OMB warns SAFER grant expires in 2026; assembly members raise staffing concerns at work session
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Summary
OMB staff told the assembly that a federal SAFER grant supporting firefighters will expire in 2026; staff estimated roughly $3 million will need to be backfilled to retain the funded positions, and several assembly members said public safety and staffing will be a budget priority.
Office of Management and Budget staff told assembly members the municipality expects a federal SAFER grant that currently supports some firefighter positions to end in 2026, creating a budget gap that would require local backfill to maintain those roles.
At the meeting OMB staff said the SAFER grant “expires in 2026,” and that the municipality has relied on that revenue for the past three years. The director said, “With the loss of the SAFER grant, that's about $3,000,000 that we have to backfill in order to maintain those positions.”
Several assembly members flagged the issue during the priorities discussion. One member said the SAFER funding currently pays for six firefighters in the Anchorage Fire Department and urged the assembly to keep public safety a priority in next year’s budget. Assembly Member Felix Rivera (speaking as a member in the transcript) summarized the concern: the end of grant funding creates a near‑term budget pressure and a staffing risk that the municipality will need to address.
OMB staff said they anticipate some state reimbursement increases tied to certain behavioral health programs and that changes in federal reimbursement rates could affect projections; staff advised members the SAFER expiration is one of several known 2026 funding challenges members should consider as they set priorities.
No formal decision was made at the session; members asked staff to include the SAFER expiration in FY26 planning materials.