Denver’s savings are low, the national economy is uncertain and the city’s budget is on shaky ground.

In response, Mayor Mike Johnston plans to reduce general fund spending by about 6 percent from 2025, merging departments, slashing offices and cutting homeless shelter sites, marketing campaigns, contracts and more.

The mayor says he’s fixing over a decade of bad city spending habits, and it could just be the beginning. The proposed 2026 budget would cut spending by more than $100 million from this year and $200 million compared to earlier projections.

“You really do have to reduce the size of city government,” Johnston told Denverite. “You have to deliver a government that works better and costs less.” He points out that other cities are facing similar struggles.

But the mayor’s criti

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