BETHLEHEM, Pa. — City Council on Tuesday passed a nearly $113 million spending plan for 2026 that comes with no increase in property taxes.
The vote was 5-2, with Councilwoman Grace Crampsie Smith and Councilman Bryan Callahan opposing.
The new year’s budget also includes hefty payments toward city debt, no capital borrowing for the next four years, and some police fleet and fire apparatus replacements.
It also makes room to send 15 cadets to the fire academy for training.
Crampsie Smith and Callahan have pushed for hiring more firefighters, at least four as a start, as Bethlehem Fire Department officials have sounded the alarm on an increase in calls and overtime and more than 30 personnel eligible for retirement among the ranks.
A recent study from International Association of Fire Fighters Local 735, BFD’s collective bargaining unit representing more than 100 personnel, shows the city needing 31 firefighters at any given time across its four stations to meet national response benchmarks.
Currently, BFD operates with 18 each shift.
And data shows that over the past 15 years, the department has lost 10 positions and a firehouse.
Potential 1st step
The city administration plans to complete a comprehensive Fire and EMS apparatus protection and efficiency study next year to avoid “an empty promise” to first responders, Mayor J. William Reynolds said.
Local 735 recently expressed its interest in collaborating with the city on the study moving forward.
“It is a reasonable, immediate step that enhances coverage, improves safety and better serves the residents of Bethlehem."Fire Lt. Lou Jimenez, also the president of Bethlehem Firefighters Local 735, on staffing an officer at the Northwest Fire Station on Catasauqua Road
However, Fire Lt. Lou Jimenez, also the president of Local 735, said there’s at least one way beyond the new hires that the city could improve the situation right now.
That would be staffing the Northwest Fire Station at 1665 Catasauqua Road, “one of the busiest apparatus in the city,” with its own dedicated company officer, even if overtime is required.
“It is a reasonable, immediate step that enhances coverage, improves safety and better serves the residents of Bethlehem,” Jimenez said.
Fire Chief Matthew Griffin said he recalled that station has probably operated without a dedicated officer for at least 20 years.
Amid lengthy training requirements and retirements, the department has hired 32 personnel over the past three years, Griffin said.
The department swore in three firefighters on Nov. 13. At least seven more are expected to head for training come January.
'I just hope and pray ... '
Callahan said a figure from the city administration showed the average household paying $11.42 in additional tax to raise more than $350,000 to bring on the four new firefighters.
“I just hope and pray that we don’t have an emergency this year in the fire department — which we came very, very close to a week and a half or two weeks ago — over $12,” Callahan said.
“So I will be voting no on all these items concerning our budget; I can’t, in good conscience, vote to support.”
“When there is appropriate time to communicate a tax increase to our community and get feedback on that, I will support a tax increase to fund emergency services as appropriate."Bethlehem City Councilwoman Colleen Laird
He also asked that budget discussions for 2027 start a week earlier at a minimum to avoid any last-minute amendments or issues with required public advertising requirements.
The council majority supported the city’s upcoming department study.
“I encourage you to follow through with that, and I’ll look forward to hearing the report,” Council President Michael Colón said.
“Then we could have conversations, whether it’s during the next budget year or budget season next year, about what a plan looks like as it relates to the fire department.”
Councilwoman Colleen Laird said she looked forward to putting together a plan alongside the city and fire administration that’s data-driven and “hopefully” has the full council’s support.
“When there is appropriate time to communicate a tax increase to our community and get feedback on that, I will support a tax increase to fund emergency services as appropriate,” Laird said.
1st meeting of 2026 on Jan. 5
Tuesday also marked the last council meeting of the year.
Crampsie Smith, who lost in the mayoral primary to incumbent J. William Reynolds, and Councilwoman Kiera Wilhelm, who did not seek reelection, both have terms that are up at the end of year.
Newcomers Justin Amann and Jo Daniels will join the panel.
Incumbents Hillary Kwiatek and Council Vice President Rachel Leon each are set to take on another four-year term.
Kwiatek and Leon will be in for a raise at the start of their incoming term, according to a council vote back in March.
Amann and Daniels also would see the increased salary, while the other three council members with terms ending in 2028 (Callahan, Colón and Laird) would have to be re-elected to get the new pay.
Wilhelm proposed the salary increases, which include upping the next council president’s salary from $7,600 to $11,400 a year and council members’ annual pay from $7,100 to $10,650.
City Council will swear in the new replacements at its first meeting of the new year, 7 p.m. Jan. 5.
The panel will once again be made up of all Democrats.
