Colorado Municipal League Delivers the 2012 State of Our Cities and Towns Report
CML State of Our Cities Report
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According to the Colorado Municipal League (CML), Colorado’s cities and towns are struggling to maintain the infrastructure needed to support the basic needs of citizens and the business community. Their 2011 survey shows that two-thirds of municipalities list street maintenance as a major budgetary challenge.
Municipalities don’t see things improving in 2012, with 30 percent of cities and towns again cutting street maintenance spending in their budgets and 59 percent deferring regular maintenance schedules across the board. These short term budget steps will magnify future maintenance costs.
Adding to the decline of local revenue for capital projects is the continued loss from outside sources. State severance tax revenue designated to fund the local projects needed to cope with the impacts of the energy industry (totaling $71 million in 2012) continues to be diverted to support the state’s budget. Federal Community Development Block Grant funds flowing to municipalities are anticipated to decline again in 2012.
The best medicine for lagging local revenue is a healthy local economy and 85% of all cities and towns are committing resources to economic development in their community.
The full report, survey details and video are available for the State of Our Cities & Towns through CML.
CML is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 1923 and represents the interests of 265 cities and towns. For more information on the Colorado Municipal League, or to view the full report, please visit www.cml.org or call 303-831-6411.
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