[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6242894,"mediaKeyId","3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384","parentId",3242954,"title","St. Louis Police say state control, internal-service charges reshape FY26 budget; staffing and overtime remain central concerns","audioSeconds",3548,"startMs",8612000,"endMs",12160000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384&start=8612&end=12160","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384/thumbnail_8612000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6242894/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/St-Louis-Police-say-state-control-internal-service-charges-reshape-FY26-budget-staffing-and-overtime-remain-central-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242894-a5e0f5f888a01218d0650f1f349a4d30/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166207&Signature=bzE9rw3Rd5Dh~tQSdQl0nERivelyy765h7gvBU2-Ms4JRmJpjxkJLNoUw016ORIlnuyF0yWx5e8TerV42cYmKy2xa4cXJrSlDCTjej2xHraSnxinz5rz9QgYBVDCI8IXIrP1H2JcFZJmd~FGsXPZoWZ7hvISe93XMVTBCfPWH5NSUBsyKuEUPCo6F4D-sdCyHjMcxTN-9HolQ9oIqPNfJlWtj0Yqfln6LcsbEwNXRox0WlkUq2X46QrOClcxM0H3bYBIBV980bjGiwnYBGyDNN-IatodGIaI2Uet6o4PtEGMaHGqS-rFRiz7CW5VxFMFBmCjDeCSLraAj6Zqhym8Rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of St. Louis, MO","date","2025-05-08T20:22:03Z","article","Chief Robert J. Tracy and fiscal manager David Daniels presented the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s FY26 budget to the Budget & Public Employees Committee on May 8, saying the apparent budget increase mainly reflects internal service charges and calendar-year revenue-match language in state law rather than a large new operating windfall.

Key points up front: the department’s FY26 budget is presented at roughly $200 million, an increase from about $183 million the prior year largely because of new internal service fund charges billed from other city departments (legal services, facilities management, fleet/equipment services). Daniels said the real operating increase is modest once those internal recharges and revenue-match timing are considered.

Why it matters: the department faces persistent vacancies, heavy overtime, and legal-cost exposure; the committee and department discussed the effect of state control (House Bill 495) on funding, who will provide legal defense and how revenue-match percentages will be applied across calendar years.

Daniels, fiscal manager for the department, said “what we’re presenting is a really a baseline budget,” and explained the larger headline number reflects service charges from other city offices and the timing of state-mandated revenue matches. He highlighted three internal-service lines: personnel/counsel billed back at about $4.4 million, facilities management billed about $5.4 million, and equipment services (fleet) about $4.9 million.

On revenue-matching, Daniels said the department’s calculation rests on calendar-year percentages in the legislation — roughly 22% of general revenue owed for the period ending Dec. 31, 2025, and 23% for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026 — which creates timing and accounting complications with the city’s fiscal-year budget.

Staffing and recruiting: Chief Tracy described recruitment gains but noted ongoing attrition. He said the department’s commissioned strength was 879 officers at the time of the hearing (including 10 in the academy). The department is continuing recruit classes: a recent class of 14 graduates, another class scheduled for June and plans for further cohorts; Tracy said he had sworn back 35 officers who had left other jurisdictions and that retention improves with competitive pay and clearer promotion paths. On priorities, he said “Paramedics. Paramedics.” when asked which vacancies were most critical for the Fire/EMS side; for police the chief stressed both commissioned and civilian hiring.

Overtime, fleet and capital: Daniels said overtime is budgeted but likely to be exceeded. He noted a $13 million overtime allocation in the FY26 file was probably an underestimate; the department historically transfers salary funds to pay overtime when vacancies force backfills. The prior year’s overtime actuals were over $15 million in the general fund, Daniels said. The department identified fleet and reserve-fleet maintenance as ongoing needs; vehicles and ambulances are on order but long build times mean capital requests must be staggered.

Asset forfeiture and project spending: Daniels and Tracy said the department has been using asset forfeiture funds for capital projects. Some forfeiture funds were reallocated to pay for a new firing range; they said the forfeiture balance would also be needed for a PeopleSoft upgrade and a regional gunfire-detection contract (ShotSpotter / “SoundThinking”), which together will draw down those reserves.

Immigration and operational policy: Chief Tracy clarified local practice: officers respond to crimes and make arrests regardless of immigration status; the department must verify identities during arrests and document cases. The chief said the department is not conducting immigration enforcement sweeps but must communicate with federal authorities when arrest processing uncovers a status issue.

