REGIONAL— St. Louis County will levy $163.4 million next year, a 4.39-percent increase over 2022. How that will impact taxpayer’s property assessments will vary depending on changes on valuation and increases in the county’s tax base.
At the same time, the St. Louis County Board has unanimously approved a 2023 budget totaling $452,751,620. The budget, approved Tuesday, funds employee salary and benefit commitments, sustains investments in mental health and substance use disorder services, and invests in enhanced medical services in the jail. It also directs funding toward economic development and in technology, including security.
“With the economy recovering (albeit still unevenly) as the pandemic persists, new issues have emerged that needed to be addressed,” according to county administration in a letter to commissioners. “These include a shrinking labor market and more difficulty in keeping budgeted staff positions filled, rapidly escalating costs and supply disruptions for materials that affect capital construction projects and increasing focus on recognizing and serving mental health needs within the community.”