San Antonio Budget Work Session: Fire, Police, and Municipal Court Budgets for FY 2027 - September 10, 2026

The San Antonio City Council held a budget work session on September 10, 2026, at 3:45 PM, to review the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budgets for the Fire Department, Police Department, and Municipal Court. Presentations focused on expenditure reductions, fee adjustments, new positions, and operational efficiencies. No votes were taken; council members will consider amendments the following week.

Fire Department Presentation

• Proposed Budget: $469 million, primarily from the general fund, with approximately three-quarters directed to fire suppression and emergency medical services.
• Incident Volume: Medical calls constitute the majority of the workload. Response time goal is 8 minutes or less; performance remains stable despite rising call volumes.
• Fee Adjustments: Emergency transport fee proposed to increase from $17 to $170, projected to generate over $3.1 million in additional revenue. Fire prevention fee changes (some unchanged since 2004) projected to bring under $2 million annually.
• Reductions & Investments: Approximately $3.7 million in reductions, mostly from overtime, redirected to fund new positions. $1.6 million allocated for uniforms and new hires, including a fire inspector dedicated to school inspections and recruitment efforts. Nine new positions total (training, public communications, and school inspector).
• Capital Projects: Stations 52, 53, 21, 33, and 10 are under construction; Stations 52 and 53 are being replaced with permanent facilities. Timeline: completion expected in fiscal year 2027.
• Council Questions: Concerns about overtime reduction not affecting operational capacity; response time improvements; cost difference between firefighter and police officer (firefighter positions cost less due to equipment and vehicle needs). Council Member White expressed support for adding police officers but also noted the fire department’s efficiency.

Police Department Presentation

• Proposed Budget: $752.2 million, with increases driven by costs, not new programs.
• Crime Statistics: Slight increase in crimes against persons and society overall, but a 5.9% decrease in crime from 2022 to 2025. Domestic violence cases remain flat, but more individuals are accepting assistance. Homicides also declining.
• Response Time: Emergency response time target of 5.20 minutes; current performance consistent with that goal. Council Member White argued that more officers on patrol reduce response times.
• Fee Adjustments: Proposed $4.9 million in additional revenue from towing, alarm, and other fees, to recover costs and reduce general fund reliance.
• Reductions: $5.3 million in reductions, primarily overtime, achieved by redirecting resources and improving efficiency. 49 new positions: 27 officers for the new airport terminal and 22 for park police.
• Technology: Drone program expansion from 10 to 20 hours per day, seven days a week, expected to save $150,000 to $500,000 annually by reducing helicopter use. Drones provide rapid aerial support. Council Members Castillo and Munguía requested further details on privacy protections and mapping of emergency calls.
• Council Positions: Council Member White strongly advocated for adding 10 police officers per district, citing identified savings of approximately $1.9 million from budget reductions (e.g., notification system, vacant positions). He stated that visible patrol deters crime and asked colleagues to prioritize public safety. Council Member Maki Rodriguez suggested flexibility in the budget for police and coordination with the county for magistrates. Council Member Core praised the municipal court team.

Municipal Court Presentation

• Proposed Budget: $17.6 million, a small increase from FY 2026 due to $627,000 in contracted services and $286,000 in cost-of-living adjustments.
• Reductions: $445,000 in general fund reductions, including elimination of three positions (two vacant warrant officer positions and one magistrate position), and cuts to education and travel. Online service fee unchanged at $5.15 per transaction (71% of payments were online in FY 2026).
• Case Processing: The court handles a high volume of Class C misdemeanors, with procedures to ensure ability-to-pay determinations and alternatives to incarceration.
• Youth and School Programs: The court operates juvenile diversion and truancy prevention programs. In FY 2026, 179 cases were successfully closed (88% success rate). The court serves students across districts, with variation by district (Districts 9 and 10 have lower usage). Council Members Munguía and Mesa González requested data on overlap between court youth participants and other city-funded agencies.
• Magistrate Services: Magistrates are available 24/7 for probable cause determinations, arrest warrant reviews, and other due process functions. Demand increased, especially after a recent storm caused power outages, leading to a surge in arrests and processing. Coordination with the county is needed to manage workload.
• Council Questions: Council Member Mesa González clarified that 179 successful diversions represent cases closed without further proceedings; unsuccessful cases are sent back to the prosecutor. Council Member Spears noted collaboration between police, court, and Metro Health on domestic violence and family services.

Key Outcomes

• No votes taken; council will consider amendments next week.
• Council Member White’s proposal to add 10 police officers per district (total of 100) was discussed, with funding identified from budget savings (~$1.9 million from notification system, vacant positions, and other reductions). He urged colleagues to prioritize this.
• The Fire Department’s fee increases and reduction plans will be further evaluated. Council requested a map of emergency call locations to guide resource allocation.
• The Police Department’s drone expansion plan is expected to proceed; council members sought additional information on privacy safeguards and cost savings.
• The Municipal Court will provide data on youth program participants’ overlap with other city-funded agencies and explore better coordination with the county for magistrate services.
• Council commended the departments for their transparency and efficiency efforts.