Austin Considers Firefighter Staffing Cuts to Cut Overtime Costs

As the City of Austin, Texas faces a projected $33 million revenue shortfall in the FY 2025–26 budget, city leaders are considering a controversial adjustment: reducing staffing on certain fire apparatus from four firefighters to three. The aim is to save roughly $8.3 million by lowering overtime expenses while still keeping all fire stations operational. The proposal must still be approved by the City Council. Here is more on this story from KXAN and KVUE News.