Latest news with #MikeJohnston
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Denver, facing over $200M budget gap, will begin layoffs on Aug. 18
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver city and county employees will see layoff notifications during the week of Aug. 18, according to the mayor's office, which cited budget woes. 'These are not easy days, and these are not easy decisions,' wrote Mayor Mike Johnston to the city and county employees in a letter sent Tuesday. 'Every role in this city matters, and every person in those roles has contributed to our city in meaningful ways.' Denver mayor announces furloughs, $250M budget shortfall over next 2 years The number of impacted employees was not shared. In May, the Denver Mayor's Office said that city employees would experience furloughs in the face of a $50 million revenue gap and $200 million deficit. He also noted that the city had seen a 0.3% revenue growth, which is far below the previous 5% growth seen by the city before 2024. 'As I shared in March, the continual slowdown in the economy we are seeing locally and nationally has deeply affected the city budget, and we need to build a budget that fits within the revenues we have,' Johnston wrote to city employees on Tuesday. Johnston said he is still committed to 'protecting core city services and delivering on residents' top priorities while preventing layoffs in every instance possible.' The announcement also follows a vote by the Denver Career Services Board to eliminate the seniority-based layoff system in favor of a merit-based approach. At the time, no layoffs had been announced, but workers rallied to decry the then-proposed change to layoffs. Johnston said the layoff notices will all be made within the one week beginning Aug. 18. Employees will have their last working day on the same day they are notified of their layoff, and then will be given 30 calendar days of paid administrative leave. During that time, salary and benefits, including time-off accruals, will still be received. The official separation date will be 31 calendar days after the notification is received, the city said. Medical, dental and vision coverage will continue through Sept. 30 for separated employees. City announces severance packages for August layoffs The city outlined severance packages based on employees' lengths of service with the city. The city also said that the severance will be in addition to the 30 days of paid administrative leave. Length of Service Severance Post probation, less than 1 year 1 pay period (2 weeks of pay) 1 year to less than 5 years 2 pay periods (4 weeks of pay) 5 years to less than 15 years 3 pay periods (6 weeks of pay) 15 years or more 4 pay periods (8 weeks of pay) After employees sign the severance agreement, they will receive the payment within 14 days after their employment officially ends. Employees who are on probation or who are retiring, as well as on-call employees, are not entitled to severance, the city noted. Denver board votes to eliminate seniority-based layoffs, will now consider merit 'In addition, the severance package will also include a stipend equal to one month of the city's share of medical insurance,' the city stated in its announcement. 'This will enable any employee to keep health care coverage for at least 60 days after notification of a layoff. Other supports for Denver employees during layoffs The city said the Department of Economic Development and Opportunity's Workforce Development division has created an Employment Transition Assistance team for the Denver layoffs. 'This team will support impacted employees from the day of separation, offering personalized support, job search and training opportunities, help with unemployment filings and wellness and mental health resources,' Johnston wrote. He also noted the city has published a layoff separation guide on the city's website, available here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Denver city employees to learn of layoffs next month
Denver employees will learn in a few weeks if they're being laid off. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston emailed employees, saying layoffs will start the week of Aug. 18. A two-page letter CBS News Colorado obtained outlines the next steps, including possible severance packages. The city has already posted a "Layoff Separation Guide" on its website. We don't know the exact number of people who will be laid off. Denver's executive director of human resources told Investigator Brian Maass last month that likely "hundreds" would be let go. In the letter, Johnston said one priority is "protecting core city services." And he said, "... we need to build a budget that fits within the revenues we have." Johnston announced earlier this summer a hiring freeze and furloughs of city workers after sharing that the city of Denver faced a $50 million budget deficit this year. Johnston sat down with CBS Colorado anchor Michael Spencer and said the city faces a $200 million shortfall in 2026. "We're going to keep officers on the street. We're going to keep trash getting picked up. We're going to keep our parks and rec centers clean and open," Johnston told Spencer. The letter says that after being notified of their layoffs, employees will get 30 days of administrative leave. Eligible employees also learned how much severance they'll receive. And it says retiring and probationary employees are not entitled to severance. Johnston thanked employees for their service. "These are not easy days, and these are not easy decisions. Every role in the city matters, and every person in those roles has contributed to our city in meaningful ways," he said.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Damani Leech pushes back on Broncos stadium rumors: No decision yet
A few weeks ago, it felt like the Denver Broncos might be nearing a stadium announcement. News broke that the club had been buying up properties around Burnham Yard (a potential stadium site), and Mayor Mike Johnston hinted to the Denver Post that more news was on the way. Not so fast, says team president Damani Leech. '[We're] certainly aware of all the media coverage here recently," Leech told reporters at Saturday's training camp practice. "We share in the excitement and interest that it's generated among the fans. We appreciate it. It's good for us to learn what some of the fans say and hear in response to some of those media reports. But, no, I wouldn't say any decision is made. "It's a very comprehensive, long-term process that we're going through. We're trying to be very deliberate about it. [There's] still no determination about whether it's a new stadium or whether it's a renovation or the location that it's in, a lot of work to go there.' But what about those hints from Mayor Johnston? 