At the same time, St. Paul is bracing for a particularly difficult budget, with a projected $26 million gap going into 2027. Five of the seven city council members have not yet spoken publicly about the investigation, but two have wondered if the matter has affected city business. St. Paul council members listen as St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her delivers her State of the City speech at the International Institute of Minnesota in St. Paul on March 29. Her promised competence and a willingness to dig into the entrenched problems holding St. Paul. A handful of the most prominent buildings have sold, including the St. Paul Hotel and the First National Bank Building, and an Aldi grocery store has replaced the Lunds that closed in 2025.