Saint Paul City Council votes 7-0 to Adopt 2026 Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<_o3a_p>
December 3, 2025

Contact:
Marcia Moermond, Acting Director of Council Operations
Telephone: (651) 266-8570| Email: [email protected]

Saint Paul City Council votes 7-0 to Adopt 2026 Budget

SAINT PAUL - The Saint Paul City Council voted today to approve the city's 2026 budget with a 5.3% property tax levy, restoring key services and programs while addressing fiscal challenges.

The 2026 budget responds to residents' concerns about property taxes and their demand for safe neighborhoods and quality services. It restores funding that was originally proposed to be cut for fire and emergency response, libraries and rec centers, maintains full funding for the City's Commercial Corridors program, and increases funding for District Councils, immigrant defense and naturalization, and more.

The Council was able to fund these services without increasing the proposed levy by finding innovative revenue streams, such as increasing fire transport fees, which are currently below the metro average and are covered by insurance companies. The budget also includes strategic reductions across departments by eliminating unfilled positions, allowing the city to maintain current service levels without layoffs.

The amended budget includes:

• Restoring Recreation Center and Library hours and FTEs
• Restoring Firefighters
• Restoring BLS night shift
• Restoring CARES unit
• Restoring funding for the Immigrant Defense Fund and Naturalization Support Fund
• Increasing funding for District Council
• Sustaining Commercial Corridor Funding at 2025 Level
• Funding the Listening House's Work Now Program
• Staining funding for emergency rental assistance/eviction prevention program
• Increasing Ambulance Transport fees
• Eliminating vacant positions to find savings

Despite a challenging year, in which the city faced a cybersecurity incident and federal funding cuts, the Council was able to pass a budget that keeps city services strong and that avoids excessive tax increases.

"We've heard a clear message from our residents throughout this budget season: focus on core services and keep taxes low. The budget we're passing today is a response to that demand," said Council President Noecker. "It invests in the services our residents depend on every day - parks, libraries, rec centers, and emergency response - while keeping our levy increase as low as possible. I'm proud of the transparent and inclusive budget process we ran this year, and I'm glad we were able to fund key Ward 2 priorities - like lights along Shepard Road, downtown revitalization, small business support along our commercial corridors, and more."

The Council's budget adoption process was also more inclusive and transparent than in the past, with Councilmembers holding multiple community engagement sessions to gather constituents' input and openly discussing their proposed amendments at a public budget workshop.

"After months of budget conversations across Ward 7 and throughout our city, my community was clear; they want relief from rising tax burdens and a budget that prioritizes basic, reliable city services. For me, that meant keeping libraries open and fully staffed, fully funding emergency services without cuts to firefighters or BLS and ALS providers, investing in eviction prevention, commercial corridors, district councils, and restoring core services like parking enforcement. This budget reflects those priorities- and does even more for the people of Saint Paul," said Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson, Chair of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

"I am proud of the newly approved 2026 city budget that is all encompassing of what we have heard from the community for years-keep the levy low due to financial constraints that many are facing all the while making investments that ensure we provide a great quality of life and services to all," said Councilmember Nelsie Yang, Budget Committee Chair. "By restoring critical staffing and programming in our libraries, recreation centers, and fire department, securing funding to revitalize Downtown Saint Paul and business corridors throughout the city, pushing for savings in vacancies, and more, this Council took bold action that put our residents, staff, and businesses first."

Statements from Councilmembers

Councilmember Anika Bowie, Ward 1, Public Safety Committee Chair

"I'm proud to pass budgets that reflects the values and priorities I heard from residents all year long. These budgets make real investments in dignity, opportunity, and community safety. We increased funding for the Listening House Work Now program because when we treat our unsheltered neighbors with respect and provide pathways to stability, our whole city benefits.

We also put strong accountability measures in place. Every department is now required to bring forward a coordinated plan to address the fentanyl crisis - not in isolation, but with our community partners at the table. That is the only way we build a safer, more connected Saint Paul.

I'm grateful to the residents who showed up, shared their stories, and participated in the budget conversations. Your voices shaped this work, and this budget reflects your urgency for change. I'm also stepping into 2026 with more clarity and trust that our most beloved public space - the Rondo Community Library - will move forward with transparency, care, and intentionality.

At the same time, I want to be honest. There were proposals that didn't make it into the chair's budget this year. I remain committed to advancing those priorities because our neighborhoods deserve more than the status quo. And we all know Saint Paul carries a heavy property tax burden. I'm committed to working with our new mayor on a more transformative budget process - one that brings real relief to residents and strengthens the small business ecosystem we rely on for jobs, innovation, and neighborhood stability.

This budget is not the end. It's the beginning of a new chapter for Saint Paul. A chapter rooted in optimism, accountability, and the belief that we can build a city where everyone has what they need to thrive."

Councilmember Saura Jost, Ward 3, Library Board Chair 

"Our city has faced a challenging year. This is not a budget that reflects our city's highest ambitions and dreams, but it is still aligned with our city's values and the reality of our circumstances. We care about our libraries, our streets, economic development, and about the people who work for this city who deliver the vital services our residents rely upon every day. We care about each other and this is a budget that puts caring for our residents during difficult times at the forefront. We're going to do as much of that as we can with the resources we have. This Council had difficult choices to make, and we made them. I'm grateful to my colleagues and to our staff for getting this done on schedule. I expect next year will prove equally challenging."

Councilmember Molly Coleman, Ward 4

"Our city's budget is a collective investment in our future. In this year's budget, we're investing in a safer, more vibrant, more just future for our community. The investments we're making- in our libraries, rec centers, district councils, public safety, economic vitality, climate resiliency, support for our immigrant neighbors, and more- are a direct response to the priorities we've heard from the residents of Ward Four this year. There is more work ahead as we navigate the expected economic challenges of the next few years, but with this budget we're laying the groundwork necessary to build a city where everybody can thrive."

Council Vice President HwaJeong Kim, Ward 5

"I am proud of have been interim budget chair and carry forward a budget that reflects the council's priorities, builds on the long-standing values of Mayor Carter, and help mark a beginning of a new administration with Mayor Elect Her.

I believe our role as a city is to be first line of service and last line of defense. We're investing in $1.5 million in public safety funding to maintain our CARES unit, Basic Life Support Units, and our Fire Fighters. I am proud to champion funding for our immigrant defense fund and naturalization loan program to directly support our immigrant community facing uncertainty. In spite of the incredibly challenging times, we are experiencing financially, socially, culturally, this budget balances between investing in what matters and exercising fiscal responsibility."

The Council's approach to the 2026 budget reflects strong commitments to protecting programs and services that directly impact residents' daily life. In a challenging fiscal year, the council maintains its commitments to increasing our tax base and supporting local businesses thrive.

About the City Council
The City Council is responsible for setting City policy through ordinances and resolutions. The Council also has sole responsibility for adopting the City's budget. The Council legislates by passing Ordinances which become City laws.

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Last Edited: December 3, 2025