Five weeks after Denver said it expected revenues to remain flat heading into 2027, stronger-than-expected collections are prompting finance officials to signal they may raise this year’s revenue forecast.

General Fund revenue was up 2.3% through June compared with the same period last year, according to a second-quarter financial report. But the growth comes amid a broader slowdown: Midyear revenues grew 4.8% in 2023, 3.7% in 2024 and 3.2% in 2025.

The city collected $766.6 million through June. And the Department of Finance said current trends could lead it to revise its $1.664 billion full-year forecast slightly upward before Denver Mayor Mike Johnston releases his proposed 2027 budget in September.

“We are becoming more optimistic based on what we are seeing to date,” Laura Swartz, a Department of Finance spokesperson said in an email to The Denver Gazette.

Last month, the Johnston administration said it was planning for revenue to remain flat heading into 2027.

“That means that while we won’t see reductions, departments may still need to get creative to balance increased costs around materials, services or labor,” Jon Ewing, Johnston’s spokesperson, told The Denver Gazette.

Among the city’s largest revenue sources:

• Sales and use taxes — the city’s largest revenue source — brought in $373.4 million through June, up 9.8% from the same period last year.
• Lodgers’ taxes posted the largest percentage increase, up 33.5% to $15.3 million.
• Fees Xcel Energy pays Denver to use public rights of way rose 22.4% to $15.8 million, though finance officials attributed the increase to payment timing. Last year’s second-quarter total included five months of payments compared with six this year.
• Occupational privilege taxes, commonly called head taxes, fell 6.4% to $21.3 million. Finance officials said payment timing can cause significant monthly fluctuations and that, with July collections included, the year-over-year decline has narrowed to 3%.
• Motor vehicle taxes declined 7.3% to $14.5 million, the largest percentage drop among the city’s 10 biggest revenue sources.

The city projects it will end the year with $196.4 million in the General Fund balance, or roughly 12% of estimated expenditures.

The city’s financial picture was one of several items before the Denver City Council on Monday.

Other items on the council’s agenda include:

Your name here

Want your family’s name on the stage, lobby, elevator — or loading dock — at Boettcher? Denver is opening up portions of the city-owned cultural landmark for philanthropic naming to help the Colorado Symphony raise its promised $15 million toward the $122 million renovation.

The city, though, is limiting naming rights to individuals and families — not corporations — for terms of up to 25 years. The Boettcher Concert Hall name itself would remain in perpetuity.

The proposal would exempt the building and its major components from Denver’s normal naming procedure. Brian Kitts, a spokesperson for Denver Arts & Venues, said City Council has traditionally approved major naming-rights deals individually, while the Boettcher exemption is intended to accommodate multiple large and small naming opportunities on a shorter timeline.

“We’re all hopeful that the symphony’s relationships will result in a suite of both large and small partnerships,” Kitts said. “This request allows for these potential deals to be handled in a quick, condensed process and timeline.”

$55 million for jail health care

Council considered a two-year, $55 million agreement with Denver Health for jail medical services, moving those services out of a longstanding operating agreement and into a separate contract after nearly three decades.

In 2025 and 2026 the costs were $22.3 million and $23.9 million, respectively, Deydra Bringas, a Denver Health spokesperson said in an email to The Denver Gazette.

Denver Health has provided medical care at the Denver County Jail and the Downtown Detention Center under the citywide agreement since 1997. Under the new contract, jail medical services would be governed separately from other services Denver Health provides the city.

The agreement will cost up to $27.1 million in 2027 and $27.8 million in 2028, budget figures show. This includes staffing, administrative costs and up to $2.5 million annually for professional liability insurance.

Denver Health did not explain why the city is moving jail medical services into a separate agreement after nearly three decades.

$12 million billing contract

The council also approved a second amendment to Denver’s agreement with Zuora Inc., adding about $3.1 million and extending the billing-platform contract through July 2028. The amendment brings the maximum value of the agreement, first approved in 2020, to about $12 million.

The latest agreement includes $60 million in annual billing volume, with Denver subject to an overage fee if it exceeds that amount.

Ewing did not provide the city’s actual billing volume for 2024 or 2025 or its projection for this year. He referred The Denver Gazette to Technology Services.

These and more than 20 items were unanimously approved by council without discussion.