St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her delivers inaugural State of the City address

St. Paul Mayor Her State of the City Address [FULL]

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her delivered her inaugural 2026 State of the City address Monday morning. The speech covered her administration’s first 100 days and future plans for St. Paul.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her delivered her inaugural State of the City address Monday, highlighting her administration’s first 100 days while laying out priorities for the years ahead. 

During the address, Her said "the state of our city is strong," despite what she described as a challenging start to her term marked by economic strain and community trauma. 

Here's a look at some of the topics Mayor Her touched on during her speech.

Operation Metro Surge impact

Mayor Her said St. Paul businesses lost an estimated $129 million earlier this year due to federal immigration enforcement activity, with some reporting sales drops of up to 60%.

She said her administration has pushed for relief at both the state and federal levels while redirecting $1.4 million toward emergency rental assistance.

"Our response to the federal occupation is far from over," Her said. "We will have to work intentionally for years to overcome the pain the Trump administration inflicted on our city."

Public safety and crime

Mayor Her highlighted progress in public safety, crediting targeted programs and continued investment. 

The city's non-fatal shooting unit and Aspire program continue to help drive down gun violence, Mayor Her explained, adding that gunshot wound incidents were down by 32% and homicides decreased by 50%.

The city is working to fully staff its police department, which is currently at its highest staffing level since 2023, while reducing overtime costs, according to Her.

Economic development plans

The mayor focused on downtown revitalization and economic development, announcing that Aldi will open a downtown location to fill the grocery gap left when Lunds & Byerlys closed its Penfield store last summer. The mayor also detailed progress on a deal to renovate Roy Wilkins Auditorium, RiverCentre and Grand Casino Arena.

When it comes to potholes, Mayor Her highlighted new efforts to improve road repairs, including the use of recycled asphalt to patch streets during the winter months. Her said the city is exploring adding a public tracking system, so residents can follow plowing and pothole patching updates across the city. 

Looking ahead, Her emphasized infrastructure upgrades, housing development and efforts to make it easier to do business in the city, including streamlining permitting processes. 

"Whether you know we are behind it or not, we are here to do the work. I hear you, I see you, and I am fighting for you," Her said. "That means smart maintenance, strong partnerships, and modern systems that save money and time. It means standing up for our community when outside forces threaten our safety. And it means expanding opportunities so more people can live, work, and thrive here."