The union representing Kansas City, Kansas’ firefighters has again publicly expressed concerns over how impending budget decisions made by local officials could affect public safety in the year ahead.

As county commissioners prepare to set the 2027 budget, that union, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 64, is calling on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK to better allocate resources toward the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department and make smarter staffing decisions.

Staffing shortages within the department, which partially stem from officials’ previous decision to freeze property tax revenues for the 2025 budget year, have already resulted in four firefighter injuries, the union wrote in a Tuesday morning social media post.

“Local 64 isn’t asking for more money to be added to the Fire Department’s budget,” according to that statement. “We’re asking for the money already budgeted for public safety to be prioritized where our residents feel it most: when they call 911.”

Advocating for staffing increase

The union throughout the past few years has advocated for the government to increase staffing, telling local leaders that fire crews have, and continue to, fall short of minimum staffing and response time standards — even as residents continue to pay more toward the government in property taxes.

“Paying more has gotten you less— the staffing on our streets has not been the priority, and the resources our firefighters need to keep you safe are not being provided,” according to the union.

Residents who are paying more toward public services should see that investment when they call 911 during emergencies, it wrote.

Local 64’s lawsuit with the Unified Government

Local 64’s comments came about a week after a federal judge ruled against the union in a lawsuit with the Unified Government.

In that lawsuit, the union wanted to get the court to temporarily suspend rules keeping members from speaking directly with Wyandotte County officials about budget concerns related to the department.

The Unified Government said the union’s members were not allowed to speak with elected officials about staffing matters, claiming that it would violate state labor laws that bar them from lobbying officials on contract matters. Instead, the government maintained, only designated people can discuss and negotiate contract matters, it said.

The union ‘remains undeterred’

In a Monday morning news release, the union wrote that it “remains undeterred” by that judge’s ruling, arguing that public safety should be elected leader’s top budgetary priorities.

“Muzzling fire fighters will not make the problem go away; it will likely make it worse,” union president John “J.J.” Simma, said in the release. “The simple fact is that Kansas City needs more professionally trained and dedicated fire fighters.”

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