Police say FY26 'increase' stems from internal charges as state control takes effect

St. Louis — Chief Robert J. Tracy and fiscal manager David Daniels presented the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s proposed FY26 baseline budget to the Board of Aldermen’s Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 8 and said the headline year‑over‑year increase is largely an accounting effect tied to state control and internal service charges.

"House Bill 495 requires revenue matches," David Daniels said to explain the accounting. He told the committee the department’s total appears to rise toward $200 million from about $183 million the prior year because internal service fund charges that had not been previously billed to the police department are now on the department’s line‑item statement.

What was said and why it matters: Daniels listed several large internal charges included in the department’s FY26 materials: a Department of Personnel charge, a charge from the City Counselor’s office (which includes funds for claims), facilities management and equipment services (fleet maintenance). Those items, he said, together account for most of the apparent increase; "there's not much in terms of new initiatives in this budget," Daniels said, noting the city’s revenue picture is essentially flat.

Key details and operational priorities

- Revenue-match…