Politics
Denver budget audit stalls amid dispute over access to city records
Auditor Timothy O’Brien says Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration has not provided records needed to review how Denver develops its budget. The mayor’s office says it has cooperated and supplied hundreds of pages of documents.
Denver’s independent auditor says a review of how City Hall builds its budget has stalled because the mayor’s administration has not provided specific records his office requested, escalating a yearlong dispute over access to information and oversight of public spending.
Auditor Timothy O’Brien said in an interview Monday that the administration was blocking the planned audit. His office has sought documents and examples for more than a year, according to O’Brien and auditor’s office spokesperson Michael Brannen, who said the mayor’s office and Finance Department should be transparent with the information.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s spokesperson, Jon Ewing, disputed that account. He said the city has worked with auditors for months and provided hundreds of pages of documents. Ewing also noted that Denver’s budget is public and goes through a public process.
O’Brien added the review to his 2026 audit plan to examine transparency and fairness in how the city allocates taxpayer dollars. He said residents and City Council members, as well as officials involved in city administration, had raised concerns about the process. The auditor has kept the review in his 2027 plan.
Denver’s charter gives the auditor broad access to city records. The dispute raises questions about how effectively the independent office can examine municipal spending when the auditor says requested material remains unavailable.
O’Brien’s term ends next July. If the audit is not completed before then, his successor could decide not to continue it, leaving the budget process review unfinished.