Personnel committee adopts FY27 Board of Aldermen budget with modest increases for salaries, legal services

The St. Louis City Personnel and Administration Committee voted Feb. 5 to adopt a proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget for the Board of Aldermen totaling $5,615,876, roughly $110,000 more than the budget division's preliminary allocation of about $5,505,000.

Jay Nelson, chief of staff to President Green, presented the draft and told the committee that personnel costs remain the primary driver of the board's budget. "This category is made up of salaries, FICA, employment, retirement, medical insurance, and workers' comp. That combine makes up about $5,200,000 of our general budget," Nelson said, adding that the draft includes previously approved salary adjustments but does not assume any future increases tied to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's 7% matter.

Nelson walked members through line items. Office supplies are increased by $5,000 and rental/non-capital leases remain at $10,000 to cover copy-machine lease and maintenance costs. Contracts and other services are the area with the most movement: the presentation named a GoVocal community-engagement platform at $42,000 annually, noting the platform has about "16,600 people…