Brighton City Council adopted the 2021 budget by an 8-0 vote at the Dec. 1 City Council meeting. The vote approved $138,197,981 across all 15 of the city’s operating, capital and utility funds. The adopted budget includes an approximate 1.32-percent decrease from the 2020 budget of $140,047,768.
Highlights of the budget include:
- Widening of Bridge Street to better connect the eastern portion of our community to downtown
- Purchasing police body cameras to provide greater transparency and safety to our officers
- Water Treatment Plant Upgrades to help the City meet its growing water demand
- Construction of North Outfall Phase I and II to alleviate potential storm drainage safety issues in our community
- Continued COVID-19 response
The 2021 budget runs from January to December 2021. Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the City faced declines in its major operating revenue sources (sales tax, use tax, and charges for services). The 2021 budget focuses on tightening the City’s expenditures and finding creative ways to fund all on-going services and programs, including the much anticipated re-opening of the Brighton Oasis Family Aquatic Park in the summer of 2021, the re-opening of the Eagle View Adult Center, and returning the Recreation Center to full service (should COVID-19 restrictions allow).
In addition to the evolving financial impact of the pandemic, City leaders recognize that with Brighton’s growing population, we must rise to the challenge of providing core services to our community. This includes public safety, accessible and safe transportation options, parks and recreational facilities for all ages, high-quality and dependable water, building safety measures and a number of amenities that our residents, businesses and visitors have come to expect from their local government.
City leaders were able to balance the 2021 budget, while maintaining the required reserves across all funds.
To view the 2021 budget as well as previous budgets, please visit www.brightonco.gov/budget.
If you have questions, please contact Kayla Barber-Perrotta, City of Brighton Budget Manager, at KBPerrotta@brightonco.gov.