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

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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

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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

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Fund CategoryFY27 Proposed (Millions)% Change from FY26
General Fund$637.1+4.9%
Special Revenue$254.5+2.7%
Enterprise Funds$335.2-0.9%
Capital Improvement$50.4-17.9%
Grant Funds$70.9-19.4%
TOTAL$1,411.1+0.2%

Filed Under: Government, City
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