The City of Fort Collins has officially laid out its financial blueprint for the next two years, publishing the 2025-2026 City Manager’s Recommended Budget last August 30. According to the City of Fort Collins, the budget prioritizes strategic investment and maintaining high-quality day-to-day services, all in the face of challenging economic conditions such as inflation and the end of certain pandemic-era funding sources.
Citizens are invited to rigorously examine the proposal and offer their feedback directly to the City Council, which will be dedicating the fall season to reviewing and modifying the drafted budget. Suggestions and comments can be made through the city’s website at fcgov.com/budget or by attending the upcoming budget hearings on September 17 and October 1. Moreover, more information and opportunities to engage can be found at ourcity.fcgov.com/priorities, with discussion questions posted throughout the season.
The themes of the latest recommended budget march in line with the needs of a growing and evolving Fort Collins. A central element is the voter-approved 2050 Tax, a 0.5% sales and use tax to fund parks and recreation, transit, and climate initiatives, setting a path to actualize community visions for the future. Furthermore, the budget addresses the city's pressing asset management backlog and inflation-increased costs for infrastructure and technology, through targeted reserves and dedicated revenue streams.
Continuing its commitment to City Council-determined priorities around climate action, environmental health, and housing affordability, the budget also includes proposed salary increases for city employees to sustain competitive market rates. However, residents should prepare for some adjustments as federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, aimed to shore up community resilience during the pandemic, will no longer bolster the city's financial reservoirs. As a result, several programs initiated under this temporary funding are slated not to continue in the new budget cycle.
