EL PASO COUNTY — The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners approved the 2024 budget during their meeting on Tuesday.
The $491.6 million budget is up $20 million from the county's budget last year. It includes $215.4 million for unrestricted general fund expenditures that go toward things like public safety, community resources, public works, and more.
The general fund budget allocates $97,288,594 to public safety, which is a 9% increase from last year. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office will receive 9% more in funding than last year, including $2.5 million to cover the cost of the jail's medical contract and $500,000 going toward extradition costs.
The 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office will receive almost 7% more in general funds than last year. The budget shows a portion of that money will go toward hiring seven more employees. The El Paso County Coroner's Office will receive a 22% increase in general funding to hire another medical examiner and death investigator plus $450,000 for a new X-ray scanner.
The 2024 budget outlines a one-time increase of $12 million for resurfacing and construction of high-priority roads. There is also a $31.6 million Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) overage shown in the budget. The county said in a press release the money will be given back to residents, translating to a $134-dollar credit on property tax bills.
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