Ongoing youth programming in St. Petersburg, including the Mayor’s Future Ready Academy (pictured), will receive funding in the fiscal year 2027 budget. Photo: City of St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch kicked off a Budget Open House event on Monday by pledging to prioritize projects that strengthen infrastructure and support long-term environmental resiliency in fiscal year 2027.
Residents also advocated for Complete Streets initiatives in South St. Petersburg that promote pedestrian safety, as well as additional funding for programs that uplift wayward youth. While both will receive municipal support, city officials face difficult budgetary decisions ahead of the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in October.
In January, city council members heard that Welch’s administration must eliminate a $17.87 million preliminary budget gap before the next round of public hearings in September. That amount is more than double the deficit at this point in fiscal year 2023.
In addition, proposed property tax legislation could eliminate $89 million in expected revenue next year, forcing officials to cut all non-public safety expenditures by 47%. Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz referenced those challenges in her opening remarks before turning the meeting over to Welch, Budget Director Liz Makofske, and dozens of residents who shared their budget priorities.
“We are navigating rising costs, shifting federal support, and uncertainty at the state level,” Hanewicz said. “In that environment, we must stay focused on what matters most – keeping St. Petersburg safe, resilient, and moving forward.”
Welch, who took notes throughout the meeting, called feedback from residents vital to finalizing a recommended budget, which the city council must approve on Sept. 17. He said the upcoming spending plan would build on current financial priorities by “advancing economic and community resilience.”
“As we develop this budget, we will need to make strategic decisions, some that may be difficult, as community needs continue to increase and trend towards outpacing our projected resources,” Welch warned. “However, we know one thing is clear: Our infrastructure needs to be substantially improved to meet the new environmental weather challenges that we are experiencing.”
Mayor Ken Welch’s Five Pillars of Progress will guide the upcoming spending plan. Image: City documents.
While previous infrastructure investments have proven effective, Welch said, increasing climate threats are greater than expected. He reiterated plans to ask voters to approve a $600 million bond issuance, financed through an additional property tax, through a ballot referendum in November.
Welch also pledged to develop a budget that “works for all of our residents and ensures that everyone has the opportunity to succeed in our city.” Residents then pleaded with city officials to increase support for Complete Streets projects.
According to the city’s website, Complete Streets initiatives foster strategic transit connections and improvements while incorporating surrounding land uses. The resulting design provides a “flexible network of routes and facilities, and a variety of modes of transportation that allow for people of all ages and physical and economic abilities to safely and comfortably reach all parts of the city.”
Meiko Seymour was the first of many residents to advocate for improvements to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South. He said community elders wait at bus stops with no shade, and mothers must push baby strollers in the street due to insufficient sidewalks.
“These neighborhoods do not need pity, they need sidewalks,” Seymour said of multiple areas throughout South St. Petersburg. “They need crosswalks. They need street lights that work and curbs that meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards and bike lanes that connect to somewhere worth going.”
Max McCann said city officials should treat street safety “like the crisis it is,” and respond “boldly.” Justin Cournoyer said one street has two realities, as “MLK North has seen a dramatic reduction in crashes for all road users.”
Lama Alhasan, a member of the Bay Area Dream Defenders, said nonprofits need additional funding for youth programming to address gun violence. Stakeholders must go door-to-door and ensure families are aware of existing resources and help them overcome barriers to access, she added.
Increasing access to nutritious food in South St. Petersburg was another community priority repeatedly highlighted at the meeting. Welch will present his recommended budget to the city council on July 15.
For more budget information, visit the website here.
City council members will discuss proposed capital improvement investments at a workshop on April 23. Image: City documents.
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