St. Louis County Executive Sam Page is back in front of the County Council asking for $1.7 million from the county’s legacy fund, this time pitching it as a make-or-break moment in the fight against gun violence in North County and other hard-hit neighborhoods. He is asking for a one-year burst of cash to grow street outreach, cognitive-behavioral therapy and case management under the regional Save Lives Now! effort. Since his initial request about a year ago, roughly 48 people have been killed and about 60 others have survived nonfatal shootings, Page told councilmembers.
Page's Request And The County's Pitch
Page has branded the $1.7 million push as a "critical turning point in the fight against gun violence," according to KMOV. The county echoed that urgency in an official Facebook reel that notes this is the fourth time Page has taken some version of this proposal to the council. The post highlights cities such as Oakland and Baltimore, where local leaders say similar outreach and therapy models produced sharp drops in shootings. Page’s written note to councilmembers, the reel adds, stresses that the requested money would "not duplicate existing services" but instead expand proactive street outreach and related supports.
How Save Lives Now! Is Supposed To Work
Save Lives Now! is a regional crime-reduction strategy coordinated through the East-West Gateway Council of Governments that mixes focused deterrence, cognitive-behavioral therapy and intensive street outreach in an effort to cut homicides and nonfatal shootings by about 20% over three years, according to Spectrum News. Researchers at the University of Missouri–St. Louis are helping evaluate the pilot and track whether the interventions are actually reaching the people most at risk, UMSL reports. Program leaders estimate first-year operations at roughly $2 million, with resources concentrated on a relatively small group of high-risk individuals who would work directly with trusted outreach workers.
Budget Fights And Earlier Council Pushback
The County Council has repeatedly resisted Page’s Save Lives Now funding requests as it juggles broader budget strains. In December 2025, councilmembers stripped out the $1.7 million that Page had sought for the initiative as part of roughly $48 million in cuts to the executive’s proposed budget, according to St. Louis Magazine. That decision came while officials were trying to plug an $81 million shortfall that ultimately led to using $15 million from Rams settlement dollars to close other gaps. Supporters of Save Lives Now argue that the upfront cash would fund outreach that can head off retaliation and long-term harm, while skeptics question whether a one-time infusion from the legacy fund is the right tool.
What To Watch At Tonight's Council Meeting
Tonight’s council meeting is open to the public in person and virtually, and Page is expected to again press members to sign off on the legacy-fund release, KMOV reports. Councilmembers are likely to spar over how tightly the money should be overseen and whether it should be routed through regional partners. If they approve the request, the funds would help expand outreach operations and staffing in targeted neighborhoods. Residents who want to weigh in can show up at the meeting or follow along online, where advocates and officials say public pressure could influence the final vote.
