Saratoga Springs is confronting a serious budget shortfall that could force the city to cut eight firefighter jobs and raise property taxes by roughly 18 percent. The finance commissioner, JoAnne Kiernan, told local reporters the city is already operating under a hiring freeze and has eliminated several unfilled positions in an effort to balance the books.
Tax increase and hiring freeze
Kiernan explained that homeowners will likely be asked to shoulder a larger share of the fiscal burden. “City property taxes are on track to be raised by 18 percent,” she said, noting that the proposed increase is intended to offset the deficit without compromising essential services.
The city’s hiring freeze, which began earlier this year, has already halted the filling of vacant roles. As a result, the budget office has been forced to look at deeper cuts, including the potential elimination of eight firefighter positions.
Firefighter staffing changes
Currently, each fire engine in Saratoga Springs is staffed by four firefighters. If the proposed cuts go forward, the city would reduce crews to three firefighters per engine. Public safety commissioner Tim Coll emphasized that this change would not affect emergency response times. “If we do remove those folks and move it from a four to three man engine or trucks, right, so that will not affect response times,” Coll said.
Coll’s confidence rests on the city’s existing resources and the ability to redeploy personnel as needed. He added that the department has contingency plans to maintain service levels despite a smaller workforce.
Loss of COVID‑era grant
Compounding the budget pressure is the impending expiration of a federal grant that was awarded during the COVID‑19 pandemic to help fund firefighter salaries. When asked about efforts to replace the grant, Kiernan admitted that no substantive discussion has taken place. “Not that I found or can see,” she replied. “I came in City Hall two years ago as deputy mayor, and since I’ve been in City Hall, there has not been a substantial conversation.”
Political context and accountability
Kiernan placed part of the blame on what she described as “irresponsible promises” from elected officials who pledged not to raise taxes. “Lots of politicians say, ‘I’m not going to raise taxes,’ which is what happened here,” she said. “I don’t know how you responsibly cannot raise taxes when everything is going up.”
The budget dilemma mirrors challenges faced by other Capital Region municipalities, including Albany and Schenectady, which are also grappling with fiscal deficits and exploring tax increases or service reductions.
What residents can expect
City leaders say they will continue to monitor the situation closely and explore all options before any final decisions are made. Homeowners can expect to see proposed tax rate changes on the upcoming budget hearing agenda, where community members will have the opportunity to voice concerns.
For now, the city urges residents to stay informed about the budget process and to participate in public meetings where the trade‑offs between tax rates and public‑safety staffing will be debated.
Original reporting: CBS 6 WRGB Albany (local) — read the source article.
