Los Angeles firefighters say years of underfunding have pushed their department into crisis, forcing them to appeal directly to voters for money to cover what they describe as basic public safety needs—even as the city spends about $1 billion a year on homelessness programs, according to the NY Post.
This week, firefighters launched petition drives to place a half-cent sales tax increase on the November 2026 ballot. The measure would fund additional firefighters, new engines, and repairs to aging fire stations, which supporters describe as a last resort after repeated warnings to City Hall went unanswered.
“Due to decades of underinvestment, our fire department currently operates with the same number of firefighters as in the 1960s, six fewer stations, and five times the call load,” said Rich Ramirez, an LAFD paramedic. “The LAFD is half the size needed to keep LA safe, so your LAFD firefighters and paramedics are appealing directly to voters to provide funding for more personnel, equipment, and stations so that we can arrive on time to save lives and property when seconds can make the difference between life and death.”
The NY Post writes that call volume has soared. In 1960, LAFD responded to about 101,000 calls a year. Today, firefighters handle more than 514,000 calls annually, with staffing levels largely unchanged. Average response times now near eight minutes, almost double national standards, and the city has fewer than one firefighter per 1,000 residents.
City Councilmember Traci Park said the department’s condition reflects years of neglect. “We have million-dollar fire engines out of service with weeds growing around their tires,” she said. “I’ve been blowing the whistle on the lack of staffing, funding and resources at the fire department since I took office.”
Firefighters say homelessness has driven a significant share of the surge. Between 2018 and 2024, incidents tied to people experiencing homelessness made up roughly one-third of all LAFD fire calls, while trash fires jumped nearly 475% over the past decade.
Despite the increased demand, LAFD operates on about $923 million to protect nearly 3.9 million residents—about $238 per person—compared with more than $22,000 spent annually per unhoused individual.
If approved, the half-cent sales tax would raise an estimated $324 million in its first year. The funds would be restricted to core fire services, overseen by audits and a civilian commission, and supporters must gather 154,000 signatures within 180 days to qualify the measure for the ballot.