[{"_1":2,"_109":-5,"_110":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6218172,"mediaKeyId","3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618","parentId",3629598,"title","St. Louis City budget proposal totals $1.41 billion; officials cite tax refunds, ARPA interest and internal service shifts","audioSeconds",1938,"startMs",50000,"endMs",1988000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618&start=50&end=1988","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618/thumbnail_50000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6218172/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/St-Louis-City-budget-proposal-totals-141-billion-officials-cite-tax-refunds-ARPA-interest-and-internal-service-shifts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218172-796a21478db3b48fe38748dc4c399d99/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178141&Signature=iZuq-y7coDlypR0WqigDbXWm5xFggbymtsR2GfOLq2t-gFD~JV02rAXFzrnON~wgd8MRScRcDPwkFEjg70vCq8xAKkoHIR0L5IEU9f6xvsfOr-F4FsqGFS339b40dCbfIyZUq-3TtUzZIMV5QE3h-J1jG8kb49P3y~b9VN2-7qksZ995KhXtwTd4cC9wPq3~k4ugL86oj3-Se6eKFQw067wO~X62BN2-pAIZX1F5ZHVYHbCiVUcOa9ahHRdf4-f0F8o8ZV3AR82gtowjA4eLx~wizjdbKrsIje2BYhpv0yOteRCDnB6yszagh0LczNZLj-W5uFwa5uHzLZ6--kDAmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of St. Louis, MO","date","2025-06-02T11:12:40Z","article","Budget Director Paul Payne presented St. Louis City’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget to the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31, 2025, saying the total plan is $1.41 billion and the general fund would be $607.4 million.

Payne said the FY26 proposal is an increase of about 5.4% overall and a 4.6% increase for the general fund, but he warned several one-time and timing issues affect comparability with the prior year. “Refund totals at the end of the third quarter [were] as high as $47,200,000,” Payne said, attributing a large portion of the year’s revenue shortfall to refunds on earnings and payroll taxes paid to commuters and telecommuters.

Why this matters: the refunds depressed current-year revenues and complicate baseline assumptions for FY26. Payne said underlying receipts showed modest growth in some categories but that sales and use taxes were weaker year to date — sales tax receipts were down about 4.2% and local use tax receipts were down about 7.3% through the third quarter.

Payne walked the committee through fund-level detail: the proposed total of $1,410,000,000 includes a $607,400,000 general fund; special revenue funds of about $247.9 million; grant funds of roughly $88 million (which he said reflects $22.1 million in ARPA interest earnings being incorporated into the budget); debt service of about $13 million; a $61.4 million capital improvement program; enterprise funds (water and airport) totaling about $338.2 million; and internal service funds rising to $52.9 million.

Payne explained the internal service fund increase stems in part from the return of state control over the police department and the reclassification of units that historically provided support services into internal service accounts. “That’s about $16,400,000,” he said, referring to costs shifted into an internal-service charge to the police department.

On personnel and operations, Payne said the general fund payroll total would reflect both the movement of some positions into internal service funds and recent pay increases: the city-wide allocation includes $10 million set aside for salary increases yet to be negotiated, and the police department budget shows a net reduction of 91 sworn positions in the general fund but the overall public safety side remains the largest single share (about 51.5% of general fund spending in Payne’s presentation).

Revenue assumptions for FY26 include restrained growth projections (generally under 1%), an anticipated reduction in the extraordinary refunds that depressed FY25 receipts, and a plan to use $5 million of ARPA interest earnings as a one-time revenue supplement for the general fund. Payne summarized the discipline behind reserves, noting the unreserved general fund balance was reported at about $153.6 million (roughly 25% on a cash basis in his chart), while warning that end-of-year activity and storm-related expenses will affect final results.

Payne concluded by summarizing the major drivers: refunds on earnings and payroll tax are the dominant current-year risks; ARPA interest is being used as a contingency; police-related internal service reallocations are the major structural change; and the capital program is smaller than the prior year mainly because last year included an unusually large prior-year operating surplus that fed capital.

The committee chair said the committee will reconvene Monday to hear the sheriff and to take final public testimony before making amendment recommendations that may go to the ENA (president/comptroller/mayor review) as part of the chartered budget timeline.