Traffic enforcement and technology: Tracy reiterated the department’s interest in reinstating automated enforcement tools (red light cameras and similar speed tools) and said the department is using targeted enforcement, vehicle seizures in some felony contexts, to curb dangerous street takeovers, dirt-bike gatherings and reckless driving. He emphasized coordination with regional partners and public messaging as part of the response.

Committee response and next steps: Members asked for more detailed line-item explanations about apparent unspent amounts in several accounts (recruiting, fleet capital, promotional testing) and Daniels agreed to provide more detail. The department said it would continue recruitment classes and that the state attorney general’s office is already assisting with legal advice while transition questions are resolved under state control.

Ending: The committee received the presentation and asked for follow-up documentation on internal-service charges, overtime projections and asset-forfeiture plans; no appropriation vote occurred during the hearing.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget and Public Employees Committee - May 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Chief Robert J. Tracy and fiscal manager David Daniels told the committee that the FY26 police budget’s headline increase is driven largely by internal service charges from other city departments and calendar-year revenue-match language under state law, while vacancies, overtime and legal costs remain pressing operational concerns.","taxTitle","St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Missouri","taxId",2587,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6242897,"St. Louis Fire Department says FY26 cuts risk equipment readiness, EMS staffing",3887,1068000,4955000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384&start=1068&end=4955","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384/thumbnail_1068000.jpg","/articles/6242897/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/St-Louis-Fire-Department-says-FY26-cuts-risk-equipment-readiness-EMS-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242897-077082e10227cb053501fab5d6d6a192/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166207&Signature=JqM2YisWtzrPIvSONCdvRljXTelriskU~8q~IDHYUOt1SUk63CbA9x3WJV1N5ng8fs2dcMYI6FJktLZBS0DDg13w7a5ACkGB9VF17USFG2cy7yy~ri8x6BOQ0J71W7OE~mcDcT1sEdSobYL~iWeq4WHzYVTdpdX-rF3AoRiznQiKFhf-Ums8SQmRljo-adCoV0yNExAmFYxzyiQYF~B1yfy7uJxw-OY5q8eUZD-Chs~1vnF01LSPcqixzMDaJk2ZGr8jJbrtV6BqQonjhW6ut1xrJQ2II33t0I4vGoMWWoh8z3n0gaI5FezFzK6jLD5V6ySPxgtgFFiK4Gbx8LJiPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor’s budget office proposal left the St. Louis Fire Department short of its requested FY26 funding, department leaders told the Budget & Public Employees Committee on May 8.

Chief Jackerson, presenting the Saint Louis Fire Department’s FY26 request, said the department asked for $75,154,741 but the proposed budget provided about $71,000,009. The chief told the committee most of the gap was in personnel costs and warned the department remains short on paramedics and other front-line staff.

Why it matters: the department handles roughly 59,000 fire-related incidents and about 56,000 emergency medical responses a year; those calls drive equipment, training and personnel needs. Chief Jackerson said continuing shortfalls would affect response capacity and training investments and that some line-item reductions are directly tied to ongoing recruit classes.

Chief Jackerson outlined personnel and program details. He said the department’s table of organization covers 586 firefighters, 29 medics (a mix of paramedics and EMTs), 33 dispatchers and 32 support staff. “Every year, I ask for additional EMS personnel. Currently we are, approved to run 12 ambulances on a 24 hour period… We would like to see that increase to 18,” he said. The chief described a continuing shortage of paramedics but said a paramedic class of 14 would graduate in about two weeks.

The chief described key revenue and program lines. He said Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT), a Medicaid reimbursement, is budgeted at about $7,926,000 in FY26 and provides money the city uses for EMS training, equipment and operations. He also said a long-standing Riverfront Gaming allocation of $30,000 covers marine-unit equipment and maintenance — an amount he called far short of need. The department is repairing a major fire boat, Marine Unit 6 (the Stan Musio), with engine repairs estimated near $80,000.

Budget cuts singled out by the department included a $175,000 reduction in the protective-clothing (personal protective equipment) line. Chief Jackerson said a full outfit for a recruit costs about $10,000 and that every firefighter needs two complete gear sets to avoid cross-contamination after fires. He warned that an underfunded PPE line complicates bringing new recruits into service.

Other reductions the chief flagged were a nominal cut to health care services tied to random drug testing (he noted last year’s testing cost is expected to exceed $45,000) and a $30,000 cut to computer services tied to an IA Pro Suite implementation that the department wants to use to centralize records, training and equipment tracking. “It helps us target inefficiencies within our service,” Jackerson said of the software.

