Politics
Denver City Council Updates 2026 Fee Indexing, Affecting Property Owners
The ordinance updates how the city indexes certain local fees and assessments, changing payment amounts for Denver property owners and service users.
How we reported this
The Denver City Council approved the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment Ordinance on June 15, linking city utility connection fees and property assessment formulas to the Denver-Boulder consumer price index. The change applies to all 320,000 households within city limits that pay property taxes or receive municipal water and trash services.
This adjustment arrives ahead of the 2026 municipal elections, where local races for city council districts and the mayor's office have featured repeated discussion of household expenses. Council records show the ordinance passed after review of 2025 inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Denver metropolitan statistical area.
Changes to Specific Payments
Residents in the Capitol Hill and Baker neighborhoods will receive updated property tax notices reflecting the new index factor applied to assessed values. A household with a $450,000 home valuation, for instance, will see its annual tax bill recalculated using the March 2026 consumer price index figure instead of the prior flat rate. Utility customers in the same zip codes will face revised trash and recycling fees calculated under the same index starting with January 2027 bills.
The Denver Assessor's Office 2025 annual report listed the median single-family property tax bill at $3,150. The new formula projects an increase of 2.8 percent for homes in that range, based on the most recent published consumer price index for the region. Renters in multifamily buildings may encounter indirect effects if building owners pass along higher fees through lease renewals.
Next Steps for Implementation
City staff will mail revised assessment notices by December 1, 2026, and begin collecting payments under the adjusted rates on January 1, 2027. The ordinance requires the city budget office to publish an annual report each March comparing the indexed fees to actual household expenditure data collected from the Denver Office of Financial Management.
Candidates in the upcoming district races have referenced these payment changes during public forums held at the Denver Public Library branches. The legislation itself contains no new spending programs and limits future adjustments to the published consumer price index without additional council votes.