West Metro Fire Rescue is primarily funded through property taxes, which are based on assessed property values and a voter-approved mill levy. In recent years, changes to Colorado’s property tax laws have reduced the amount of revenue available to many special districts, including fire districts.

While these changes provided property tax relief for homeowners and businesses, they also affected the funding structure local emergency services rely on to operate.

For years, West Metro maintained a self-sustaining financial model by carefully managing resources and planning for future needs. However, increasing costs, growing service demands, and changes to property tax revenue have created new financial challenges.

Beginning in 2025, expenses are projected to exceed available revenue, with West Metro facing a projected funding gap of nearly $40 million by 2027.