St. Pete Standard

The City of St. Petersburg is holding its annual Budget Open House on April 14 at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 175 5th St. N. The event will provide an overview of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget process, feature remarks from Mayor Kennedy T. Welch and the City Council, and allow the public to voice their opinions on budget priorities.

This year's budget discussions will highlight resilience, following the impact of consecutive hurricanes in 2024. The City aims to prepare its communities, infrastructure, ecosystems, and citizens for challenges such as hurricanes, flooding, and rising sea levels. Assistant City Administrator Tom Greene emphasized the importance of resilience, stating, "While resilience has been a City priority for many years, the events during last year's storm season have shown the need for this to remain a top priority for the City." He also mentioned that the city's budget proposals would reflect this focus throughout various departments.

Residents who wish to participate and express their budget concerns will have up to three minutes to speak before Mayor Welch and city officials. Participation is possible in several ways. Attendees can join in person, participate virtually through Zoom, or watch the meeting live on St. Pete TV, with details available on the City's website at www.stpete.org/budget.

Further information regarding the Budget Open House and upcoming budget milestones for FY26 can also be accessed via the same website.