City Council Adopts 2025 Budget
 This week, the City Council voted to approve the 2025 proposed budget, with a tax levy of 5.9% (2% less than the mayor’s originally proposed 7.9% increase).
Throughout the budget process that began in August, Councilmembers have heard from constituents a desire to develop a budget that responds to the growing needs in our city going into the challenging years ahead, as well as solutions for tax relief for residents and business owners.
Property taxes have increased dramatically over the last five years, more than 50% since 2019, which disproportionately affects residents of our lowest-income neighborhoods who juggle grocery bills and putting a roof over their head.
At the same time, constituents also make it clear they need and expect our city government to fund critical community services going into 2025, anticipating much less federal and state funding than expected.
The Council worked hard to balance these demands. The resulting approved budget includes wins across city departments including:
- Adding seven total firefighters to ensure our East Side Fire Stations stay staffed and able to respond to the growing need.
- Restoring library funding for materials and supporting the Transforming Libraries project.
- Restoring funding to continue free youth sports and the free swimming program.
- Funding for tree planting and urban canopy restoration to address the climate crisis.
- Funding the Power of Home weatherization program and using franchise fees to fund investments in sustainability programs and projects like The Heights.
- Creating a fund to support Commercial Corridors.
- Investing in downtown revitalization efforts, including an office-to-housing conversion incentive program.
- Investment into affordable housing and supports for renters, including the downpayment assistance program and Inheritance Fund, rental assistance, and funding for deeply affordable housing.
- Funding a comprehensive Saint Paul housing policy evaluation to chart an evidence-based course on updating Saint Paul housing policies and areas for improvement.
- Investment to fund improvements outlined in the 2024 adopted Saint Paul Bike Plan.
- Investment into the Saint Paul Reparations Commission to deepen their work in 2025.
Read on for more details on the City Council-approved 2025 Budget.
Winter Warm-Up Event - Dec 13th
It's almost time for RLA's Winter Warm-Up, presented by Xcel Energy! Join in TOMORROW, Dec 13th from 1pm-3pm, snow or shine! The event is located in the parking lot between Burger King and Caribou (1698 Rice St, St Paul, MN 55113).
There will be festive dressed llamas, a Winter Wear Clothing Exchange Drive (bring your gently used winter wear donations if you can!), free BIX Produce giveaway, cocoa, cookies, samples, a speech from Maplewood Mayor Abrams, live music sung by Roseville High School Choir and much more.
Reporting Abandoned Vehicles
Abandoned vehicles are cars, trucks, campers, boats, or RVs that have been sitting on the street, unused or driven for over a week.
Public Works is asking residents to report the location, make, model, and color of the vehicle in an online form at stpaul.gov/publicworks. Please note, this is a separate form from the general “Ask Public Works” contact us button on the Public Works homepage.
Once the vehicle is reported via the form, Public Works Right of Way staff will coordinate the list (and check out some of the sites of abandoned vehicles) and then send it over to the Police Department to start the process of ticketing and potentially towing the vehicle. Not all reported vehicles may be ticketed or removed. To be removed by the City an abandoned vehicle must be ticketed by Saint Paul Police and then towed to a City owned impound lot.
Ramsey County Public Health
Weight Stigma Survey
Ramsey County Public Health is conducting a countywide survey to investigate the harms of weight stigma in healthcare, workplaces, and beyond. This data will be used to inform stakeholders and establish priorities for our Size Inclusive Ramsey County initiative (SIRC) initiative.
The survey is available in 4 languages, is for ages 18 or older and people of all sizes. Go to the website for more details and survey links
ramseycounty.us/help-reduce-weight-stigma. Those who complete the survey can enter a drawing for one of ten $50 gift cards.
Order Free Covid Tests
The website COVIDtests.gov has been reopened by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) so that households across the country can order four additional over-the-counter COVID-19 tests for free. https://covidtests.gov/
These tests are intended for use throughout the 2024 holiday season to detect currently circulating COVID-19 variants. They will give you results within 30 minutes. The website includes information on test extended expiration dates.
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