Leaders of Arapahoe County expressed worries about its financial future with state and federal funding up in the air, even as touted accomplishments over the past year — notably the passage of ballot measure 1A — at the State of the County event last week.

This year’s State of the County stood in contrast to last year’s, during which county commissioners painted a dire financial picture that, they said, would have necessitated major cuts to programs and services without some kind of change. 

One option commissioners pitched at last year’s event was ballot measure 1A, which then passed in November’s election. The measure allowed the county to “de-Bruce” under the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — that is, permit county officials to eliminate TABOR’s revenue limit and use all the taxes it has collected for spending priorities. The phrase references the constitutional amendment’s author, Douglas Bruce.

“We spent a lot of time getting out, talking with residents, and all of you to better understand what was at stake and what was expected,” Commissioner Leslie Summey said at the event. “They were not easy conversations, but they were absolutely necessary.”

Commissioner Jessica Campbell said they were “blown away by the response” to the ballot measure, which passed with about 70% of voters saying “yes.”

“The ballot was the first step, but the real work started this year,” Campbell said. “It couldn’t be happening at a more crucial time.”

Federal funding is up in the air this year, and almost 17% of the county’s more than $571 million budget is federal funding, Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully said. The state is also in a budget crisis, adding to the county’s financial uncertainty, she added.

“You can see why we’re a little bit worried,” Warren-Gully said. “But despite that doom and gloom, we believe the road ahead is both urgent and promising.”

The county has several strategic areas for the next year that will help direct where resources will go, including health, economic resilience and stability, sustainable growth and infrastructure, and workforce and community prosperity, the commissioners said.

Looking back at this past year, commissioners highlighted several accomplishments, including strengthening oil and gas regulations, enforcing a new abandoned vehicle ordinance, creating an electric vehicle action plan, acquiring the High Line Canal and pursuing affordable housing. 

In the face of uncertain funding, commissioners said the county will use the funding from ballot measure 1A to support essential services.

“Together we are investing in Arapahoe, and the return on that is a stronger, safer and more connected community for us all,” Summey said.