Mayor’s office tracking community assistance, behavioral health and bond reimbursement as session closes
Summary
The mayor’s office is monitoring three items that could affect the municipal budget: community assistance ($3–4 million), school bond debt reimbursement (up to $14 million if funded for existing communities), and a supplemental behavioral health funding request of $13.75 million, staff told the Assembly Legislative Committee May 8.
On May 8 the Assembly Legislative Committee heard an update read into the record by Legislative Services staff summarizing the mayor’s office priorities and monitoring list as the state legislative session nears conclusion.
"We're closely monitoring three important items that were not in the senate version of the budget," Vena Clausen read from the mayor’s written update. Clausen listed community assistance (worth roughly $3 million to $4 million to the municipality), school bond debt reimbursement (staff said that if existing communities were funded that would be worth $14,000,000), and behavioral health funding (about $13,750,000 to supplement Medicaid rates for behavioral health).
Clausen also noted the mayor had submitted letters of support for maintenance of behavioral health funds and for HB 138, a crisis behavioral health bill. The mayor’s office is tracking HB 136 (a bill related to railroad utility corridors) for potential impacts to Fish Creek Trail development and said the municipal federal lobbying request for proposals closed April 23 and is in evaluation.
Municipal staff emphasized these items are being actively tracked by the mayor’s office and encouraged assembly members to contact Nolan Clowda in the mayor’s office for further detail. The committee’s chair said the administration has been making calls to key legislators about community assistance and bond reimbursement.
The update urged continued coordination between the Assembly and the mayor’s office as final budget language and line‑item decisions are resolved during the remaining days of session.
