Pasco faces $14M budget gap, considering fire station closures and tax hikes

Pasco staff is addressing a $14 million gap in the city’s 2027-28 budget by presenting several scenarios to the city council. Initial proposals included cutting 14 to 15 firefighters and closing a station. One scenario reduces recreation department staff but still closes a fire station, while another proposes raising taxes for citizens to cover some of the original cuts.

The proposed cuts could place a greater burden on remaining stations and impact ambulance services as teams are shifted out of central neighborhoods. The city would still need to rely on low reserves to implement these changes, regardless of the scenario chosen.