City of St. Louis Ends Fiscal Year 2025 With A Budget Surplus

ST. LOUIS, Mo (September 10, 2025) — Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer announced today that the City of St. Louis has closed Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) with a General Fund Operating Budget Surplus of $18.7 million.

The surplus resulted from a combination of slightly higher revenues and underspending. General revenues exceeded budget estimates by $3.8 million (0.65%), while expenditures came in $14.9 million (2.56%) under budget. Total revenues grew 0.8% compared to FY24, driven by strong interest earnings and deferred one-time revenues, which helped offset shortfalls in sales and property tax collections.

“Expenditures ended the year lower than budgeted across several departments, despite the added costs for mid-year pay adjustments, legal expenses, and city tornado response efforts,” Comptroller Baringer said. “Ending the year with a surplus strengthens our reserves and ensures we can continue to invest in our city.”

In accordance with City Code of Ordinances § 5.35.010, half of the surplus—$9.36 million—will be transferred to the City’s Capital Fund to support critical infrastructure and capital improvements. The remaining balance will be added to the City’s unrestricted General Fund reserve. Based on preliminary results, the City’s General Fund reserve now totals $162.9 million, or 26.8% of the FY26 operating budget, well above the Government Finance Officers Association’s recommended minimum of 16.7%.

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About the Comptroller's Office

Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer is the chief fiscal officer of the City of St. Louis and is charged with safeguarding the city's credit rating and with protecting taxpayer dollars. Visit www.stlouismo.gov/comptroller to learn more about the Office of the Comptroller.