(The Center Square) – The City of Tacoma passed its 2025-2026 budget with additional funding to the fire department in order to help with overtime use.
The $4.7 billion budget cuts a $24 million structural deficit down to roughly $15 million, according to Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards.
Despite a lingering budget gap, the city council approved an amendment that adds $2.5 million to the Tacoma Fire Department [TFD]. However, Tacoma City Councilmember Joe Bushnell notes that the additional funding comes from cash reserves and does not add to the structural deficit.
The $2.5 million will be used by the fire chief to maintain staffing and allow for flexibility to prevent “brown outs,” in which fire stations close, leading to slower response times and greater stress on firefighters.
The additional funding comes after a flood of public support for the fire department’s proposed 2025-2026 budget eliminates 16 rover positions in order to save $4.2 million needed to meet the city’s budget reduction target.
The Rover Program includes firefighters who fill in for firefighters on leave or are sick. The $4.2 million stemmed from the city’s EMS fund in order to add additional staff. This was done in response to the fire department seeing firefighters work overtime more frequently due to a lack of staffing.
The Tacoma Fire Local 31 union celebrated the additional funding, but said there are still lingering issues.
“While this is a victory, our work is far from over,” the union stated in a social media post. “We remain committed to collaborating with city council to establish a sustainable long-term plan that strengthens our department and ensures the continued wellbeing of the citizens we are honored to serve.”
Woodards described the newly adopted budget as challenging and warned that future budgets will continue to include difficult decisions unless there is an influx of cash.
“Unless we have a new printing press downstairs that prints money, this is the new reality and we’re going to have to continue to look at ways to continue to make cuts,” Woodards said in the Tuesday meeting.