Opinion: Holiday lights or homeless income: How should Denver spend $2.1 million?

Denver City Hall dons a million-dollar look each holiday season.Photo byCity and County of Denver

The Finance and Governance Committee of the Denver City Council will consider Wednesday spending $2.1 million to decorate City Hall in twinkling holiday lights.

According to the agenda, the city would pay Colorado Holiday Experiences LLC $2,142,087 for the light show through Aug. 25 with options for two one-year extensions. Of course, these costs do not include energy bills for the flagrant show of wealth.

One wonders how else the city could spend $2.1 million by just hanging a wreath on City Hall. At the risk of being called a grinch, this sum of money seems exorbitant for holiday lights at a time when people are suffering. The person who operates the light show would be paid $240 per hour, according to the contract.

Denverites support Basic Income Project

During the past several weeks, dozens of people have shown up at City Council meetings to speak in support of the Denver Basic Income Project. The Denver Basic Income Project provides no-strings-attached cash to 807 people experiencing homelessness, according to a fact sheet on its website. Nearly half have a disability. People with severe mental illness or substance abuse problems were not considered for the project.

The council gave $2 million to the project in 2023. Dozens of people have spoken in support of the Project during City Council meetings the past several weeks. But Mayor Mike Johnston’s office has decided not to fund the project this year.

The Center for Housing and Homelessness Research at Denver University has been studying the program, which began in 2021 with seed money from philanthropist Mark Donovan. Donovan experienced success investing in Tesla. The research concluded that a control group that only received $50 per month did as well as the group receiving a $1,000 monthly stipend. While Donovan viewed this as a positive outcome when he addressed the City Council recently, the mayor’s office concluded the investment in the Basic Income Project was not a good value.

Interrupting a TV news live shot

This is not the first time I have suggested we dim the lights and help the homeless. During my own bout with homelessness in 2018, I stood outside City Hall on a cold December morning when the city was demonstrating the lights for KDVR at a 6 a.m. video shoot. I began hollering about the brazen display of wealth at a time when people are living on the streets.

Even though I am now housed, the holiday light show at City Hall still does not sit well with me. There are others way the City and County of Denver could spend $2.1 million (plus utility bills).