Aurora firefighters protest proposed budget cuts
The union representing Aurora’s firefighters is speaking out against Mayor John Laesch’s proposed 2026 budget, saying he and the fire chief are not being truthful when they say having fewer workers won’t hurt public safety.
“It is misleading and factually inaccurate to suggest that eliminating 18 firefighters, three battalion chiefs, one training officer and two fire trucks, regardless of the method, will not affect emergency response, readiness or service delivery,” wrote union President Ron Deubel, in a statement Local 99 of the International Association of Firefighters posted on its website and Facebook page Wednesday morning.
“To claim otherwise is irresponsible.”
The statement is a response to a joint statement released Monday by Laesch, Fire Chief David McCabe and Police Chief Matt Thomas, in response to criticism that public safety would suffer under the proposed budget.
The IAFF statement says the cuts won’t save money because they will likely result in higher spending on overtime pay. It believes reduced staffing will also lead to more injuries, thus increasing workers’ compensation claims and paid leaves for injuries.
“We demand transparency, accountability and staffing decisions that prioritize public safety over short-term budgeting optics,” the IAFF statement said.
Monday’s statement from the mayor and the chiefs said police and fire absorbed the smallest reductions of any city department. Other departments saw reductions of 10% to 20%, it said.
The budget proposes mothballing two of the city’s four ladder trucks. It would also eliminate the cadet programs for the police and fire departments, and reduce the number of authorized police officer positions by 11.
In 2025, the fire department was authorized to have the full-time equivalent of 271 employees. The 2026 budget proposes 250 full-time equivalents.
It said the proposed 2026 budget for the fire department is $1.5 million higher than the 2025 budget, and $7.1 million higher for the police department.
“Our residents will not see a reduction in the services they depend on. Response times, emergency services, and fire protection remain fully secured. Correcting our financial course is difficult, but we are doing it in a responsible manner that does not compromise safety,” Laesch said in the statement.
“We were deliberate in protecting our emergency response capabilities and maintaining the operational readiness our residents rely on every day,” McCabe said in the joint statement. “I’m continuously inspired by the dedication of the men and women of this Department, and our community should feel confident that fire protection and emergency response remain our highest priorities.”
Thomas said that the police department “is not being gutted.”
The 2026 budget takes effect Jan. 1. The city council is scheduled to vote on it Dec. 9.
The city offered incentives this fall to get people to quit, as a way to save money on staffing. Overall, 40 employees took the buyouts. Of those, 12 were members of the firefighters union, and one was a unionized police worker.
The firefighters’ union contract expires Dec. 31.