Austin’s municipal employees accrued a staggering $143 million in overtime pay last year, according to payroll data released by the city. This figure reflects a significant reliance on overtime work, particularly among the police, fire, and emergency medical services, as the city continued to grapple with staffing shortages and budgetary constraints.
The surge in overtime spending has become a point of focus, especially in the wake of Proposition Q’s defeat, which aimed to increase funding for various city services. As Austin prepares to request voter approval for new bond funding, the scrutiny on overtime expenditures is expected to intensify.
Emergency Services Lead Overtime Costs
Overtime costs are predominantly driven by five key departments, with police leading the way. In 2025, police officers accounted for over 580,000 of the total 1.7 million overtime hours worked, translating to nearly $53 million in overtime payouts. Comparatively, Austin’s firefighters received $22.6 million in overtime compensation.
Among the police force, 78 officers earned six-figure sums in overtime, with the average top earner receiving $133,778 after logging more than 1,300 additional hours. Notably, eight of the ten highest overtime earners were police officers, while the top two were supervisors from Austin Energy. Collectively, these ten individuals nearly doubled their base salaries, receiving over $2 million in overtime payments last year.
In total, the city allocated $95 million for overtime across fire, police, and emergency medical services in 2025. This issue was contentious during the last budget discussions, as city leaders urged these departments to reduce overtime spending ahead of the Proposition Q vote, which ultimately failed. The proposal would have funded increased overtime expenses along with initiatives to tackle homelessness and enhance park services.
Budget Adjustments and Future Considerations
Following the rejection of Proposition Q, the Austin City Council implemented $95 million in budget cuts but managed to reserve $3 million specifically for Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services overtime. The city has maintained a consistent level of overtime hours for police over the past five years, primarily due to a persistent staffing shortage within the Austin Police Department (APD). A recent five-year, $218 million labor agreement with officers provided across-the-board raises but also allows for adjustments based on the implications of Proposition Q’s failure.
Over the past few years, Austin has seen a steady increase in its general revenue budget, which funds all city services. Correspondingly, spending on overtime has escalated, rising from 7.6% of the budget in 2021 to nearly 10% last year, marking a 65% increase in overtime expenditures during that period. The budget for overtime alone saw a 15% increase from 2024 to 2025.
As the city prepares to potentially seek more property tax funding for city services, it remains uncertain whether city staff will advocate for cuts to the overtime budget this year. Council Member Ryan Alter had proposed a plan for monthly updates on overtime expenses last August but later retracted the measure. In a recent meeting, Austin Police reported that they had already utilized 27% of their overtime budget by November, consistent with prior years’ spending patterns.
