The union representing firefighters in Aurora, Illinois, is blasting the mayor's proposed budget for 2026.

The proposal authorizes the department to have 250 full-time employees. That's 21 fewer than 2025. It also suggests taking two of the city's four ladder trucks out of service.

In a statement on Monday, Mayor John Laesch defended his decision, saying that police and fire had the smallest reductions of any city department, and the cuts would not impact response times.

The head of the union responded with a statement, reading in part, "There is no scenario where fewer firefighters, less training support, fewer officers, and fewer trucks on the street equates to the same level of safety, readiness or service. To claim otherwise is irresponsible."