Committee members pressed on hiring cadence and gear spending. Alderman Browning asked why PPE spending looked underspent in earlier years; the chief explained hiring delays and certified lists from personnel can push purchases into later periods. Jackerson said the department had a current certified hiring list and was staging multiple recruit classes: one due to graduate in June and others planned to rebuild staffing lost to resignations and retirements.

Committee context and next steps: Members asked about long-term capital and fleet needs; the chief said the department had staggered recent vehicle orders (pumpers, ladder trucks, ambulances) but flagged maintenance and reserve-fleet work as vulnerable because the city’s equipment services and mechanics have had recruitment challenges. The department said it would deliver an expanded annual report to committee members the following week, including ward-level breakdowns of incidents and trends.

No committee vote was taken on the fire department budget during the hearing; the session was for presentation and questions. The chief closed by reiterating that personnel and equipment funding remained the department’s top priorities.

Ending: The committee said it would review the submitted annual report and continue budget deliberations before formal action on FY26 appropriations.

","Fire Chief Jackerson told the Board of Aldermen’s Budget & Public Employees Committee that the department’s FY26 request was reduced and that cuts to protective clothing, computer services and recruit-related funding could slow hiring and impair readiness; he urged attention to a continuing paramedic shortage and reliance on GEMT reimbursements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6242889,"Board of Aldermen trims FY26 budget; prioritizes staff raises and modern records",744,3375000,4119000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384&start=3375&end=4119","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242954-7fc68dbfb5483ad910e3271d72949384/thumbnail_3375000.jpg","/articles/6242889/St-Louis-City/St-Louis-County/Missouri/Board-of-Aldermen-trims-FY26-budget-prioritizes-staff-raises-and-modern-records","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242889-46f8da9bb364cdf00b4d851aa80bf65e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771166207&Signature=NYCEB7RULDZmq568txJnVTC7~bbdJDUsLky5gLzSZXjkIKXqhT3gTHV3DbGLiEMUHWvWcYjNLyf1T74V2K1gY66hVR~PcW0Kft39gmXYmzLxxR9SRGmpG6YfV2hiwpk2OihRd5q~bXh21lgFzyXcTUMMOFJPjTBg8XJVEmrDiAhbcxLin9fB5OhY83CXET8Sg1JZK9GZ1~~-m2nYFANNoHYrCxSSSdi8bfz-DSQs-XUzJpn-Sj5B7LdXcUkNR0JQxPWcX8W24Mv364xC08bCllK4X2a2TW7yBRsIi4-oV-GGWxMQLmOK~0prrPQGJzaF32QazLJh7Wbyn8WDsUPy6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Aldermen presented a proposed FY26 operating budget to the Budget & Public Employees Committee on May 8 and described modest reductions aimed at preserving staff salaries while trimming nonessential contract and supply spending.

The board’s proposed FY26 total is $5,493,651, a slight decrease from the FY25 adopted budget, the board president told the committee. Personnel services remain the largest part of the budget; regular employee salaries are budgeted at about $3,000,596 and reflect the citywide 3% increase given to city employees. The board president said the office prioritized staff pay and benefits after personnel review.

Why it matters: the board’s office supports aldermen and their ward work and administers the legislative process. The presentation said the board completed a meeting-management software purchase and will roll out the system to improve agendas and public access; following that, the board will evaluate community-engagement software. The president also said the board will partner with the Missouri Secretary of State’s local records program to digitize historic legislative records.

The presentation listed several category reductions: materials and supplies were cut from $126,000 in FY25 to $38,000 in FY26 because equipment replacements and internal projects concluded; contractual and other services declined nearly 35% as several one-time projects completed; and professional services for mail and printing were cut by $79,000 after limited utilization in prior cycles.

The president said personnel committee-approved facility upgrades for Room 230 (workstations and flooring) are scheduled for the board summer break and that the office is focusing on constituent engagement and more accessible meeting materials.

Committee members praised the board’s focus on staff compensation and efficient cuts. The board did not take formal votes on any FY26 appropriations in the hearing; the presentation was informational and committee members moved to recess and continue budget hearings later in the day.

Ending: The board president said staff will answer follow-up questions from the committee and proceed with the meeting-management rollout and the public-records digitization project.","The Board of Aldermen presented a smaller FY26 budget that preserves staff raises, cuts several contract and supply lines, and plans to implement meeting-management software and a digitization project with the Missouri Secretary of State.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

St. Louis Police say state control, internal-service charges reshape FY26 budget; staffing and overtime remain central concerns

St. Louis Fire Department says FY26 cuts risk equipment readiness, EMS staffing

Board of Aldermen trims FY26 budget; prioritizes staff raises and modern records