Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced he will not exercise his veto authority and has accepted all 10 of the Denver City Council’s amendments to his proposed 2026 spending plan.

As a result, the $1.66 billion budget, as amended, will now become the city’s official budget for the coming year, according to Johnston’s office, which issued a statement on Friday.

“Although I am proud of the work that went into this budget, I am concerned that some of the passed amendments dip further into the city’s reserve and contingency funds before we even start 2026,” Johnston said in a letter to the Denver City Council. “Because these changes require funding beyond the coming year, which contingency cannot provide, we will have to find different funding sources to sustain them in 2027.”

Of the 29 budget priorities presented by the council in June, 25 are reflected in the final document, including 11 additional proposals added in October and the final 10 amendments approved on Nov. 3.

“At a time when reduced tax revenues are forcing difficult choices across the city, we have crafted a budget that meets the moment and keeps Denver moving forward,” Johnston said in the release.

Among the amendments approved by the council last week is an additional $2.7 million from the unassigned fund balance for the Clerk and Recorder’s Office.

Clerk Paul López called the council’s move to restore his office’s 2026 budget “an emboldened testament of Denver’s commitment to independently run elections during a time when our country needs it the most.”

Other amendments add $500,000 for the city’s Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program and $286,000 to add a crisis response team at the Denver jail to assist those experiencing mental or behavioral crises.

The new budget also brings more funding to several school and youth programs and moves $1.6 million from the city’s Capital Improvement Program contingency fund to support capital improvements for the Safe Routes to School program.

“This budget is stronger for the work of City Council,” Council President Amanda P. Sandoval said. “This process has required countless hours, sleepless nights, and the dedication of public servants who care deeply about Denver and its residents. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to meet these economic challenges head-on, and I look forward to working with the administration to continue delivering for Denver.”

While significant cuts have been made across city departments, aimed at filling a $200 million gap, Johnston insists that Denver residents will not see a cut in core services from the “most conservative” budget submitted in 15 years.

Officials blame the city’s budget woes on “flat revenue” resulting from federal tariffs and economic uncertainty, which has slowed consumer spending.

Others point to Johnston’s spending on housing for migrants and the homeless.

Earlier this year, Johnston stated that the budget he delivered was balanced, but “cut to the bones.”

He cautioned the council that any amendments to the budget that included cuts to any of the departments could compromise core services or trigger further personnel cuts.

The mayor’s proposed spending plan now goes to the City Council on Monday.