The St. Paul City Council unanimously approved the city’s 2026 budget, finalizing a $883 million spending plan shaped through collaboration with the Carter administration and aimed at maintaining core services while limiting tax increases.

The budget includes a General Fund of $404.9 million and a 5.3% property tax levy increase, amounting to about $107 annually for a median-value home. City leaders said the plan reflects weeks of joint work to address fiscal challenges, restore key services and avoid layoffs.

Major investments include $13.9 million for housing and economic development, with funding for downtown office-to-housing conversions and housing affordability efforts. The budget also dedicates $3.8 million to modernizing city services, including cybersecurity upgrades following an August cyberattack, and $1 million to fentanyl and opioid response efforts.

The council restored funding for fire and emergency response, libraries and recreation centers, and maintained support for the Commercial Corridors program. Savings were achieved through eliminating vacant positions and increasing ambulance transport fees, which are typically covered by insurance.

Council President Rebecca Noecker said residents consistently called for a focus on basic services and restraint on taxes. Mayor Melvin Carter emphasized that the cooperative process positions the city to manage uncertainty in federal funding while continuing to invest in community priorities.

City officials described the budget as a balance between fiscal responsibility and sustaining services residents rely on daily.
Find the full 2026 budget at stpaul.gov/departments/financial-services/saint-pauls-budget.