Last year at this time, city officials in Webster Groves were lauding a projected $3.6 million surplus in the 2025 fiscal year budget, and anticipating a healthy surplus for years to come.
Not so for fiscal year 2026, a budget that dips into the city’s reserve fund to cover a projected $1.18 million deficit. The city council is now reviewing options to increase property taxes, increase taxes on retail sales, or present voters with some combination of both.
Gregory Donovan, director of finance and workforce services, told council members Tuesday night, May 6, that exploring tax increase measures was necessary if revenues are to keep pace with expenses, and to prevent the city from having to dip into its reserves in the future…