The mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts is proposing a city budget that puts more cops on the streets.
The $595 million budget proposed by Mayor Domenic Sarno includes funding for 58 additional police officers and 42 new firefighters.
Sarno said core city services are maintained along with summer youth recreation programs and public library hours.
For the first time since 2008, the mayor is not proposing to touch the city’s cash reserves to balance the budget.
" We've done this by rolling up our sleeves and making difficult decisions, making strategic decisions to make us stronger down the road," Sarno said.
The city will receive $7 million from MGM as an advance on revenue from the casino that is scheduled to open in 2017. The budget also assumes a $1.2 million increase in state aid.
