On Wednesday, the commonwealth and its 351 municipalities began anew, as localities closed the books on fiscal year 2015 and began FY2016. The state itself has not delivered a full-year spending plan. Others squeezed it in at the last minute. Springfield did not get its
SPRINGFIELD—For the second year in a row, Mayor Domenic Sarno’s municipal budget achieved passage without any modification from the City Council. The $594.9 million spending plan was touted for needing no reserves or layoffs to bridge deficits. However, councilors did express reservations about the city’s
UPDATED 9:42AM: To reflect a correction. A previous photo caption erroneously credited WMassP&I with producing the image. In fact it was MGM’s picture. Delays ahoy! Word has gotten out that MGM Springfield may not meet its 2017 opening deadline, due to the ever-elongating timeline to
This is the fourth in a series of posts on the new 189th Massachusetts General Court sworn on January 7. SPRINGFIELD—Three and a half years after Jose Tosado suffered a devastating loss in 2011’s mayoral election here, the reserved, former councilor’s decision to reenter the political
The reelection campaign of Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno announced in a release today that Congressman Richard Neal would endorse the incumbent in his quest for a second four-year term and fourth overall. Even if the timing is a tad early, the endorsement says something more about the state of
SPRINGFIELD—Before a crowd filling tables and the back wall of the Elks Lodge on Tiffany Street, Mayor Domenic Sarno announced what had long been a foregone conclusion: he was running for reelection. As political events go, it had its moments. But for a politician usually
SPRINGFIELD—In a rather subdued press conference for the fairly good news, Mayor Domenic Sarno flanked by Chief of Staff Denise Jordan and Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Timothy Plante formally released the municipal budget for fiscal year 2016. Measuring in at just a few million
SPRINGFIELD—In a lavish ceremony last year featuring city vehicles festooned with flags and all the pomp and circumstance the City of Homes can muster, Springfield swore in John Barbieri as its top cop. Some observers likened it to a coronation, and Barbieri, possessing a humble mien, probably would have
UPDATED 4/2/15 3:53PM: To reflect confirmation from Bewsee and new comments from her. Papers were only available yesterday, but it seems a major political cycle is underway in Springfield with word that another potential candidate has dipped a toe into the mayoral pool. Arise for
Springfield resident and former bakery owner Salvatore Circosta has confirmed his campaign for mayor in a press release issued earlier today. Touting his community outreach while running his bakery & cafe at the X, the release said he would make his formal announcement Thursday at