St. Paul residents will have multiple opportunities in the coming weeks to weigh in on city spending priorities as Mayor Kaohly Her’s administration begins work on a budget facing an estimated $26 million gap.

The city announced a series of four public budget engagement meetings focused on key priorities that will help shape the mayor’s proposed budget. The sessions are designed to educate residents about the city’s financial challenges while gathering community feedback on spending priorities and service needs.

The first meeting, focused on making it easier to do business in St. Paul, was scheduled for June 15 at Frogtown Community Center. Additional meetings will address responsive government on June 22 at Sun Ray Library, enhancing safety and justice on June 26 at Arlington Hills Community Center, and fiscal sustainability on July 1 at Neighborhood House.

Her said the city faces mounting financial pressures from inflation, tariffs and rising operational costs, while also dealing with structural budget issues that developed over several years.

“It’s no surprise that tariffs, inflation, and any number of rising costs are applying pressure to the city’s bottom line,” Her said in a statement announcing the engagement process.

The mayor said some city expenses have increased significantly, including fuel costs for emergency vehicles and materials used for street maintenance. She also said the city inherited financial challenges, including deferred costs and ongoing expenses that had been supported by one-time funding sources.

In a newsletter to residents, Her pointed to additional pressures, including increased service demands and costs associated with unexpected events such as Operation Metro Surge and a cyber incident last year.

The administration has identified four priorities for the upcoming budget cycle: strengthening the city’s fiscal sustainability, improving public safety and justice initiatives, making city government more business-friendly and increasing responsiveness to residents’ concerns.

Her said balancing the budget will require difficult decisions but argued the process also presents an opportunity to address long-term financial challenges and expand the city’s tax base.

Residents can learn more about the meetings and register to participate through the city’s budget engagement website, stpaul.gov/city-budget-engagement.