City of Saint Paul Budget Committee Meeting - November 4, 2026

The Budget Committee of the Saint Paul City Council met on November 4, 2026 to continue its 2027 budget series. The meeting included presentations on Ramsey County property tax trends, the proposed budget for the Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO), and supplemental requests from the Office of the City Council. Chair Cheniqua Johnson presided, with Councilmembers Bowie, Coleman, and Jost present, and Council President Naker arriving later. No consent calendar or public testimony items were on the agenda.

Discussion: Ramsey County Tax Valuation Trends

Ramsey County Director Chapman and County Auditor Tracy West presented the 2026 property valuations (which set 2027 taxes). St. Paul's total assessed value is approximately $36.5 billion out of the county's $78 billion total. The overall change in St. Paul property values was about 2%, described as a flat year. Residential values rose 1.5%, while industrial and apartment properties saw higher increases (5% and 4.5% respectively).

The combined levy for the county, city, and school district is increasing by 6.8% to a total of $730 million. The city's share of the levy is increasing by 6.8%, while the county's St. Paul share is up 8.9%. The proposed tax rate for St. Paul is 56.6%. For the median single-family home in St. Paul (valued at $290,300), the estimated tax increase is $172 (3.7%). West 7th saw the largest tax increase by planning district (6.6%), while Downtown values decreased by 6.3%, driving a decrease in property taxes of 5.3%.

West noted that outreach for the state's Property Tax Refund (PTR) program is largely limited to mentions in presentations and on tax statements, with no formal county coordinated education or partnership outreach efforts. Several councilmembers inquired about the significant amount of PTR funds left unclaimed annually.

Discussion: HREEO 2027 Budget

Interim Director Andrea Letcher presented the HREEO budget, highlighting the department's focus on fiscal sustainability through vacancy management. The department is proposing a reduction from 33.1 FTEs to 30 by eliminating two positions (Contract Compliance Coordinator and Labor Standards Investigator 1) to meet budget targets. The department ended its work-share agreements with HUD and the EEOC over concerns about protecting sensitive resident data.

The most contentious topics were the long-vacant Director of HREEO position and a proposal to increase the Police Civilian Internal Affairs Review Commission (PCARC) commissioner stipend.

PCARC Stipend: The budget includes $27,000 for a potential increase to the $50 commissioner stipend, which has not been changed since 1993. Councilmembers Johnson and Bowie criticized the timing of the proposal and the lack of prior consultation with the full council. Councilmember Coleman explained her office was involved in the early timing to align with the budget process and required ordinance amendments. Letcher noted the work involves significant emotional labor for the volunteers.

HREEO Director Vacancy: The director position has been vacant since late 2022. Chair Johnson and Councilmember Bowie expressed strong frustration that a requested timeline for filling the position was not provided in the meeting materials, despite being raised in the pre-meeting. Letcher stated the hiring process is a mayor's office decision. Councilmember Jost urged directing concerns to the mayor's office. Ms. Mitchell from the Office of Financial Services confirmed the mayor's office intends to fill the position in 2027, having prioritized the Fire Chief search. Bowie criticized the ongoing allocation of over $200,000 in salary for an unfilled role without a defined plan to fill it.

Discussion: Office of the City Council Supplemental Requests

Director of Operations Jay Welms presented two supplemental funding requests.

1. Office Renovation Interfund Loan Repayment: The renovation project initially had a $1.95 million budget from ARP funds. A funding gap of approximately $360,000 led to an interfund loan approved in August 2026. Welms requested $120,000 per year for three years (FY27-FY29) to repay the loan. Chair Johnson and Councilmember Bowie questioned the mechanism of an interfund loan and requested a full accounting from OFS of all interfund loans citywide and the precedent for their use.

2. Administrative Citations Implementation: Welms requested one-time funding for a technology and workflow consultant to ensure the council's role in the forthcoming administrative citations program is seamless, specifically regarding the handoff from the administration's Pauly system. Council President Naker asked if the work could be done internally by the Office of Technology and Communications (OTC). Welms confirmed he had reached out to OTC but noted external consultants may be needed to align with existing city technical service agreements.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken on the substantive budget items presented during the meeting.
• PCARC Stipend: Scheduled for a first reading at the following City Council meeting to align with the budget timeline.
• Budget Amendments: The committee is scheduled to consider budget amendments on November 18, 2026.
• Follow-up Items: Chair Johnson committed to sending a follow-up email to gauge interest in formally adding the Office of the City Council requests to the budget conversation. A comprehensive list and explanation of all current interfund loans was requested from the Office of Financial Services.
• HREEO Director: The mayor's office was identified as the lead on the hiring process, with an informal target for filling the position in 2027.