Denver mayor to cut city services to fund its costly sanctuary city policies
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced Friday morning the city's plans to make dramatic cuts to essential services to continue funding its ill-conceived sanctuary city policies. This decision, made by the liberal Democrats in charge of Denver, is a clear example of misplaced priorities that will ultimately hurt Denver residents, businesses, and taxpayers.
Mayor Johnston's attempt to shift blame for Denver's bad policy decisions is nothing short of ridiculous.
It was the city's own leaders who rubber-stamped the influx of over 40,000 indigent migrants, many of whom rely on taxpayer assistance. This crisis was entirely foreseeable, yet Denver's leaders chose to continue subsidizing their unsustainable sanctuary city policy, hoping for a bailout.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston
One of the bailouts Mayor Johnston was seeking was from Washington.
Instead of taking responsibility for Denver's own mismanagement, he pointed fingers at Congress and criticized elected representatives for their inability to resolve the border crisis. He claimed that a resolution would have alleviated the burden on the city to provide services for the newcomers.
Under the guise of helping migrants, Mayor Johnston announced cuts to services that will directly impact Denver residents.
Hours at DMVs and recreational centers will be reduced, with vehicle registration renewals moving exclusively online and at kiosks. Additionally, city recreational centers will see a reduction in hours and summer programming. These changes are expected to continue throughout 2024 and will supposedly save the city around $5 million.
Mayor Johnston's decision to blame Congress for the city's financial woes is a weak attempt to deflect responsibility.
The lack of funding and resources provided by Washington, D.C. is a direct result of failed policies and misguided priorities. Instead of taking steps to address these issues internally, Mayor Johnston chooses to criticize Congress for its inability to pass measures that would expedite asylum cases and work authorization.
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The mayor stressed that the residents of Denver should not blame the migrants for these changes. However, it is only natural for residents to hold their government accountable for its terrible policies and mismanagement. The fact that Denver is currently sheltering over 3,500 migrants, with arrivals slowing down, further highlights the strain on the city's resources.
Mayor Johnston's announcement also revealed that the city has resumed removing people from its shelters and has limited family stays to 42 days. This indicates that more budget cuts may be looming on the horizon, further impacting the quality of services provided to Denver residents.
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