Denver City Council has been busy figuring out what it wants to see in Mayor Michael Hancock’s 2023 budget.

All year long, Council has been taking feedback from residents. On May 20, the members got together for the day to narrow down their priorities. The lawmakers came up with six that were sent to Hancock’s office on Friday.

The priorities are as follows:

• Focus on improving Community Engagement and Customer Service to support residents navigating city services, resources, and accessibility, including language access.
• Increase affordable housing and support those experiencing homelessness throughout our city. Mitigate and reduce the involuntary displacement of community members and businesses.
• Reframe safety in a public health, evidence-based, and antiracist context with community investment to ensure healthy neighborhoods.
• Prioritize and support the recovery, resilience, and innovation of our workforce, local businesses, and community organizations
• Protect our natural environment through policy and invest in communities to combat climate change.
• Increase complete multimodal transportation connections throughout the city

“As our city continues to recover from the last two years, I’m proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to amplify the needs and wants of our constituents,” said Council President Stacie Gilmore in a statement. “Our budget priorities align with our residents’ most urgent needs, and they communicate to the Mayor and city agencies what the council expects to see funded in the proposed 2023 budget for the City and County of Denver.”

Over the next few months, City Council will work with the Mayor’s Office and city agencies as they determine how they want to spend the money.

The mayor will present his budget to City Council on Sept. 15. Council will discuss it and ultimately have to approve it by Nov. 8. Read the full 2023 Policy and Budget Priorities here.