Politics
Aurora's 2026 Budget Expands Transit and Roads, Protects City Jobs
The new tax measures will direct revenue toward road maintenance crews and transit expansions that serve daily commuters in Aurora neighborhoods.
How we reported this
The Aurora City Council passed the 2026 Budget and Tax Policy in late June, raising the commercial property tax rate by 0.8 percentage points while freezing residential rates for households earning under 120,000 dollars annually. The measure channels the added revenue into infrastructure contracts and public service hiring. Residents who own small businesses on the east side of the city will pay the increase starting with their October tax bills.
City budget documents released on 25 June show that property tax collections fund 62 percent of the municipal operating budget. Local advocates note that this share has grown since the 2023 recession reduced sales tax receipts. The policy therefore ties future service levels directly to assessed values within Aurora limits rather than to state transfers.
Infrastructure and employment allocations
Under the policy, 52 million dollars will go to pavement rehabilitation on 14 miles of arterial streets, including segments of East Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street. Another 18 million dollars will support hiring 47 additional maintenance workers and transit operators. These figures appear in the capital improvement section of the adopted budget. Construction bids for the street projects are scheduled to open in September.
Policy analysts say the added positions will be posted through the city human resources portal by August, with priority given to applicants who already live inside Aurora. The transit expansion targets routes 15 and 20, which recorded combined ridership of 4.2 million passengers last year. Service frequency on those lines is projected to increase by two trips per hour during peak periods beginning in January 2027.
Next steps for residents and businesses
The legislation states that quarterly progress reports on spending will be posted on the city website beginning in October. Property owners can request a tax impact estimate by entering their parcel number into the assessor’s online calculator. Businesses that qualify for the new commercial rate will receive mailed notices by 15 July.
Implementation will continue through the end of the fiscal year on 30 June 2027. Any unspent infrastructure funds must be returned to the general fund or carried forward only with council approval, according to the budget ordinance.