Tagged: springfield

The city of Springfield is seeking an exception to Proposition 2 ½ , the Massachusetts property tax cap law, when it comes to casinos.

   An $800 million resort casino could mean tens of millions of dollars annually in additional property taxes for Springfield.  But Mayor Domenic Sarno said the city will not get the full financial benefits from a casino development unless a change is made to Prop 2 ½.

Special masses were said in Catholic churches in the region today to mark the installation of  Pope Francis.  

   About 200 people braved a snowstorm to attend a noon mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield, where Bishop Timothy McDonnell declared it a day to rejoice.

   The mass in Springfield took place several hours after the installation mass  for the new pope was held under bright blue skies in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican . The crowd there was estimated at between 150,000- 200,000 people.

City councilors in Springfield Massachusetts have voted to reject a settlement with several banks over a foreclosure ordinance.

The vote means the city can implement the ordinance even if the banks continue to challenge its legality in the federal appeals court.  The ordinance, passed in 2011, and upheld by a federal judge last year requires banks to post a$10,000 bond to maintain and secure vacant foreclosed property.  City councilor Melvin Edwards said city taxpayers will no longer have to pay to eradicate the blight that results from foreclosure.

Community activists in several US cities are calling for changes in housing policies. They point to a shortage of affordable housing in the midst of a surplus of vacant, bank-foreclosed properties. One of  the cities where anti-poverty activists point to what they see as a housing crisis is Springfield Massachusetts.