The city of Springfield, Massachusetts has a budget in place for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. The city’s elected officials are in agreement that following years of recession-forced spending cuts, the budget for fiscal year 2015 moves the city forward.
The $581.9 million budget recommended by Mayor Domenic Sarno was adopted by the Springfield City Council Monday night by an 11-0 vote with two councilors absent. The vote wrapped up the least contentious budget season in the state’s third- largest city in recent years.
Mayor Sarno said he was very appreciative of the council’s due diligence in reviewing the budget.
" Everybody has worked really really hard to communicate the pros and cons and to understand the process."
Prior to the vote, Sarno detailed highlights of the budget, which projects an increase of 1.8 percent over what the city will actually spend in the current fiscal year that ends June 30th. He said the budget will mean no layoffs in any municipal departments. There is money for public safety academies to fill vacancies caused by retirements in the police and fire departments. Essential city services are being maintained, summer recreation programs funded, and grass will be cut in parks and on public ways.
" I believe the city continues to move forward and there are many programs and services we can all continue to celebrate," said Sarno.
Springfield City Council President Michael Fenton said the council held two public meetings to question department heads about the budget before Monday night’s meeting to vote on the spending plan.
" I think the result was a more transparent and thoughtful process this year."
The $2.8 million that will be taken from the city’s stabilization or “rainy day” fund is one of the smallest drawdowns in several years. It will still leave the fund with $30 million, according to city officials. Fenton and Councilor Timothy Rooke voted for the budget, but voted against the transfer from the stabilization fund saying it should only be used for emergencies.
Rooke, who chairs the council’s Finance Committee, said city government is becoming more efficient. He praised the mayor for being willing to address councilor’s concerns about staffing shortages in the Veterans’ Services Office.
City Councilor Kateri Walsh said she supported the budget because it would result in no layoffs of city workers.
" We would love to see more, but working with what we have it was a good budget. The council can only cut, if we had the ability to fund departments you would see a lot more employees walking around city hall."
Councilor Bud Williams urged Sarno to pursue additional aid from the state to pay for school busing, which Williams said is an unfunded mandate that costs Springfield as much as $20 million.
" The new regionalization bill gives the suburbs a big advantage. I don't think that is fair."
Councilors, in separate votes, Monday night approved several self-sustaining programs that exist outside the city budget including a residential trash collection and recycling program. It is funded by a $90 per household fee.
The budget does not include payments from MGM, which last week found out it is receiving the lone western Massachusetts casino license for its Springfield project.
