Houston overtime spending blows past budget, City Controller says

Houston City Controller warns of money being lost to overtime pay

According to Houston City Controller Chris Hollins, some city departments are expected to go over $50 million over budget for overtime pay.

HOUSTON - Houston is facing a growing budget strain as overtime spending across key departments continues to exceed expectations, according to a new analysis from City Controller Chris Hollins.

By the numbers:

The report, which was presented to the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, and was discussed during Wednesday's Houston City Council meeting, shows that General Fund overtime costs reached $134.4 million in FY2025—$71.4 million over the adopted budget. Police and fire departments were responsible for more than 95% of that overage, underscoring what the controller’s office describes as a structural problem rather than a temporary spike.

FULL VIDEO: Houston city council discusses overtime budget issues

Houston is facing a growing budget strain as overtime spending across key departments continues to exceed expectations, according to a new analysis from City Controller Chris Hollins.

Early FY2026 data suggests the trend is continuing, according to the report. Overtime spending in Solid Waste, Police, and Fire has exceeded budgeted levels every month so far, with combined costs now projected to surpass the FY2026 budget by $54.2 million. Fire overtime alone is expected to run $38 million over the plan, while police overtime is projected to exceed its budget by more than $13 million.

The analysis also highlighted the personal impact of sustained overtime. Top earners in all three departments are projected to double their annual pay through overtime, with some firefighters earning nearly three times their base salary.

The report stated it remains uncertain whether salary savings, if any, can help offset the overtime expenses, leaving the fund balance as the only solution to cover budget overages.