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 pressure to inflation, increases in personnel and health-insurance costs, and reductions in some state allocations. “We do have targeted personnel increases in public safety really to address these needs,” Graber said.

Commissioners asked about the budget process and allocations. Commissioner McDonald, citing ongoing federal advocacy efforts, described the context for revenue pressures and emphasized recruitment and retention for county staff. Commissioner Boyle highlighted a recommended 7.5% personnel package and said health-insurance claims had risen sharply this year. “Director Graber, it did go up 17% on claims, just this year,” Boyle said.

Commissioner Grama cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing the budget under-prioritized child-care supports and long-term opioid treatment funding. Grama said commissioners had set aside more than $2 million in a proposed endowment for scholarships aimed at higher-income building trades families and called for redirecting funds toward child care and substance-use treatment. “Until my colleagues stop prioritizing the whims of Commissioner Nelson over child care or fully funding opioid services, I will not be voting for this budget and its subsequent maximum,” Grama said.

Chair Commissioner Nelson, who moved the levy certification and sought a second from Commissioner Boyle, defended the board’s approach to reserves and long-term investment. “The growth that we’re achieving in this county right now is an absolute direct result of the investments that this county board has made,” Nelson said, urging that reserves be preserved for sustained service delivery and infrastructure work.

The board also certified several related budget actions during the same session: first- and second-quarter budget adjustments that reflected insurance proceeds and FEMA reimbursements for storm recovery, approval of the unorganized township (UT) road levy (a proposed 9% increase for UT road maintenance), and ratification of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) proposed levy of $381,254 and a total HRA budget of $581,254. Each of those measures passed on separate motions.

Votes and next steps: the board adopted the preliminary maximum levy by roll call with a 6–1 vote (moved by Chair Commissioner Nelson; supported by Commissioner Boyle). Deputy Director Graber said the county will finalize the full budget in public meetings later this fall, with a public hearing likely in early November and budget adoption scheduled for Dec. 16.

The board also discussed that federal and state policy changes coming in 2026–2027—such as paid family leave and other funding shifts—could cause further budget pressure, and staff told the board they will continue to explore options to mitigate levy impacts and refine the final budget.