St. Pete moves closer to $1.1B budget amid debate over firefighter gear, cadet cuts

Budget battle over bunker gear

The City of St. Petersburg is getting closer to approving its $1.1 billion budget, but not without some concerns from residents and council members over youth programming, utility rates and firefighter bunker gear. Genevieve Curtis reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The City of St. Petersburg is nearing approval of its $1.1 billion budget, but not without push back from residents and some council members over youth programming, utility rates, safer-street initiatives and a pointed debate about equipment and staffing in the fire department.

What we know:

City leaders describe this as a difficult budget cycle with competing priorities and limited flexibility. One council member argued those trade-offs should not fall on first responders.

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"I am asking the city to make the fire department whole," St. Pete Council Member Gina Driscoll said, explaining her vote against the proposed budget.

Big picture view:

The issue at hand is whether to contribute new dollars this year to the fire department’s bunker-gear replacement fund. Bunker gear has a 10-year service life, and because each firefighter has two sets, the department typically replaces sets at least every five years to stay within safety standards.

Driscoll criticized the proposed pause in this year’s $325,000 contribution.

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"I know that the administration has given us some creative math to justify these cuts, but the only acceptable math when it comes to the fire department is addition," Driscoll said.

However, Richard Pauley, the president of St. Petersburg Association of Firefighters, IAFF Local 747, told FOX 13 there is currently enough money in the replacement fund. He shared a letter he sent to council stating that skipping the $325,000 contribution this year will not impact the department, as the gear is not due to be replaced for a few years.

The city could make up its contribution in following years.

Dig deeper:

The department is also losing six positions – five cadets and a public information officer – moves supported by department leadership, according to city discussion.

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St. Pete Fire Chief James Watts said the department’s focus has shifted. 

"The focus now is hiring firefighters with experience. In the cadet program, they have no experience, we pay for them to get certified," explained Watts.

Driscoll’s motion to add the bunker-gear contribution and the six positions back into the budget failed on Thursday. Several council members said they relied on the union and the chief’s stance that the department can safely operate under the current plan.

St. Pete Council Member Brandi Gabbard said she is deferring to department leadership: "I am going to trust that the leaders of the fire department know what they need and that they budget appropriately."

"I want everyone to know the fire department has what they need to keep them safe and to keep us safe," she added. 

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Local perspective:

Beyond fire-department spending, residents weighed in on:

• Safer streets and traffic-calming priorities
• Youth programming funding
• Utility rates and household affordability

What's next:

A second public hearing on the budget is scheduled for September 25 at 6 p.m. Residents can provide feedback before a final vote.