Water Rates Will Continue to be a Focus in Broomfield for 2026

Nearly a year after Broomfield residents saw a 50% water bill increase, the city says the added revenue is funding long-deferred water infrastructure upgrades, with the City Manager stating there is no end in sight to future increases.

In early December, we at Broomfield Taxpayer Matters were asked by the Broomfield Enterprise for comment; we raised our concerns and criticisms again about Broomfield repeatedly raising rates. Residents being unfairly burdened to pay for past policy failures and warning that higher water bills are making it increasingly unaffordable for families to stay in Broomfield.



Read our complete press release on Broomfield's water situation here.

Boards and Commissions - Openings

There are ongoing opportunities to serve on Broomfield's various Boards and Commissions (e.g., Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability, Arts, History and Cultural Council, Library Advisory Board, and others). Residents can apply to make a difference in the community. Deadline is January 30, 2026. Click here to view the current openings, eligibility, and application details.

Ward 1 Council Vacancy is open to applicants

With the recent vacancy appointments of William Lindstedt to State Senate District 23 and Kenny Nguyen to House District 33, there is now a vacancy on the Broomfield City Council Ward 1.

The council set February 18, 2026 (6-8 p.m., virtual) for the Ward 1 vacancy candidate forum. Applications open January 16 and close February 4; appointment expected February 24. Click here for for more details and application information.

Question updates on the Broomfield 2026 Annual Budget

The final 2026 Annual Budget was released in December 2025. We, at Broomfield Taxpayer Matters, have focused on Broomfield's budget for the last 5 years and have been tracking the numbers since 2014. We asked 70 questions to city staff and they have replied to our questions. We are reviewing their responses and will provide the updated document once this process is complete. We thank the city staff for their time and attention, yet remained concerned with the ever increasing spending and debt in 2026.

Summary - January 13, 2026 Council Meeting

In the consent agenda, item 6C, Resolution 2026-02, the Council approved to continue the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program, which offers rental assistance to residents who meet income requirements and supports housing affordability. No decisions about funding allocations were made at the meeting.

But where do these funds originate, and how many programs exist? How many housing programs are currently available?

We will provide some answers in a future blog post.

Item 7A, Ordinance 2282, approved a business investment agreement with GLC Health Ventures, LLC on its second reading, which was likely facilitated by tax incentives, land use approvals, or infrastructure support.

Taxpayer implications: Possible long-term gains from increased jobs, property values, and sales tax. Short-term city incentives may mean lost revenue or small administrative costs. No new taxes were proposed; measure passed unanimously without fiscal debate.

Where do our tax dollars go?

Over the holidays, the Broomfield Enterprise reported that the DMV will no longer be open Fridays to allow staff training and reduce wait times. We appreciate the effort to improve service, but it naturally raises the question: Does training really need to occur every Friday, and how does this affect community access? And, shouldn't Broomfield be focused on city clerk services as as a priority over these other programs supported by the City and County of Broomfield (CCOB)?

• Utility Rate Assistance Fund (URAF)
• Partial Property Tax Refund (PPTR)
• Turf replacement incentives
• Enhance Broomfield Forgivable Loan Program & Entrepreneur Microgrant Program
• Down Payment Assistance & Home Rehab Programs

How much taxpayer money goes to these programs, and can we see clear breakdowns? We’ll keep tracking the budget and sharing updates. Could charities or private organizations fund some of these, so donors can see exactly where their money goes?

Given the serious fraud allegations in Minnesota, it’s fair and reasonable to ask where our funds are really going. With so much public money flowing to NGOs and programs, why do homelessness, hunger, and poverty, and affordability remain stubborn problems? Maybe government is not the best way to fund these areas.

75th Colorado General Assembly

The 75th Colorado General Assembly began their session on January 14, 2026 and is scheduled to adjourn on May 13, 2026.As of January 17, 2026 there have already been 103 bills, memorials, and resolutions have been introduced!

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• the House introduced its first 20 bills (often top priorities like housing, labor, and consumer protections)
• the Senate introduced several as well (e.g., on workforce housing, competency law, child trafficking penalties, school funding, and more)

The session is expected to see around 600–700 total bills introduced with deadlines by mid-February. To find a specific bill, you can use the bill search tool and for summaries you can use Legiscan, Ballotpedia, or Colorado Capitol Watch. And of course, We will keep you up-to-date on relevant bills affecting you as a taxpayer.

Colorado Legislature faces tough budget decisions

Colorado’s lawmakers returned this week to face a tough $850 million budget deficit. These are challenging times, and it’s encouraging that both parties recognize the need for hard choices—possibly modernizing our outdated budget system—while keeping housing affordability and bipartisan cooperation as priorities.

With the general fund budget up 29% since Governor Polis took office and state revenues at all-time highs, many wonder: Why the crisis? Could we look at other areas for savings, including the growing flow of taxpayer dollars through NGOs and other intermediaries—where funds can sometimes feel "hidden" because oversight is more difficult?

A stark example is the Feeding Our Future scandal in Minnesota, where over $250 million in federal taxpayer dollars (via a government nutrition program) was allegedly diverted through fraudulent claims rather than reaching children. Cases like this remind us why transparency matters when public money flows through third parties. We’ll keep following closely and sharing updates.

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