City council reviewed Boulder’s draft 2026 Policy Statement last week, outlining the city’s top regional, state and federal priorities for the year ahead.
Regional & state priorities
As in 2025, reducing homelessness and strengthening mental health and safety-net services remain the top focus. The city is again urging the state to fund local homelessness prevention efforts. New this year is a request for the state to protect essential funding amid a projected $1 billion state budget shortfall, a gap that grew after the “Big Beautiful Bill” cut federal taxes. Colorado’s taxes are based on federal taxable income, and so state revenues fell alongside federal tax cuts. “If a bill comes forward with a new program of any kind that requires general fund expenditure, it is almost for sure not going to pass,” said Will Coyne, the city’s public affairs consultant.
City staff are also prioritizing lowering the cost of clean energy upgrades and are seeking revisions to Colorado’s new AI consumer-protection law, warning that Senate Bill 205 could hinder the city’s current use of AI and increase liability.
Federal priorities
Staff proposed five federal positions for 2026, including:
- Supporting the city’s annual congressionally directed spending requests.
- Backing Northwest Area Mobility efforts, including the CO 7 corridor and Northwest Rail.
- Advocating for reauthorization of the federal Surface Transportation Bill and for federal transportation dollars to flow directly to cities. (New in 2026.)
- Increasing funding for state revolving funds that provide low-interest loans for drinking-water and wastewater projects. (New in 2026.)
- Continued funding and protection for Boulder’s federal labs, which face proposed and ongoing budget cuts. (New in 2026.)
Proposed changes from council
Councilmembers suggested several revisions. Nicole Speer called for more inclusive language around federally funded research jobs — an issue she has personal experience with after losing her CU lab position to federal cuts — and additional protections against unlawful surveillance in automated-vehicle policy. Ryan Schuhard proposed adding more specific environmental outcomes to the city’s environmental priorities…