St. Louis budget committee approves multiple pay bills, passes $21M parking appropriation

The Budget and Public Employees Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen on June 30 approved a package of pay bills allowing several city departments to opt into a proposed 3% pay increase for fiscal 2027, approved a $21,037,966 appropriation for the Parking Division and adopted an amendment to a treasurer bill changing a funding directive for the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE).

The committee voted to give each pay bill a "do pass" or "due pass" recommendation after brief presentations from department representatives. Interim Sheriff John Hayden testified in support of Board Bill 10, describing the measure as an update to appointments and salaries in the sheriff's office and confirming the pay bill lets the sheriff's office opt into the 3% increase. "My name is John Hayden. I'm the interim sheriff of the city of Saint Louis," he said. The committee recorded a do-pass recommendation on Board Bill 10 by voice vote.

Treasurer Adam Lane presented Board Bill 31, a fiscal-year 2027 appropriation for the Parking Division totaling $21,037,966, including $1,475,768 earmarked for capital improvements. Lane described the Parking Division as an enterprise fund that is self-funded and said there were no new lease or purchase agreements included in the proposal. "The parking division is an enterprise fund of the city of St. Louis, so self funded," Lane told the committee, adding the division is projecting revenue from vacant spaces but that there are no new lease or purchase agreements this year. The committee passed Board Bill 31 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation.

Board Bill 15, a pay bill for the Board of Elections, was presented by Ben Borgmeyer, who identified himself as Democratic director of the St. Louis City board. Borgmeyer said the bill mirrors the city civil service pay bill so his staff can receive the same pay treatment. The committee moved Board Bill 15 out with a due-pass recommendation.

Board Bill 16, the Medical Examiner's Office pay bill, was presented by Tara Rick, director of operations for the St. Louis City Medical Examiner's Office. Rick confirmed the bill mirrors the civil service pay bill to provide a 3% increase to eligible staff. Committee members voiced support and the bill passed out of committee with a due-pass recommendation.

On Board Bill 26, a treasurer's office pay bill, the committee adopted Amendment 1, which changes language on page 5, line 15 from "shall" to "may." Treasurer Lane explained the change is intended to preserve discretion because the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) positions have been funded through parking revenue in the past while the positions are listed in the treasurer's payroll. Lane said the amendment makes clear that funding decisions for those positions should align with the revenue source (parking enterprise revenue versus general revenue). "Changing this from 'shall' to 'may' allows us to make the financial decision about increases in line with the revenues from the parking division," Lane said. The amendment was adopted by voice vote and the amended Board Bill 26 passed out of committee with a due-pass recommendation.

All measures before the committee were handled in series and moved out with unanimous or no-objection voice votes; where recorded, roll-call or voice tallies were noted as unanimous (e.g., Board Bill 10 recorded four aye votes). Committee members and presenters repeatedly emphasized these pay bills are intended to align departmental pay practices with a board-wide 3% increase being processed for FY27.

The committee adjourned after announcing the next budget meeting will be postponed to take up FY27 budget items, including recent developments connected to potential police raises. The chair thanked staff and committee members for their work during the multiweek budget process.

Votes at a glance: Board Bill 10 (sheriff pay/appointments) — do pass recommendation (voice/4 ayes recorded); Board Bill 31 (parking division appropriation, $21,037,966 total, $1,475,768 capital) — due pass recommendation; Board Bill 15 (Board of Elections pay) — due pass recommendation; Board Bill 16 (Medical Examiner pay) — due pass recommendation; Board Bill 26 (treasurer pay) — amended in committee (Amendment 1: 'shall'→'may' regarding OFE funding) and passed out with a due-pass recommendation.

The meeting included in-person and staff presentations and no written public testimony was recorded on the bills presented.