Denver Mayor Warns City On Verge of 'Breaking Point' Due to Migrant Surge

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston revealed on Wednesday the city's decision to reduce migrant services and consolidate shelters in an effort to save approximately $60 million. The plan entails closing one shelter per week over the next month, with the aim of addressing the city's current budget deficit and reallocating the funds to support essential city services.

Potential Contingencies and Impact on City Employees

While outlining these measures, Johnston cautioned that the closure plan could be subject to change in the event of substantial surges in migrant arrivals, leading to the need to expand shelter space and services once again. He emphasized that individuals currently utilizing the shelters will not face expulsion; rather, they will be relocated to alternative shelters. Additionally, the city administration has begun implementing budget reductions in various departments, including reducing operating hours at recreation centers and implementing rolling closures of Denver Motor Vehicle offices, in response to the financial strain caused by providing migrant services.

City Employees Affected by Hour Reductions

As part of its cost-cutting efforts, the city government is considering reducing the work hours of some hourly on-call employees, with the possibility of reducing these hours to zero. This decision could impact positions such as lifeguards, coaches, and front desk workers. The Parks and Recreations department, which is facing a budget reduction of $4.3 million, intends to allocate these funds toward addressing the ongoing migrant crisis.

Financial Burden and Calls for Federal Intervention

Johnston had previously estimated that the migrant crisis would incur costs of approximately $180 million for the city. He emphasized the urgency of finding a sustainable solution and called on federal lawmakers to collaborate on resolving the situation. The city has already provided support to 38,861 migrants from the southern border, incurring costs of nearly $58 million, despite receiving some funding from the federal and state governments.