Arapahoe County Commissioners tout strong pandemic recovery and get real on funding challenges
2023 State of the County address highlights need for new funding streams
Under the backdrop of the County’s economic development campaign—Where Good Things Grow—Arapahoe County’s board of commissioners on Wednesday showcased successful pandemic recovery efforts, unveiled a slate of current undertakings, and gave a realistic, if not alarming, peek at the County’s financial future as part of their State of the County address. The event was held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and attracted over 250 stakeholders, including elected officials, economic development partners, and nonprofit, civic and educational leaders.
“Arapahoe County is a strong county,” said Board Chair Carrie Warren-Gully. “Together we have created an environment that supports one another, nourishes our most precious, and cultivates a rich future for all,” she told the audience. “Good things are growing in Arapahoe County.”
Commissioners spent the better part of the morning celebrating accomplishments, focusing on service to residents and the community:
- Forming the new Arapahoe County Public Health Department in one year—on time and on budget.
- Serving thousands of additional new Human Services clients during the pandemic but not missing a beat by meeting each of the state’s timeliness measures for public assistance applications.
- Celebrating the opening of the newly renovated Cheyenne-Arapaho Park, sporting new amenities, including a new community garden in partnership with Denver Urban Gardens.
- Revising oil and gas rules to incorporate new industry standards and measures of accountability.
- Beginning a project that expands the Detention Center and adds 37 new beds for medical and behavioral observation, improving care and safety for inmates and staff alike.
A common theme emerged through the commissioners’ highlights: the use of one-time federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The funds were used strategically to help get residents and businesses back on their feet after the pandemic and to pilot new programs and services that would not have seen the light of day if not for the funds. Some examples:
- Helping 317 families remain housed through the County’s eviction clinic pilot program.
- Distributing more than $23 million in emergency rental assistance, helping 3,800 families stay in their homes.
- Providing 367 businesses with $12 million in funding to keep storefronts open.
- Helping fund a new Early Childhood Education Center which will serve clients in the GOALS residential program and in the surrounding areas.
- Expanding homelessness efforts through the creation of a coordinating committee and investments in several programs designed for a regional approach to homelessness.
“You’re hearing a lot about our use of one-time ARPA funding this morning,” said Chair Pro Tem Jeff Baker. “There’s a reason for that—those funds are running out. And although we’ve been able to do some amazing things and shepherd our community through COVID, almost all the programs we highlighted today are at risk of going away.”
Commissioners acknowledged the County has a long record of responsible budget management and stewardship. They also gave kudos to staff, who “know how to stretch a dollar into a dollar fifty,” quipped Baker. But decades of fiscal conservancy coupled with historic growth and caps mandated by the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) have created an urgent need to stabilize funding sources and modernize finances.
“What does that mean? To modernize finances,” said Commissioner Bill Holen. “It means that despite the perception that we have unlimited resources from federal funds and property tax revenue, the fact is that we have a sustainable funding issue.” The commissioner gave an example of why the County doesn’t benefit from recent property valuation hikes.
“You might not know that we only receive about $430 from the average tax bill to provide everything from repairing county roads to protecting the most vulnerable residents and providing public safety and motor vehicle services,” Holen said.
But TABOR restrictions don’t just affect day-to-day services, they also work against aging infrastructure. “TABOR limits our ability to do what we need to do on a daily basis, much less address a growing backlog of infrastructure repairs,” said Commissioner Jessica Campbell-Swanson, giving her first State of the County address as a new commissioner.
“The County’s infrastructure action plan focuses on maintaining existing assets and it’s historically underfunded by $15 million annually,” she continued. “Current funding levels cannot readily address the improvements necessary to keep up with population growth.”
Commissioners indicated they will soon consider various options to help address the funding challenges.
“Our goal is to identify solutions that allow us to meet our current demands and plan for our future while ensuring we maintain an excellent quality of life,” said Commissioner Leslie Summey, also serving her first term.
Those options include the potential to ask voters to remove the revenue cap of TABOR, also known as “de-brucing.” Of Colorado’s 64 counties, 51 are de-bruced, including neighboring Adams and Douglas Counties. Summey emphasized the County has already begun engaging residents on the budget topic, most recently at a telephone town hall last month.
“Your input is critical as we evaluate these options and determine a path—we want to hear from you!” she told the audience, which included online viewers. “We had a lot of questions and a good discussion, but we have more work to do.”
The State of the County address is available for viewing on our YouTube channel. To supplement the event, the County published its 2022 Annual Report, which is available alongside other reports from the Sheriff’s Office, Coroner, and Public Works and Development.
