Staff Reports
Denver’s Democrat-led City Council voted without opposition last Wednesday to move forward Mayor Mike Johnston’s plan of slashing $41 million from the budget to address the city’s undocumented immigrant crisis. The proposal suggests cuts across various city departments, including the police, fire, and even the Mayor’s own office.
Denver plan to slash police and fire department budgets to pay for migrant crisis clears first hurdle https://t.co/OeIpFZw3XY https://t.co/OeIpFZw3XY
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 18, 2024
With Democrats at the helm, it’s no surprise to see cuts hitting law enforcement the hardest. The police department is expected to lose a whopping $8.4 million, while the sheriff’s office faces a $3.8 million slash and the fire department braces for a $2.4 million hit. The Mayor’s office, however, absorbs just a 9.6% cut, roughly totaling $164,000. Talk about priorities, huh?
The City Council revealed that a significant portion of the impact would be directed towards never-hired or hard-to-hire positions. They also plan to stagger hiring dates, delaying them from the summer to the end of the year. And let’s not forget the whopping $25 million Denver splurged on migrants during the first quarter of 2024. That’s one expensive welcome wagon!
Mayor Johnston is spinning this as a “sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services.” What planet is he living on? Seems like a classic case of liberal logic meets fiscal irresponsibility. Looks like Denver’s generous sanctuary city policies are making them the poster child for Democrat mismanagement.
And of course, that liberal lunacy sparked outrage among GOP media outlets. Sean Hannity didn’t hold back, blasting the city’s approach as downright absurd. Can’t say we blame him – these budget cuts seem about as effective as a chocolate teapot.
Not surprisingly, Denver’s policies are causing headaches for neighboring towns and counties, who are threatening legal action if the city tries to dump migrants into their communities. With more than 40,000 illegal immigrants swarming in since December 2022, it’s no surprise that resources are being stretched thin. But hey, that’s the price of being a “sanctuary city.”
Seems like Democratic-led cities like New York and Chicago are also feeling the pinch. It’s becoming clear that their lofty policies collide head-on with the harsh realities of governing. Maybe they should have thought of that before declaring themselves sanctuary cities.
The proposed budget cuts now head to the full city council for a vote on April 22, with potential implementation on May 10. Denver, brace yourself. Looks like you’re in for a bumpy ride!
