Local Government Budget Calendar
The budget calendar is a general listing of the deadlines for the budget, for an audit and for the property tax certification process. Some deadlines are not statutory, but reflect good budgeting practices. For details on the applicable statutes listed below, please refer to the most current Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS).
January 1
Start of Fiscal Year; begin planning for the budget of the next year.
January 10
Deadline for assessor to deliver tax warrant to county treasurer (CRS 39-5-129).
January 31
- A certified copy of the adopted budget must be filed with the Division. (CRS 29-1-113(1)).
- If a budget is not filed, the county treasurer may be authorized to withhold the local government’s tax revenues.
February 10
The Division sends notification to local governments whose budgets have not been filed with the Division.
March 1
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Denver/Boulder area. This annual percent change is used with “local growth” to calculate “fiscal year spending” and property tax revenue limitations of TABOR (Article X, Section 20, Colorado Constitution).
March 15
The Division will authorize the county treasurer to withhold tax revenues until a certified copy of the budget is filed with the Division.
March 31
- Deadline to request exemption from audit. (CRS 29-1-604(3)) Contact the Local Government Audit Division, Office of the State Auditor, (303) 869-2800.
- The Division notifies local governments of its determination that the entity has exceeded the statutory property tax revenue limit (the “5.5%” limit).
June 30
Deadline for auditor to submit audit report to local government governing body (CRS 29-1-606(a)(1)).
July 31
- Deadline for submitting annual audit report to the Office of the State Auditor (CRS 29-1-606(3)). Deadline for request for extension of audit (CRS 29-1-606(4)).
- If an audit is required but has not been filed, the county treasurer may be authorized to withhold the local government’s tax revenue.
August 25
- Assessors certify to all taxing entities and to the Division of Local Government the total new assessed and actual values (for real and personal property) used to compute the statutory and TABOR property tax revenue limits (CRS 39-5-121(2)(b) and 39-5-128).
- If applicable, upon receipt of the Certification of Valuation, submit to the Division certifications of service impact from increased mining production and/or from increased valuation due to previously exempt federal property which has become taxable. Certifications of impact are required if the value is to be excluded from the tax revenue limit.
- If applicable, apply to the Division for authorization to exclude from the limit the assessed valuation attributed to new primary oil or gas production from any producing land or leaseholds.
October 15
Budget officer must submit proposed budget to the governing body (CRS 29-1-105). Governing body must publish “Notice of Budget” upon receiving proposed budget (CRS 29-1-106(1)).
November 1
Deadline for submitting applications to the Division for an increased levy pursuant to 29-1-302, C.R.S. and applications for exclusion of assessed valuation attributable to new primary oil or gas production from the 5.5% limit pursuant to (CRS 29-1-301(1)(b)).
December 10
Assessors’ changes in assessed valuation will be made only once by a single notification (re-certification) to the county commissioners or other body authorized by law to levy property tax, and to the DLG (CRS 39-1-111(5)).
December 15
Deadline for certification of mill levy (CRS 39-5-128(1)) and to provide HB24-1302 Mill Levy Public Information (CRS 39-1-125) to county commissioners. Local governments levying property tax must adopt their budgets before certifying the levy to the county. If the budget is not adopted by certification deadline, then 90 percent of the amounts appropriated in the current year for operations and maintenance expenses shall be deemed re-appropriated for the purposes specified in such last appropriation (CRS 29-1-108(2) and (3)).
December 22
Deadline for county commissioners to levy taxes and to certify the levies to the assessor (CRS 39-1-111(1)).
December 31
Local governments not levying a property tax must adopt the budget on or before this date; governing body must enact a resolution or ordinance to appropriate funds for the ensuing fiscal year. If the budget is not adopted by certification deadline, then 90 percent of the amounts appropriated in the current year for operations and maintenance expenses shall be deemed re-appropriated for the budget year (CRS 29-1-108(4)).