Budget prioritizes fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, public safety, and taxpayer relief through TABOR refund and mill levy reduction
October 13, 2025 – The El Paso County Financial Services Department presented the 2026 Preliminary Balanced Budget. The $530.6 million budget reflects El Paso County’s commitment to maintaining low taxes and delivering high-quality public services. Guided by the County’s Strategic Plan, the 2026 budget emphasizes core priorities: Infrastructure, Service Quality, Community Trust, and Public Safety.
Board Chair Commissioner Carrie Geitner emphasized the County’s focus on fiscal responsibility and good governance, stating:
“I want to thank County Administrator Bret Waters, Chief Financial Officer Nikki Simmons, and their teams for their tremendous work. Their leadership and dedication help keep alignment with the priorities of this Board and the residents we serve. We remain focused on serving our community and investing in areas that make the greatest impact, especially improving our roads. While there is still work to do, we’ve made measurable progress through data-driven decision-making and fiscal discipline. Thanks to years of conservative financial planning, El Paso County remains in a strong fiscal position. While we know some local jurisdictions and the state have announced cuts, we are not laying off or furloughing employees, and we continue to provide essential services without compromising the stability of our workforce. Good governance matters, and I’m proud of the work being done to support El Paso County’s long-term financial security. I encourage residents to stay engaged in the budget process and share their feedback as we move forward.”
Chief Financial Officer Nikki Simmons underscored the County’s long-standing commitment to sound financial management, adding:
“Our conservative approach to budgeting has allowed El Paso County to remain financially strong, even during periods of economic uncertainty. By keeping our revenue projections realistic and carefully reviewing expenditures, we’ve been able to preserve critical services, maintain healthy reserves, and keep staffing levels stable. The 2026 preliminary budget reflects that ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility and stability by continuing to fund core priorities and aligning resources with the County’s long-term strategic plan, without proposing any operational or personnel cuts.”
The County follows a comprehensive, multi-year budgeting process that is both collaborative and transparent. This process positions the County to meet critical priorities, adapt to changing service demands, and stay responsive to evolving state laws.
El Paso County remains committed to a conservative fiscal approach. The County maintains responsible revenue projections, actively seeks state, federal, and grant opportunities, and reviews expenditures to generate underspending where possible. Long-term objectives include maintaining sufficient operational and emergency reserves, funding ongoing personnel and operational needs, and addressing capital investments in facilities and infrastructure.
For 2026, the County’s total revenue budget is $501.8 million, a 0.26% increase over the 2025 adopted budget. Revenues come from sales and use taxes, property taxes, fees, charges for services, grants, and other sources.
The 2026 budget also includes taxpayer relief measures. A TABOR refund of $4.48 million from 2024 excess revenues will be issued as a flat credit to residential property owners. In addition, the County adopted a temporary mill levy reduction of 1.374 mills to remain under the 2026 TABOR cap for property tax revenue. This reduction affects property tax collections for 2025, which are already among the lowest of Colorado’s ten largest counties. Based on current projections, El Paso County expects to remain under the TABOR cap for both 2025 and 2026.
The total 2026 expenditure budget is $530.6 million, representing a 0.45% increase over 2025. Through a collaborative process with departments and offices, the County focused on aligning resources with the Strategic Plan and funding one-time items primarily from operational savings.
Key highlights from the 2026 budget include:
- Roads & Infrastructure: $59.1 million is allocated for Public Works, including $40.2 million in the Road & Bridge Budget. Included in the $40.2 million for Road and Bridge is $12 million for the pavement preservation program. These investments align with the Strategic Plan goal to sustainably fund, manage, and improve publicly owned infrastructure. The Pavement Condition Index (PCI), the County’s primary measure of road quality, guides these decisions by identifying where preservation and repairs are most needed. By improving PCI scores, the County can extend the life of roads in good condition, address critical maintenance, and avoid costly reconstruction, resulting in better road conditions and safer, more reliable travel for residents. The County has met its goal of increasing the PCI for the past four years, and these funds will help continue that progress.
- Facilities & Parks: $4.9 million, including $800,000 for park improvements and $4.1 million for facility upgrades. These investments support the Strategic Plan goal to improve the condition of County-maintained parks and facilities, and are guided by the County Park Asset Condition Index. This proactive approach helps reduce long-term maintenance costs and keeps public spaces safe, functional, and welcoming for the community.
- Service Quality & Workforce: The 2026 budget includes $6.7 million to strengthen recruitment, retention, and pay-for-performance efforts. This investment reflects the County’s commitment to a skilled, engaged workforce—recognizing that employee excellence directly influences the level of service provided to residents. It supports key performance measures like the Customer Experience Index and Employee Engagement Index, reinforcing the County’s commitment to trust, responsiveness, and quality in public service.
- Operational Enhancements: $160,000 across departments to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
In addition, the County has a 23% fund balance reserve plus a $10 million emergency reserve, further reinforcing our commitment to long-term fiscal stability and preparedness.
The budget process is open to the public. Multiple hearings are scheduled to provide opportunities for residents to share feedback and learn more about County priorities.
Upcoming Budget Hearings:
- Budget Hearing #2 – October 21:
- 2026 Original Adopted Budget – Department & Office Critical Needs Presentations and Public Participation
- Budget Hearing #3 – November 4:
- BoCC Direction on the 2026 Original Adopted Budget and Public Participation
- Budget Hearing #4 – December 9:
- 2026 Original Adopted Budget
- Resolution to Adopt 2026 OAB
- Resolution to Certify Mill Levy
- Resolution to Authorize Treasurer for Transfers
The full 2026 Preliminary Balanced Budget and budget hearing dates are available online at: https://admin.elpasoco.com/financial-services/budget-finance/county-budget/.
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