City of San Antonio’s Budget Planning Hindered by Unresolved Fire Contract Negotiations

Facing a Multi-Million Dollar Question Mark

The City of San Antonio will commence its budget planning next week confronted with a critical uncertainty – its second-largest contract still unresolved. With a looming budget deficit forecasted across the next two years, the city now faces potential constraints in its expenditures on various essential programs, such as parks, human services, and libraries.

Tuesday marked the eleventh time the city and the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association (SAPFFA) met since negotiations begun in March this year. Despite progress on some issues, a gaping distance remains between the two parties over the firefighter pay, a top priority for both.

Scheduled Budget Presentation and Vote

City staff will present the proposed FY 2025 budget to the city council on Aug. 15, with a final version expected to be passed on Sep. 19 before its effect from Oct. 1. However, the next scheduled meeting between the city and SAPFFA negotiating teams won’t happen until Aug. 23.

Previous Contract Negotiations

The arduous negotiation process contrasts with the protracted and fractious discussions that characterized the development of the current contract. A disagreement ensued in court, at the ballot box, and at the negotiation table between the city and fire union for over five years after the expiry of the union’s previous contract in September 2014.

Upcoming Budget Challenges

The San Antonio Fire Department currently has a budget of $374 million, a figure that will inevitably increase. The crucial question is – by how much? This pressing issue emerges in the wake of city staff warning about a $10.6 million budget deficit anticipated across the next two years based on previous city contract proposals.

The new collective bargaining agreement will secure certain costs for the fire department’s budget, particularly firefighter pay. The unfinished contract negotiations mean a final figure can’t be nailed down, leading to less clarity over how much money is left for other departments under the city’s general fund.

External Pressure and Issues

Whether the imminent budget process puts additional pressure on the city to finalize a deal is uncertain. Previous SAPFFA leadership led a 2018 campaign to alter the city charter, including limiting the city manager’s term to eight years and their pay to ten times the lowest-paid city employee. The city council is likely to place a measure undoing those restrictions on the November ballot, but it remains unclear whether the union will intervene.

The main hurdle to secure a new contract remains firefighter pay. The union recently submitted a new proposal thought to represent “significant movement” on their part. However, it still poses a considerable divergence from what the city team is willing to offer.