Springfield, Mass., has new leadership in its council chambers. Both the new president and vice president say they’re focusing on a few key issues this term, including the local economy.
Speaking after being sworn in at Springfield City Hall Monday, newly elected Council President Tracye Whitfield laid out a number of early initiatives.
During the body’s organizational meeting, Whitfield unveiled plans to create four special committees: one focused on revenue and economic growth, another on procurement review and transparency (to be led by Councilor Malo Brown) and another focused on residential developments (to be headed by both Whitfield and Councilor Justin Hurst).
Also: a committee focused on fiscal accountability and budget review to be led by Councilor Zaida Govan, one focused on “responsible budgeting and limiting tax increases,” Whitfield announced.
The councilor at large tells WAMC that finding new ways to foster economic growth will be a top priority. One of several hopes is to find new revenue sources for the city of 155,000 to ease, if not one day break, a trend of raising property taxes in the city.
There’s also the matter of finding ways to prune costs in the annual budget as needed.
“We’ve got to really look at the budget, understand it as a community, and then see how we can cut corners so that we don't have to raise property taxes so much,” she explained. “Revenues have to meet the expenditures and sometimes: you got to raise property taxes for the revenue to do that…”
Even with millions being spent to offset the tax levy in both 2024 and 2025, both years saw the average single-family residential tax bill rise, with an increase of $177 in ’24 and $244 in ‘25.
In a city with a median income of $51,000 and one of the state’s highest unemployment rates, any tax burden increase is felt acutely, Whitfield says.
Council Vice President Jose Delgado echoed the sentiment, adding that drops in federal funding and tighter state budgets are only going to make matters worse.
Last year’s $985.7 million budget avoided layoffs, but also featured most departments being tasked with cutting expenses and eliminating 14 unfilled positions.
“I think we need to have a deep-dive on the budget. I think what we're seeing, at the federal and state level when it comes to the budget, I mean … at the state level, the budget is getting tighter - that will eventually hit us here in Springfield,” he told WAMC Monday. “Every year, we depend on monies that are left over to offset taxes … but we really got to do a deep-dive and make sure that we are being true stewards to taxpayer money.”
Throughout 2025 alone, Springfield found itself fighting for millions in either frozen or withdrawn federal grant funding, including $47 million in pandemic funding being used by the school district — funding that was ultimately restored.
Delgado, who will helm the newly announced Revenue and Economic Growth Committee, adds that he also has his eye on the local business scene as well, with hopes of finding new ways to expand the city’s economic footprint and standing.
“I think that we need to really think creatively… how we could position the city of Springfield as a leader in certain areas, like telework, AI — a number of things that we could be doing here to put us up front and create new revenue sources,” he said. “I think that’s going to be a big thing for us.”
Aside from the economy, both Whitfield and Delgado say they want to see further progress on public safety. Whitfield touted the work of Police Superintendent Larry Akers — 2024 saw a double-digit drop in homicides, from 31 to 17, while the police department reported a record year for illegal firearm seizures in 2025 — at least 164 guns.
Other initiatives the president has laid out include youth development, supporting and accelerating residential construction and more.
All the while, Whitfield tells WAMC collaboration will be paramount.
“My hope — I’m going to say it again — is that we can work collectively. I hope that all the councilors will get out into the community more, so they can be seen … because they do good work, and they really do care for the city,” she said. “I also hope that taxes will not increase next year or this year. I got a lot of hopes! But really, just bringing us together collectively and to be unified, but also training our young people to step into these roles: that is super important to me…”
