Denver defunds police to pay for migrant crisis: Democrat city strips cops' budget of $8.4million in sweeping cuts
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The city of Denver has announced plans to defund the police to pay for the migrant crisis as the democrat city strips cops' budget of $8.4 million.
The sanctuary city's progressive Mayor Mike Johnston unveiled a budget proposal on Wednesday, allocating $89.9 million to assist incoming undocumented migrants, whom he refers to as 'newcomers.'
The amount will be drawn from approximately $45 million that's used for public programs and services.
As a result of this reallocation, the police and fire department are some of those expected to face budget cuts.
Johnston claimed this was the best option available to provide services to migrants.
'After more than a year of facing this crisis together, Denver finally has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services,' Johnston said at the press conference discussing 'Newcomer Operations and 2024 Budget.'
'So many times we were told that we couldn't be compassionate while still being fiscally responsible. Today is proof that our hardest challenges are still solvable, and that together we are the ones who will solve them.'
Denver plans to spend the $89.9 million on various migrant assistance programs in 2024, including $3 million to 'Program Administration,' $51.7 million to 'Shelter and Housing,' $9.7 million to 'Supportive Services,' $9.5 million to 'One Time Capital Costs' and $10 million to 'Contingency.'
As a result, the fire department is expected to experience budget cuts of about $2.5 million.
Additionally, the city confirmed that the police department will face an $8.4 million reduction, equivalent to nearly two percent of its total operating budget.
The city does not plan to layoff its city employees, however, the city anticipates saving nearly $20 million by refraining from hiring certain applicants for currently vacant positions across various city agencies.
About 160 positions out of the roughly 13,000 in Denver will remain unfilled.
Denver will also implement changes to the payment structure for 911 operators as part of cost-saving measures.
The city intends to utilize funds from its "911 trust fund" to compensate 911 operators in 2024, although the exact amount of savings resulting from this fund is uknown.
The mayor's office will undergo the highest percentage of budget reduction, with the city planning to slash 9.6 percent of funding from Mayor Johnston's office, totaling $335,155.
The Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency department will face a budget cut of about 6.1 percent, while Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is set to be cut by 3.8 percent.
The Colorado capital has become inundated with new migrants crossing over the border - despite the fact the city is already at the brink in terms of resources.
With more than 40,000 arrivals in 2023 alone, the influx of migrants has contributed to a total migrant population of around 710,000 in the city.
In response, Denver has already spent over $42 million on migrant housing and medical services in 2023 and anticipates exceeding $100 million for similar expenses in 2024.
Denver, like other cities such as New York, are facing the brunt of the nationwide crisis of the flow of people at the southern border.
In January, Denver's progressive mayor Mike Johnston predicted the city would have to use 10 percent of its yearly budget on migrants - and will also need an additional $100 million to provide them with housing, schooling, and health care.
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Who wooda thunk that Sanctuary cities would go so far down in the hole to satisfy Joe and his friends????
Make Joe and his friends do their friggin' jobs - deport the S. O. B.'s as the LAW REQUIRES.
Budget cuts do not mean defunding the police. I'm sure theirs' was not the only budget that saw cuts.
It doesn't?
NO, IT DOES NOT
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I should have considered the source - the UK's version of the National Inquirer.
let the majority of maga morons believe this bullshit about colorado, they're the fucking criminal element we don't want in our state, and xenophobic propaganda like this story only serves to deter that scum from coming here.
Interesting article.
Except the information is false.
They are not "de-funding" the police.
Rather, they are cutting some funds from those budgeted towards the police.
And here's what they're actually doing with the money:
Denver can’t sustain its current immigrant policy. Here are the budget cuts coming to pay for a new approach.
The city is moving away from crisis response and emergency sheltering for new immigrants toward lower-cost efforts to help them become more self-sufficient, get work authorization , move to another city or find a place to live.
BTW I just saw (a few hours ago!) a TV program about what the city is doing. I was very impressed with this mayor-- IMO one of the smartest mayors in the U.S.
In addition to job training for immigrants, he's working towards changing the entire "vibe" of the city. Among other things he's working towards making Denver a major hub for hi-tech. And already has some success-- but his efforts are ongoing.
So cutting the budget isn't defunding?
Since when?
I am sure the people of Denver can sleep safe at night knowing illegals are being taken care of; while their own safety is being put at risk.
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Since I looked it up in the dictionary-- that's when!
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The Cambridge Dictionary has a different take:
to stop providing money or as much money to pay for something:
Something that they do not deserve especially at taxpayers expense.
Oh and they are not immigrants they are illegal aliens
Guess that sits pretty well with the over 9,000 homeless folks who are U. S. Citizens and receive NO support from the city other than being locked up for living on the streets 'cause they can't get the benefits that ILLEGAL ALIENS can/will/do receive - In January, Denver's progressive mayor Mike Johnston predicted the city would have to use 10 percent of its yearly budget on migrants - and will also need an additional $100 million to provide them with housing, schooling, and health care.
Why can't these "leaders" understand that U. S. Citizens COME FIRST - not ILLEGAL ALIENS?
They no longer continue to receive some of the funds that they used to receive, ergo, according to your definition, the police department has been defunded.
Because most leftist "leaders " don't want to take the chance and help a right leaning homeless person as they may still continue to vote right. Illegals have no real idea so they are much more adept to being indoctrinated by the left.
Thanks for the truth Krishna, I said essentially the same thing.
Even going by your definition, that is defunding the police. The money was already budgeted for the police and now they are taking it away. Yes that is defunding.
Don't know how you can equate "reducing their budgets", which means in government talk, taking away from budgeted amounts, which is what "de-funding" is.
Per the Cambridge dictionary, defunding is : to stop providing money or as much money to pay for something:
So, at the next shooting or robbery or assault in Denver, the victim should call an illegal immigrant rather than 911.
Sounds reasonable to me -
Convenient too, since there's a good chance they're already on the scene....
Why would they do that? Makes no sense. American citizens commit far more crime, violent or otherwise, than immigrants.
This 'article' is not true.
Well there are far more Americans than illegal pieces of shit so it is only logical that they would commit more crimes. But one fact that can’t be overlooked is 100% of illegals are criminals, or they wouldn’t be here.
Perhaps the migrants will form a volunteer fire brigade there as the fire department is taking a cut as well.
What I find funny in all of this (sad funny, not hilarious funny) is that what Denver being a majority Democrat city is saying is they don't have enough money to cover all they want so they must reduce money for A and B so they can give that money over to C, rather than borrow it. Yet they are also part of the group that calls on the Federal government to take on more and more debt and borrow more and more money. This reads like a really bad Hollywood sit-com.
Denver has spent $100 million (city funds) on migrants since Dec 2022. That doesn’t include donations from non-profits or volunteers.
The federal government has reimbursed Denver for $1.6 million, and the state has contributed about $3.5 million.
Let's pamper and accommodate the bastards, and even greater numbers will come here!
Thankfully, the wide-open gate at the border will start being closed just hours after Trump's inauguration.
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CBP reported a total of 189,372 encounters along the southwest border in March 2024.