ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Members of the St. Louis County Council on Tuesday unveiled a counterproposal to County Executive Sam Page's proposed 2024 budget cuts.
The proposal from the seven-member panel slashes Page's requested budget by $14 million for a total budget of just under $580 million. Council Chair Shalonda Webb said the budget eliminates the need for a tax rate and offsets more than half the $27.3 million structural deficit in the county's general and health funds.
The budget would also restore $718,000 in funding for the county's ShotSpotter technology, a counter to Page's proposal to scrap the program from the county's budget.
The budget proposes cuts to the following offices and funds:
- Public Administrator: $104,993;
- Prosecuting Attorney: $771,771 (office barred from buying new vehicles);
- County Executive: $697,951;
- County Counselor: $570,069;
- Department of Administration: $1,606,530;
- Police: $718,000 (adding $718,000 for ShotSpotter);
- Public Works: $2,116,653;
- Department of Revenue: $903,835;
- General Revenue Fund: 6,033,802;
- Health Fund: $8,222,010.
"The council's appropriation allows for raises for current employees and that no current, other than action already taken by the county executive, employees should lose their jobs,” Councilwoman Shalonda Webb said in a statement.
Page said his plan could reduce the yearly budget deficit from $41 to $26 million a year, but with hundreds of millions still left in reserve, the county council could opt to put those financial pressures off for another year.
The council isn't expected to vote on a full budget until next Tuesday night.
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