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Next year’s budget and charter amendments will be the main focus for City Council, with the 150 Thompson project pushed back again.
150 Thompson Delayed Again
The expected debate over the 150 Thompson redevelopment project is delayed yet again. City staff still haven’t hammered out the final details with the developer and whatever a potential prevailing wage exemption might be.
The pressure for an end-of-the-year deadline has relaxed somewhat as the city opted to refinance bonds that were due early in 2026.
2026 Budget
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council will focus on next year’s budget. This is the last chance to make major changes before it comes up for final approval in December.
- Property tax: The proposed levy increase is 7.38%, down from the published 8% that went out in statements to residents. That works out to $264 per year for a median value home.
- Looking ahead: Future projections show a 9.85% increase in 2027, but then it drops to an average of 4.5% for 2028-2035, though these are just projections based on known costs, conservative projection on unknown costs, and moderate inflation.
Charter Amendments
Multiple charter amendments will come up for a vote. These require unanimous approval of all Council members and the mayor. The first three are up for a public hearing and final reading, while the fourth is up for the first reading.
- Vacating right of way: The first amendment would change the process for vacating public right of way from an ordinance to a resolution. This is a more efficient process and aligns with state law. This will also require a change to city ordinance that’s also on the agenda.
- Official publications: A minor tweak to the official publication designation that would allow the city to follow an alternative procedure if an official publication ceases operation.
- Force an audit: The third amendment increases the threshold for a citizen petition to force an audit from 100 signatures to 5% of voters in the last presidential election (currently that would be 573 signatures). Charter Commission felt a higher bar was needed to justify a $25,000 to $50,000 expense and 5% is consistent with other citizen petitions. The only debate at Charter Commission was how high to set the bar.
- Petitions, referendums, and recalls: Makes changes to the charter to bring petitions, referendums and recall elections in line with state law.
Engage
- Watch: The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. for the OCWS) on Monday.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
These West St. Paul City Council recaps happen with the support of our members. Local news is a group effort, and we couldn’t do it without them.