St. Louis County board certifies preliminary 2026 maximum levy at 12.4% after lengthy debate

The St. Louis County Board on Sept. 2 certified a preliminary maximum property tax levy increase of 12.4% for 2026, voting 6–1 after more than two hours of presentations and discussion on staffing needs, health insurance costs, infrastructure, and state and federal revenue changes.

Administrator Kevin Gray presented the levy package and turned the board to Deputy Director Graber for details. “The proposed levy increase for the preliminary maximum levy is 12.4%,” Administrator Gray said in his presentation. Deputy Director Graber described the levy as the portion of the county budget coming from property taxes and outlined priorities behind the increase, including public safety, public health and human services, county infrastructure and technology, and preserving the county’s self-insured health care fund.

Graber said the proposed levy would raise a total levy of about $202.7 million and attributed part of the…