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St. Paul Council adopts 2026 budget, holds levy at 5.3% after amendments
Summary
The St. Paul City Council approved the city's 2026 budget as amended, keeping the property tax levy at 5.3% and adopting a slate of council amendments on housing, libraries and opioid-settlement reporting. Final adoption passed by roll call, 7'0in favor, none opposed.
The St. Paul City Council adopted the 2026 city budget as amended on Dec. 3, approving the spending plan and related council amendments while holding the proposed tax levy at 5.3%. The final vote on the amended budget was 7 in favor, none opposed.
Council Vice Chair Kim, who led the budget committee through the year, framed the package as a values-driven document. "This budget is much more than a balance sheet. It's a reflection of our values," Kim said, listing priorities that included downtown economic investment, housing and public safety.
Council members debated and voted on a series of council amendments before the final adoption. The A1 amendment (chairs'package of council changes) and an A2 amendment requesting an accelerated report and strategy on city opioid settlement dollars were both approved by roll call. Councilmember Buie proposed an amendment to direct funding to a returning-home program tied to reentry services; that amendment failed 3'4. A4, which preserved library collections purchasing power, passed.
The council highlighted specific line items during debate. HRA Chair Joe Johnson described the HRA budget as prioritizing affordable housing and district council funding. "It invests in downtown. It is intentionally investing in affordable housing development," Johnson said in support of the HRA package that the council adopted earlier in the meeting.
Council members emphasized trade-offs made to hold the levy. Councilmember Jost reminded the council of the fiscal starting point: "When we entered into the budget, we started out with a $23,000,000 deficit," she said, noting the work done to close that gap without raising the levy further.
The council also approved a $5 million Downtown Vitality Fund and maintained funding for district councils, library hours and the Commercial Corridor Organization Assistance Program. Vice Chair Kim and others credited collaborative amendments and some one-time revenue strategies, including increased ambulance transport fees, for allowing restorations without an additional levy increase.
The council will publish the full amended budget documents and expects administrative work to follow for program implementation and reporting requested in the A2 opioid-settlement amendment.