'Certainly, respect the excitement and enthusiasm of the mayor," Leech said. "He's a big fan of the Broncos, whether it's coming to games... But also, I think both the mayor and governor have been sincere in wanting to do what's right for the Broncos. They understand the role the Broncos play in this community. So, I've had very good conversations with them. "That being said, we're not going to put a timetable on it. This is a 30-, 40-, 50-year decision that we don't want to rush by a matter of weeks here or there. We're going to continue to do our due diligence until we feel like we're in a position to make the right decision.' There's been widespread speculation that the team might be zeroing in on Burnham Yard, but Leech pushed back on the notion of any one location being the favorite. 'We have not made any decisions about preferred sites," Leech said. "What you've heard from us is really at a city level, so city conversations, city viewing, Denver, Aurora, Lone Tree. Beyond that the levels and details there, no decisions have been made.' So the latest update is ... there is no update. Leech says the Broncos still haven't even determined if they will leave their current location at Empower Field at Mile High. It takes years to build a stadium, though, and the lease at the current stadium runs through the 2030 season. So the team might not be ready to make an announcement yet, but a decision has to be coming before too long. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Axios
22-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Where the big bucks go in Johnston's now $935M bond plan
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's proposed bond package has ballooned to nearly a billion dollars as he works to sway skeptical city council members before a final vote next month. Why it matters: Johnston's "Vibrant Denver" bond measure would fund about 90 infrastructure projects — from bridges and bike lanes to parks, libraries and housing — without hiking taxes. But its sheer size and scope are raising eyebrows. Driving the news: Johnston's team added 15 council-requested projects after members threatened to block the package for failing to reflect neighborhood needs. The additions pushed the price tag up from roughly $800 million to $935 million. On Tuesday, a city council committee advanced the revised proposal to the full body, which will decide whether to refer the measure to voters on the November ballot. By the numbers: The current project list dedicates the bulk — $427.9 million (46%) — to transportation and mobility. The rest includes: $237.4M (25%) for city facilities $175.3M (19%) for parks and recreation $64.3M (7%) for housing and sheltering $30.1M (3%) for health and human services State of play: Some council members remain unsatisfied. They've signaled more changes ahead — and raised alarms about financial soundness, equitable distribution, transparency, and whether the city can realistically deliver. What they're saying: "$935 million … is an extraordinary amount," Council member Darrell Watson said at Tuesday's committee meeting. Council president Amanda Sandoval warned the city's shrinking staff may not have capacity to pull it off and noted that projects from Denver's 2017 bond are still incomplete. Threat level: Some worry a measure this large could strain the city's AAA bond rating and push Denver dangerously close to its borrowing ceiling — estimated between $1 billion and $1.2 billion — risking a tax hike.
CBS News
22-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston details challenges like housing, crime in State of the City Address
In his State of the City address, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston spoke about a wide range of issues and improvements affecting the city. Addressing housing issues, affordability, crime, and public safety while touting his administration's efforts toward renewable energy and reviving downtown Denver. Johnston also shared his frustration with federal actions like immigration and budgets. The mayor then looked at where our city is now and where it could be headed. Hundreds poured into a ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Center for the State of the City address on Monday. "It requires deciding what priorities and programs may be meaningful in times of growth but are not essential in times of need. That's the work ahead of us," Johnston said. Beyond budget and clear tension with the Trump administration, Johnston highlighted the city's near record drop in homicide rate, and saw 45% fewer unhoused people on the street. "We've closed every large encampment in the city and re-opened sidewalks to pedestrians and businesses," Johnston explained. Johnston went on to say, "We focused on putting more officers on the streets and are on track to hire a total of 300 police officers during 2024 and 2025." As a result, every policy or development impacts those downtown. Derek Friedman owns a sports store on the mall, SportsFan. He says he's seen big changes over the last few years that are bringing in more customers. "There's definitely been a roller coaster on 16th Street," Friedman said, mentioning that years ago, "There were people carrying weapons into the store, and homeless folks who were really struggling in all ways that you can imagine, but we don't really see that anymore." But even while many unhoused are off the street, critics say those people might not be better off, with many questioning if there are enough resources at the transitional housing options the city provides. "Folks have access to mental health support, long-term housing navigation, workforce training, addiction treatment," Johnston went on the say, "But we're really focused on trying to get those services delivered faster so they can get access to housing and get out faster." But every resource and shared plan to bring in new businesses and affordable housing projects to Denver costs money. "What we know is the strategies we're using are working, and what we want to do is keep implementing those strategy changes," Johnston said. Johnston also said that current tax extensions that have been approved would continue to invest in downtown for years to come. Now, as Monday's celebrations continued beyond the speech, Denver locals like Friedman are hoping Johnston's promises do too. "Wait and see is a good way to characterize it, because you can't just have a single moment of investment post construction, it has to be a long period of time where you see the safety, security and the beauty continue to be invested in," Friedman said. As the city looks to the budget for next year, city workers have shared concerns about investment in their jobs. And while Johnston shared his appreciation for their work in his address on Monday, many shared the continued concern that layoffs could still be ahead.
