More than a year after voters passed ballot measure 1A to help Arapahoe County handle a budget shortfall, county officials approved a $670 million budget for 2026 that is nearly $100 million higher than the 2025 budget of $571 million.

The county’s budget will cover services with additional property tax revenue from voter-approved 1A, which allowed the county to “de-Bruce” under the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — that is, permit county officials to eliminate TABOR’s revenue limit and use all the taxes it has collected for spending priorities. The phrase references the constitutional amendment’s author, Douglas Bruce.

The 2026 budget, passed unanimously by commissioners in early December, is $670 million, which is a 17.4% increase from the 2025 budget of $571 million. Of that, $316 million is in the general fund.

County revenue is expected to increase by 8.5%, from $620 million in 2025 to $672.8 million in 2026, according to Budget Manager Jessica Savko in an October budget presentation to county commissioners.

The county’s general fund grew from under $250 million in 2024 to more than $300 million in 2026 — thanks to the passage of ballot measure 1A, Savko told commissioners.

Currently, there is a budget surplus of $33 million. The surplus helps the county ensure it has a set-aside for future years, Savko said in October. Property tax is projected to decrease in 2027 by $2.5 million and there is still uncertainty around future federal and state funding, she said.

Highlights of the county’s budget include:

• An increase to the sheriff’s office budget of about $10 million, from $151 million in 2025 to $161 million in 2026.
• A 22% increase in the district attorney’s budget, to $27 million in 2026, to help the 18th Judicial District handle the influx of domestic violence cases from Aurora.
• An additional 63 new positions across multiple departments, particularly in public safety.
• More than $125 million over the next five years set aside to address deferred maintenance and improve county roads, facilities and systems.
• Investment of $1.2 million for ongoing rental assistance.
• Investment of $4 million to support affordable housing.

In an early December meeting in which commissioners unanimously approved the 2026 budget, Commissioner Jessica Campbell said the passage of 1A was a “huge testament” to the trust the community has in its elected officials and staff, adding that they take that commitment seriously.

“I feel like we struck an incredible balance,” Campbell said. “I’m very excited that our community responded to us and allowed us to retain this revenue … so we can continue this work.”

Board Chair Leslie Summey said in a county news release that despite funding concerns, county officials crafted a budget to address resident needs first.

“Even with funding concerns at the state and federal levels, Arapahoe County commissioners made a promise to invest locally in the programs and services that make a difference in our residents’ lives,” Summey said in the release. “This budget prioritizes public safety and human services, expands workforce investments, brings stability to our infrastructure, and helps future-proof the budget in the years ahead.”