Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Excise Budget Liquor Licenses topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Louis excise commissioner asks committee to consider fee updates, vehicle replacements
Summary
Excise Commissioner Miles McDonald presented the excise office FY26 budget and requested replacement vehicles and potential reclassification for staff; he flagged that city liquor fees have not been raised since 2009 and described the licensing process and reliance on state statute for fee ceilings.
Miles McDonald, the city’s excise commissioner, presented the department’s FY26 budget to the Budget & Public Employees Committee on May 7 and highlighted revenue, staffing and equipment needs.
McDonald said the office’s FY26 approved budget is roughly $731,565 and described a small staff of seven full‑time employees who process liquor permits, catering permits and special event licenses. The excise office estimates annual excise‑related revenue in FY25 at about $208,638 and projected $193,700 for FY26 in permits that include 3 a.m. permits, caterers and picnic licenses.
Why it matters: Excise licensing enforces state and local liquor rules, affects downtown restaurants and events, and generates revenue. McDonald said fees the city may charge are set by state statute and noted the city has not raised local fees since 2009.
Key points - Fee authority: McDonald described state law allowing cities to charge up to 1.5 times the state liquor license fee; he said St. Louis has not raised local fees since December 2009. - Staffing and duties: The excise office handles application hearings and license inspections; McDonald said liquor control officers are now strictly administrative and no longer carry firearms or police powers after the recent ordinance changes and policy reviews. - Vehicles and equipment: The commissioner asked the committee to consider replacement of two aging 2006 Ford Taurus vehicles, describing them as near 20 years old and no longer safe for staff use. The department’s vehicle request was cut from the proposed budget; McDonald confirmed the replacement request had been removed. - Professional services: McDonald explained the excise office pays for a service that scrapes online short‑term rental and marketplace listings so staff can identify unlicensed operators; the department also budgeted for general office supplies and personnel reclassifications to improve retention.
Discussion and follow‑up Committee members asked for detail on the licensing process and whether applicants receive reasons for denials before hearings; McDonald said applicants generally learn their status at application hearings, and staff walk applicants through requirements. Aldermen agreed to follow up offline about program specifics in downtown areas.
Ending: The committee took the presentation as informational and asked the commissioner and budget staff to continue work on classification, fleet funding and fee structures.
