adoption of a budget into January, Simmons said. 

The county also would need to hire the equivalent of two new full-time employees and one part-time position to help with the additional workload to meet the new requirements of the ballot measure. 

The measure would create new subclasses of property, so owner-occupied and nonowner-occupied residential properties would have to be taxed differently, she said.