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Saint Paul hearing on proposed 2026 budget draws sustained complaints about tax hikes and calls to protect frontline services
Summary
The council's truth-and-taxation public hearing included a budget overview from the council's chief budget officer and hours of public comment describing steep property tax increases, urging protection of libraries and rec centers, and urging spending shifts away from consultants and toward frontline workers.
The Saint Paul City Council held a special truth-in-taxation public hearing where Verma, the council chief budget officer, reviewed the mayor’s proposed 2026 budget and the city’s proposed property tax levy. Verma said the total proposed operating budget is $886,000,000 and reported a proposed property tax levy of $232,500,000; she described allocations for housing, permitting and cybersecurity and said the council will adopt budgets and set the levy at its Dec. 3 meeting. (Verma identified herself as the city council chief budget officer and invited public review of online budget documents.)
Council President Naker opened the meeting and framed the hearing as statutorily required while noting that the version presented represented the mayor’s proposal and that…
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