August 30, 2012 11:53 PM UTC

Reminder: Denver Furlough Day Tomorrow

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Many components of Denver city government will be closed tomorrow as part of a previously announced furlough day. The Friday closure comes in addition to Denver’s regularly scheduled holiday in observance of Labor Day on Monday.

From Denver Mayor Michael Hancock:

Most City and County of Denver offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 3 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. In addition, all City and County of Denver offices will be closed Friday, Aug. 31 due to a previously announced furlough day for city employees.

Friday is the fourth of five planned furlough days for 2012. The furlough days were suggested by many employees as a way to save money during a time of revenue decline. Each furlough day saves approximately $1 million for the city’s general fund.

As a result of the holiday and budget-required furlough, the Mayor’s Office, City Council offices, Clerk and Recorder’s Office, Auditor’s Office and most city agencies will be closed on Friday and Monday.

Partner entities such as Denver Health and the Denver Zoo will remain open Friday and Monday, as will agencies that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, such as Denver International Airport. Sworn members of the Denver Sheriff, Police and Fire departments and other emergency responders will report for duty Friday and Monday as well.

The Denver County Department of Motor Vehicles will remain open on Friday — though not on Monday — as part of Hancock’s pledge to “cut down wait times” and to provide “the highest level of service to our customers, the neighborhoods, residents and businesses of Denver.”

With city residents set to vote on a de-Brucing measure this fall, these furlough days act as an important reminder that Denver simply does not have the revenue to serve its residents every single day of the year. That reminder would’ve likely been more poignant if the DMV had shut down and displayed signs announcing “Closed today for lack of funds,” but it’s probably better that the city provide the services it can instead of making a political point.

And, even if the tax revenue measure passes this year, Denver will likely continue to force furlough days onto its employees. With a $94 million shortfall in the 2013 budget, the $64 million in returned revenue from de-Brucing needs to be supplemented by additional belt-tightening measures. Nobody likes furlough days, but they are a way to cut costs without cutting jobs.