Ending: The committee’s next scheduled meeting is Monday, June 2, at 9 a.m. in the Kennedy Room for further hearings and possible amendment work ahead of ENA review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget and Public Employees Committee - May 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Budget Director Paul Payne presented St. Louis City’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget to the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31, 2025, saying the total plan is $1.41 billion and the general fund would be $607.4 million.","taxTitle","St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Missouri","taxId",2587,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6218161,"Paramedic says St. Louis EMS strained after tornado; urges 12 new EMT/paramedic positions",168,2508000,2676000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618&start=2508&end=2676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618/thumbnail_2508000.jpg","/articles/6218161/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Paramedic-says-St-Louis-EMS-strained-after-tornado-urges-12-new-EMTparamedic-positions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218161-47ae9bd22feba8b1811206c065266464/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178141&Signature=O126Oj1q-glOSRyv0CQ3sNgx~uxhgLnRrJ~N7kkknPCRi6a85OW6aLyrypzRJuY4eyIh0YIrq4NPjTr82qj5mgl-mtMzHQB29WboCXa4SYwK7Jq1eZVsNJlLArg1L1l6xbdsuEKGZOOwA0~L3FuFDVsgLdzYHr-jvrBqpyHz28sNMGv0afJK8Dc392jWIFyk0lGONXXk0ISVi2xbfx35ciH9Vr8IeMRdgaVGWBYqU6E050I6s8tZtKvfKMRBoBEwDqTfAC4ju2arzORVR2LNHaq6T8uZnWSkQ2YuYUN9RnIbtYtUQ9ASG1ZRWtiXfyvckI63KRFXkblENuJrm0Usdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tyler Patterson, a city paramedic and Fourth Ward resident, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31 that St. Louis’s EMS system is under sustained strain and that adding six EMTs and six paramedics to the roster would allow the city to field one to two additional ambulances per shift.

Patterson described recent call volumes to illustrate the pressure on crews. He said he arrived to work the night of the tornado to find 71 pending EMS calls while six city ambulances were on duty and that on a typical busy night the city received about 100 calls split among six city ambulances and three private ambulances. “There really isn't any amount of ambulances and crews that can run 71 calls,” he said, describing a catastrophic surge during the storm.

Patterson also said the city is losing significant billing revenue to for‑profit private ambulance providers. He reviewed the FY26 annual operating plan and said actual ambulance revenue for FY24 was a little over $5 million compared with a typical range of $9–$12 million, a difference he attributed to private companies handling calls and capturing revenue.

Patterson argued that adding 12 staffed positions would not be transformative in scale but would materially reduce per‑crew load, improve retention and increase the city’s capacity to bill for services. \"By adding 6 more EMTs and 6 more paramedics, we would be able to add 1 to 2 more ambulances per shift,\" he told the committee, adding that reduced workload on individual members would improve retention and patient care.

Ending: The testimony did not result in an immediate personnel vote; committee members acknowledged the testimony and will consider staffing and revenue tradeoffs during upcoming budget amendment work.","A St. Louis paramedic who testified May 31 told the budget committee that the city should add six EMTs and six paramedics to reduce crew strain, improve retention and increase billing revenue now being captured by private ambulance providers.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6218162,"Trailnet urges St. Louis to create streets planning division, scrap 50/50 sidewalk cost‑share",274,2177000,2451000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618&start=2177&end=2451","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618/thumbnail_2177000.jpg","/articles/6218162/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Trailnet-urges-St-Louis-to-create-streets-planning-division-scrap-5050-sidewalk-costshare","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218162-420c14d5d6a9a91cd769444649d105a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178141&Signature=KN5NYuIRtKVPdWiZBIDPt8uHIi7RcS0fjdzs01DWmfnkWb-0WjASsvj~4QVApk7XZQjAFkRSpPn90kDWZDxC6KJyadpHYeJgZKqKkXFiOGR5GfmZZoI-aZt9LaSN9ZvwrOMtsVLEkkKBAVnYuMiJexyBDOM6DUJJlEd2mr3BmlPG9o0dpCPJm9oyZzd0y-xa1aZKkDyIo2g6E4rQSIUiZCzs17Qydrpc7q4yf-OqJSJ5f4Xab5qHwbtSwG1thOg67XDQTo0Vn1E9ryZlkyrUGg~EahWmcbKHhxESBG7eHeEXpvwU1tB-e7G9BsDRjQoMTYAlboPiszYZTSqk2xI7Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Charles Bryson, a policy catalyst for Trailnet, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31 that the FY26 budget is an opportunity to create a planning division within the Streets Department and to end the city’s 50/50 sidewalk program.

Bryson said the changes could be revenue‑neutral by reassigning existing positions and would be especially important during the transition to a new City Department of Transportation that, he noted, the city charter or local legislation plans to create (he referenced July 1, 2029 as the date the existing Streets Department would transition under that plan). “Residents of the city deserve better,” Bryson said, arguing budget decisions help determine the safety of streets and sidewalks after a record pedestrian‑fatality year in the city’s 2024 crash report.

He asked the committee to consolidate sidewalk repair funding inside the Streets Department rather than relying on the 50/50 cost share, which he said leaves low‑income households unable to afford repairs. Bryson also referenced roughly $46 million of ARPA funding already allocated for street and sidewalk safety improvements and argued that a planning division is needed to coordinate and sustain those investments.

