State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) is fiercely opposing staffing and equipment cuts in the City of Aurora’s proposed 2026 budget, warning that the changes would undermine the community’s emergency response system and threaten public safety.
The budget plan calls for eliminating 18 firefighter positions, three Battalion Chiefs, one Training Officer, and removing two frontline fire engines from service. DeWitte said those reductions would inevitably weaken Aurora’s ability to respond quickly and safely to emergencies.
“As the former Mayor of St. Charles from 2005-2013, I know that public safety is the most essential duty of local government,” said DeWitte. “Removing firefighters and sidelining key apparatus jeopardizes that mission. Aurora’s firefighters deserve the resources necessary to keep the community safe, not a budget that limits their ability to do their jobs.”
DeWitte expressed strong support for Aurora Firefighters Local 99, noting that their firsthand concerns about staffing shortages deserve serious attention.
“Aurora’s Local 99 firefighters are the ones answering the calls, running into burning buildings, and responding to medical emergencies,” DeWitte said. “When they warn that these cuts will strain the department and compromise safety, leaders must listen. I stand with them in urging the city to reject the current plan and revise the budget to make public safety a true priority.”
Local 99 has cautioned that the proposed reductions could lead to unintended and costly consequences, including increased forced overtime, injury risk, workers’ compensation claims, and preventable operational failures. DeWitte said these concerns mirror what he has seen in municipal operations.
“A budget that cuts essential services today only to create higher expenses and greater vulnerability tomorrow is not sound fiscal management,” DeWitte said. “Public safety should never be compromised for the sake of short-term savings.”
Drawing on his eight years as Mayor of St. Charles, DeWitte emphasized that emergency readiness depends on maintaining adequate personnel levels and fully functioning equipment.
“In crises, whether a structure fire, vehicle accident, or medical emergency, there is no margin for delay,” DeWitte said. “Reducing staff and equipment slows response times and increases risk for both residents and first responders. That is not a theoretical concern. It is the reality of emergency operations. Communities rely on their firefighters at life-or-death moments, and weakening their resources is the wrong direction for Aurora or any Illinois city.”