The city of Springfield, Massachusetts has a new budget in place for the next fiscal year that begins on July 1st.
The Springfield City Council voted Tuesday night to approve the nearly $819 million budget exactly as proposed by Mayor Domenic Sarno.
“This is a good news budget that everybody including the City Council should be championing and taking credit for,” Sarno said during the meeting that was held remotely.
Spending will increase by 3.8 percent over the current fiscal year with the budget maintaining core city services, continued economic development initiatives, and keeping a stabilization or “rainy day” fund of almost $50 million – enough to keep a high bond rating and have the cash on hand to weather a possible economic recession next year, said Sarno.
“I think it is a good sound budget,” he said.
Under the city charter, the Council only has the authority to reduce the budget proposed by the mayor.
City Council President Jesse Lederman said the budget provides residents with value for their tax dollars.
“We have a budget that allows us to continue investing in the city of Springfield, making sure we are maintaining our core services, and also making sure we provide really important things such as our summer programs, after-school programs, and our park services,” Lederman said.
During two hours of debate leading up to the final vote on the budget, no spending cuts were proposed by any Councilor and most of the discussion centered around calls for property tax relief for homeowners.
As part of a tax relief plan proposed by Sarno, $3.5 million in free cash is being used to reduce the tax levy. Also, the city is doubling from $500 to $1,000 the tax abatement available to income-eligible seniors and lowering the age restriction from 71 to 65.
“We are doing this in a very responsible manner,” Sarno said.
City Councilor Justin Hurst, who along with Councilor Tracye Whitfield cast the only votes against adopting the budget recommended by the mayor, said the city should be able to do more to help lower residential property taxes.
“The idea that we can’t do more is extremely problematic and I think it would behoove the administration to rethink that,” Hurst said.
Whitfield, who chairs the Finance Committee, announced in a press release days ago that she would vote against adopting the mayor’s budget because of how it will impact the property tax levy.
“I cannot support this budget with a $17 million property tax increase,” Whitfield said.
Speaking in support of the mayor’s budget recommendation, City Councilor Mike Fenton said the tax bills for Springfield’s homeowners are among the lowest in the state.
“The city of Springfield average homeowner pays the lowest average property tax bill of any city in the Commonwealth other than the city of North Adams,” Fenton said.
Leading up to the final vote on the budget, Councilors held several hearings with the heads of every city department and agency to question them about spending.
