City of St. Louis Ends Fiscal Year 2025 with $18.7 Million Surplus
Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer Announces Strong Financial Results
ST. LOUIS, Mo (September 10, 2025) – In a positive turn of events, the City of St. Louis has closed Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) with a General Fund Operating Budget Surplus of $18.7 million. This announcement was made today by Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer, who credited the surplus to a combination of higher revenues and underspending.
According to Baringer, general revenues exceeded budget estimates by $3.8 million (0.65%), while expenditures came in $14.9 million (2.56%) under budget. This resulted in a 0.8% increase in total revenues compared to FY24, driven by strong interest earnings and deferred one-time revenues. These factors helped offset shortfalls in sales and property tax collections.
“Despite facing added costs for mid-year pay adjustments, legal expenses, and city tornado response efforts, expenditures ended the year lower than budgeted across several departments,” Baringer stated. “This surplus strengthens our reserves and ensures we can continue to invest in our city.”
Surplus Allocation
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. Preliminary results show that the City’s General Fund reserve now totals $162.9 million, or 26.8% of the FY26 operating budget. This is well above the Government Finance Officers Association’s recommended minimum of 16.7%.
About the Comptroller’s Office
Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer serves as the chief fiscal officer of the City of St. Louis and is responsible for safeguarding the city’s credit rating and protecting taxpayer dollars. To learn more about the Office of the Comptroller, visit www.stlouismo.gov/comptroller.
