St. Louis Board of Estimate & Apportionment Public Hearing on FY 2027 Budget

On April 29, 2026, the St. Louis Board of Estimate and Apportionment (Board of EA) held a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The meeting, which started approximately 30 minutes late, drew an unprecedented number of public speakers—nearly 100 individuals signed up to testify, with most speaking in strong opposition to the proposed budget, particularly the increased funding for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD). Mayor Tishaura O. Spencer, Comptroller Darlene Green, and Board President Megan Green were present. The public testimony lasted several hours and focused overwhelmingly on redirecting funds from policing to social services, violence prevention, housing, and tornado recovery.

Public Comments & Testimony

Nearly every speaker opposed the proposed police budget increase and urged the Board of EA to reject the budget as drafted. Key themes and testimony included:

• Code Blue / Tiny Homes: Elizabeth McDermott Mott (Ward 9, social worker) expressed full support for the Code Blue program, stating it was the first winter as a social worker she did not have to tell someone she had no options. Monique Buchanan (realtor, owner of Eagles Nest facility) stressed the life-saving importance of Code Blue, noting over 2,057 homeless individuals in the city and 37 cold-related deaths since 2023. Jonathan Belcher (Peter and Paul Community Services) testified that Code Blue supported over 300 emergency shelter beds on the coldest nights and housed nearly 400 people on the night of the annual point-in-time count. Jess Boyer (Ward 6) stated there were no reported deaths from hypothermia last winter due to Code Blue.
• Right to Counsel (Housing Eviction Law Program): Daniel Buran (Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, program director) detailed the program's impact: 491 new legal cases, serving 2,052 people, and a direct financial impact of $833,000 for renters. He stated that a fully funded program ($2.5 million) could hire 13 additional attorneys. He noted that to keep the program going at current staffing for the next fiscal year would cost only $435,000. Sean Caruozzo (attorney) argued that funding eviction defense is cheaper than addressing homelessness. Emma Burrows (Ward 3) testified about neighbors facing eviction, saying, "Every dollar beyond the 203 million already allocated to our police department is a dollar taken away from the social services and support that your constituents… actually need."
• Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) / Violence Intervention: Mike Milton (Freedom Community Center) argued that crime is at a 12-year low (homicides down from 263 in 2020 to 140 last year) and that OVP was a key factor. He requested reallocating $3 million to OVP. LaToya Wilson (Show Me Peace) provided year-to-date data: in neighborhoods where Show Me Peace operates, there have been zero murders and a 100% decrease in shooting incidents in several areas (e.g., Dutchtown, The Ville, Walnut Park East/West, Wells Goodfellow), while citywide murders increased 14% and shooting incidents 4%. Jason Watson (Mission St. Louis, Show Me Peace) said, "The ecosystem… has brought down the numbers."
• Police Budget / State Takeover: Multiple speakers (Keith Rose, Dr. Nathaniel King, Audrey Kidwell, Chris Wilcox, Jeremy Brock, Tyler Peters, Gwen Smith Moore, and many others) condemned the proposed increase to the SLMPD budget, calling it excessive and noting that SLMPD is the deadliest police department per capita in the nation. They argued the city should only fund the minimum required by state law (24% of general fund) and not more. Dr. King stated, "Real public safety doesn't come from big police budgets." Several speakers referenced police violence at the Mayor's State of the City address on April 24, 2026, and the police shooting of 17-year-old Meshion Wilkins.
• Tornado Relief: Many speakers (e.g., Hailey Black, Rosa Parks, Evan Pardue, KB Dillman) demanded more funding for North St. Louis recovery after the May 16, 2025 tornado. They criticized the city for focusing on debris removal and demolition rather than rebuilding homes and supporting residents.
• Other Issues: Felice McClendon (Delmar Main Street) advocated for funding for main street programs. Clinton McBride (Ward 1) called for better enforcement of city ordinances (living wage, MWBE, asbestos laws) to generate revenue and reduce costs.

Discussion Items

• Mayor Spencer thanked everyone for their testimony. She commented that the city is in litigation with the state and the Board of Police Commissioners over the police budget. She stated the proposed budget includes 3% raises for city workers and significant raises for some lower-paid employees (up to 45%). She noted the city is planning to use Rams settlement funds for North St. Louis tornado recovery. She said she committed to working on making progress on the right to counsel program and funding Code Blue.
• Comptroller Darlene Green thanked everyone for their time and noted that the Board of Aldermen should also hear from the public.
• President Megan Green thanked the public for the unprecedented turnout. She stated her primary priority for the budget is funding the right to counsel program. She reiterated her concern about setting a precedent for funding SLMPD above the state-mandated 24% of general fund revenue. She noted the police board declined to present their budget to the Board of Aldermen. She observed that the difference between 24% and 25.3% is about $10 million, which could fund programs like OVP. She mentioned the lawsuit she filed against the state takeover and that a hearing is scheduled for May 6, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• The Board of EA held a public hearing. No formal votes were taken on the budget during this hearing.
• The Board will now consider the public testimony and propose a final budget.
• President Green stated her intention to prioritize funding for the right to counsel program.
• The city remains in litigation with the state over the police budget and state control of the police department.