November 4, 2026 - Budget Committee Meeting

At the November 4, 2026, City of Saint Paul Budget Committee meeting, Ramsey County officials presented property valuation and tax trends. Saint Paul’s 2026 taxable valuations were up about 2% overall; the city’s proposed levy increase was 6.8%. For a median-value Saint Paul single-family home, officials estimated 2027 property taxes of $4,888, up $172 (3.7%) year over year. The committee then heard 2027 budget presentations, including the Department of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity’s plans to leave two vacant positions unfilled and coordinate the city’s small-business contracting, procurement, and vendor-outreach programs.

The City Council office requested $120,000 annually for FY2027–FY2029 to repay an interfund loan associated with its office renovation, whose original $1.95 million appropriation came from ARPA funding. The renovation construction contract had been signed, and completion was anticipated around the end of 2026 or in 2027; members questioned the loan’s funding source and precedent and requested follow-up from the Office of Financial Services. The office also described a need for project-management and technology-consulting support to develop workflows and systems for administrative citations, including online appeals and case tracking; no amount was specified. No procurement award or budget vote is recorded in the transcript.