Editor's Note: OpGov.News is presenting the Pensacola City Council's 2027 Budget Review in three parts because the meeting is too extensive to cover in a single report. This is the second of the three-part series, with the first published August 12 and the second published August 13.
(PENSACOLA, F.L.) --- Pensacola Fire Department Chief Ginny Granor came before the elected officials with a $16.39 million budget proposal for 132 positions.
The 16.39 million is part of the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget. This year the budget is $332 million, a $1.2 million decrease from the previous year, with a $504,000 reduction in the General Fund.
After breaking down the department's different divisions on August 11, Granor noted, “We have 24 -hour shifts” for firefighters citywide. The fire chief explained firefighters are also located at the aircraft rescue and firefighting facility at the Pensacola International Airport, with seven of the positions funded by the airport.
“Our major accomplishments during fiscal year 26 include continued cancer mitigation work by ensuring that every line firefighter has two sets of PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) turnout gear, and each set of that gear is $7,500,” Canor said. “It's quite an investment being made for the safety of our firefighters.”
Further community risk reduction was also accomplished in 2026, according to the fire chief.
(Photo: Pensacola Fire Chief Ginny Canor at the August 11 budget review meeting)
“We've continued success with our smoke alarm installation program, installing 169 smoke alarms so far,” Canor said, adding the department received a grant from the Florida Department of Health for car seats. “Another big part of community risk reduction for us is making sure that every child is in a car seat and that it's installed correctly.”
Council President Allison Patton expressed concerns about emergency response times.
“I have definite concerns about our ability in the city to get paramedic response to emergencies given that there is a distance for ambulances to have to travel to get to some of the locations within the city,” Patton said.
Patton asked, from a budget standpoint, what it would take to ensure the most timely response.
A paramedic on a fire truck is one way to see more emergency services on the road, according to the fire chief.
“We do feel like in our planning that we are a little delayed with some concerns with budget constraints,” Canor said. “We see that all over the state in the fire service that every fire department is concerned about what may happen with budgets.”
The Pensacola Port Director Lance Scott laid out one of the least expensive budgets at $3,271,000. Scott did not mention Governor Ron DeSantis' recent announcement to invest $9 million in the local port for two new shipbuilding facilities.
The biggest 2026 accomplishment was the American Magic Warehouse completed in January, according to the port director.
(Photo: Pensacola Port Director Lance Scott tells officials American Magic Warehouse completed in 2026)
“We're now into phase two of the High Performance Maritime Center of Excellence, dock complex,” Scott said, adding the project is split into three phases. “We've actually got concrete poured, and then we'll work towards the water infrastructure next.”
Scott also discussed the partnership with American Cruise Lines and more stops coming to the port in the next couple of years. Along with Scott, up to 12 directors presented budget requests on August 11.
Mayor D.C. Reeves and City Administrator David Stafford ended the six-and-a-half-hour-long meeting, with Reeves thanking officials for “taking this as serious as it needs to be, especially in this time.”
Stafford did the same for staff, saying “thanks to all the directors who spent a tremendous amount of time and resources to get their budgets together.”
“Thanks to you all for the good questions, both in advance and today and throughout,” Stafford said, adding he welcomes more questions. “We're going to do our best to get you that information in a timely way.”
Stafford noted the two public hearings in September before handing off to Reeves, who noted the budget is "a big book to go through" but essential "to do that work on behalf of the taxpayers and make sure it makes sense in an ever-changing time."
“Unfortunately, our budgets could be affected in the future," Reeves said,
(Photo: Mayor D.C. Reeves wraps up day-long budget review meeting with elected officials on August 11)
Reeves reminded officials, “Crime doesn't stop, and garbage pickup doesn't stop, and grass doesn't stop growing during the budget process."
“I would like to underscore just my appreciation for our finance team and for the department directors,” Reeves said. “Just a huge thank you to take on your day -to -day tasks and this very important process of budgeting.”
OpGov.News platform picked up Key Takeaways noting other department 2026 accomplishments, including Pensacola Energy securing an $83,000 grant and modernizing its billing system, contributing to a projected $4-5 million in reserves by the end of next year.
Additionally, the millage rate remains constant, with property tax increases linked to property valuation changes (3% for homesteaded, 10% for non-homesteaded).
The full budget figure slide is available here. Two public meetings on the budget will take place on September 9 and 16 at Pensacola City Hall.
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