City of St. Louis Proposed FY2027 Budget Approved by Board of Estimate and Apportionment, Focuses on Workforce, Public Safety and Neighborhood Stability

The Board of Estimate and Apportionment has approved sending the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to the Board of Aldermen for review and approval. The $1.41 billion budget reflects a modest 0.2% increase over the previous fiscal year, prioritizing strategic investments in all City employees, public safety infrastructure and neighborhood stabilization.

"This is a responsible budget that ensures our City's fiscal stability while investing in our hard-working staff, better city services, and public safety," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "Budgets are the art of the possible and of compromise, and I am confident that this budget will help us make St. Louis a better place to live, work and visit."

A Balanced and Transparent Financial Future

The fiscal year 2027 budget is balanced and maintains healthy reserves despite economic uncertainties.

• Strong Reserves: The General Fund reserve stands at $154.1 million, or 24.2% of the FY27 budget, which exceeds the Government Finance Officers Association's best practice of 16.6%.
• Fiscal Stability: Revenues are stabilizing as earnings and payroll tax refunds level off. The General Fund is projected to grow by 1.7% to $637.1 million.
• Pension Management: Due to improved market performance, budgeted pension contributions will decrease by $6.5 million. Current pension systems remain fairly well-funded at approximately 80%.

Key Provisions and Community Benefits

The FY2027 budget outlines several critical initiatives designed to improve city services and quality of life for all residents:

Investing in the City Workforce

• Competitive Pay: $18 million is allocated for pay adjustments for City workers, including bringing entry-level salaries to market-competitive levels to aid recruitment.
• Retention: Most City employees will receive a 3% salary adjustment, while uniformed police and firefighters will see a 7% increase.

Enhancing Public Safety

• Police Funding: The Police Department will receive an $8.6 million (4.3%) increase to cover salary and operational needs.
• Infrastructure: $5 million in ARPA interest is reappropriated to complete the 911 Dispatch Center project.
• Emergency Planning: Funding for the City Emergency Management Agency will increase by $300,000 for additional staffing and emergency planning.
• Violence Prevention: Office of Violence Prevention funded with $8.8 million, to reduce crime and improve neighborhood safety by addressing root causes of violence, providing crisis response, youth programming, re-entry services and more.

Neighborhood Stabilization and Social Services

• Housing and Blight: The budget includes a $4 million increase for derelict building demolition (totaling $9.3 million) and $2 million for Forestry Division clean-up efforts.
• Emergency Support: $2 million is dedicated to the "Code Blue" emergency housing program.
• Community Investment: Local Use Tax funds are allocated for affordable housing ($6.7 million), violence prevention ($8.8 million), and a Health Care Trust Fund ($5 million).

Improving City Services

• Infrastructure Maintenance: Funding includes $6.8 million for road and bridge projects and $10.7 million for ward-specific improvements.
• Streets and Refuse: The Street Department will receive a $1.3 million increase for snow removal and salt, while $0.5 million is designated for street signage and striping inventory.

Summary of Funds