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Houston Fire Department proposes $31.5 million cut for FY26, plans hires to reduce overtime
Summary
Fire Chief Tom Munoz told City Council the Houston Fire Department's FY26 proposed budget trims roughly $31.5 million from FY25 levels, relies on new hires to cut overtime, and faces up to a $13.3 million revenue risk if a state fee bill is not continued.
Houston Fire Chief Tom Munoz told the City Council that the Houston Fire Department's (HFD) proposed fiscal year 2026 budget reduces overall spending by about $31,500,000, or 5 percent, from the current year while aiming to increase classified hires to reduce costly overtime.
The proposal, presented during a council meeting, ties most HFD spending to public safety priorities. "The majority of our budget is — 87% — is dedicated to public safety," Munoz said, and the department plans to use increases in classified headcount to lower overtime costs that drove large overruns in the current year.
The staffing plan includes a near-term hiring ramp: Munoz reported the department expects a net increase of about 75 classified personnel in FY25 and an estimated net increase of 200 classified personnel in FY26. He said cadet-class attrition has improved — from about 45% in FY24 to an expected 34% this year and an anticipated 12% attrition rate for classes graduating in FY26 — and that…
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