Ending: Bryson concluded by urging the committee to use the FY26 budget to make structural changes that will improve long‑range transportation planning and equitable sidewalk maintenance.","Charles Bryson, identified in the hearing as a policy catalyst for Trailnet, told the budget committee that establishing a planning division inside the Streets Department and ending the city’s 50/50 sidewalk repair cost‑share would improve safety, equity and the ability to coordinate $46 million in ARPA-funded street and sidewalk work.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":79,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":82,"_51":105,"_53":106,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":107,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":108,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6218167,"Residents, relief groups urge St. Louis to release Rams settlement and emergency funds after tornado",3457,5965000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3629598-e233d0886ddc1a454eb71ad54a354618&start=2508&end=5965","/articles/6218167/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Residents-relief-groups-urge-St-Louis-to-release-Rams-settlement-and-emergency-funds-after-tornado","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218167-1ba5e8fed15c458fcb2778908168c30b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178141&Signature=mrh08lKaDJwQsXIfR5m~EBSHzaT4Dhj4wPS8buTv3wSgfhoXZZYjqDhyaTsdGsXa-9QBTSrhxEFoMqyIWoJ2Zz4fJMo5-T0tLiT9pPyaytsv-4rGmbUKgf6p5ziVCEfmhKRa9Br617PMFDju0JUSKnrbgd1adH5dDVpGwOxa0AdUoxkhYAIQ0hBCCzKCujFKZvQHK8vYgPrIn6p7x5QEPdlsIHCcbEKwz02KJcZelPYh~gGQdSHt5-tuxWm-bpW7VGrVZYygbbQqYRLtsbLjZhtfW4sXgxRQcYbY~yiXlDTAur4eYuVDrJpMyockuj800SVQgAjYCMGKP-Ite6OG2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents, volunteer organizations and housing advocates told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31 that the city must move quickly to put significant funds into emergency relief and long‑term rebuilding after a tornado that struck North and West St. Louis.

Across more than a dozen public comments, speakers said volunteers and grassroots groups are running day‑to‑day response operations but that city financial support is urgently needed. \"We are talking to people every single day whose lives have fallen apart,\" said Rachel Hurtado, who testified from the People’s Response hub at the O’Fallon Park YMCA. \"This fund needs to be in the millions at this point to even come close to addressing a fraction of the need.\"

Advocates asked the city to make multiple near‑term moves: fully fund and expand the Impacted Tenants Fund; make emergency housing and tarping resources available now; and use proceeds or interest from the Rams settlement fund (referred to in testimony as “Rams money”) and other city revenue sources to provide substantial relief rather than leave resources idle.

Speakers described the scale of volunteer and neighborhood efforts: one organizer said the People’s Response hub is serving about 300 families a day and that 1,600 volunteers came through a single weekend distribution; another speaker described organizing roughly 3,000 volunteers to clear debris. Immense demand, speakers said, has outpaced formal municipal response in some neighborhoods.

Several organizers cautioned about longer-term displacement risk if funds are not released quickly. \"If the city continues to wait, people will continue to die, and black working class St. Louis that has lived here for generations ... will be forcibly displaced,\" said Rachel Hurtado. Kenar Williams, a housing‑justice organizer with Action St. Louis, said volunteers are working around the clock but that volunteers are not a substitute for government resources.

Other public commenters urged the Board to identify and redirect local revenue sources and incentives (including sales tax exemptions and other development incentives) toward recovery. Jerry Connolly suggested reviewing development incentives administered by the St. Louis Development Corporation for possible reallocation to tornado recovery and affordable housing.

Several speakers mentioned logistical gaps: insufficient hotel rooms for displaced families, seniors without adequate shelter, people living in partially demolished buildings, and reports of theft and predatory offers at damaged sites. Organizers asked the committee to accelerate amendments and to allow interest from settlement funds to be used immediately for housing and rebuilding.

Ending: Committee leadership said it will continue amendment work this week and that a Board vote on the Impacted Tenants Fund is expected; committee members and staff indicated they were hearing the public concerns and exploring budget amendments.

","Community organizations and residents told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31 that immediate, large-scale funding is needed to help people displaced by a late‑May tornado. Speakers asked the city to release Rams settlement interest and to fully fund the Impacted Tenants Fund and other housing supports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

St. Louis City budget proposal totals $1.41 billion; officials cite tax refunds, ARPA interest and internal service shifts

Paramedic says St. Louis EMS strained after tornado; urges 12 new EMT/paramedic positions

Trailnet urges St. Louis to create streets planning division, scrap 50/50 sidewalk cost‑share

Residents, relief groups urge St. Louis to release Rams settlement and emergency funds after tornado