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Mayor says Springfield again aims to balance near-$1 billion budget without using reserves
Summary
Mayor Sarno opened the third day of Springfield's budget hearings, stressed a 10-year record of balanced budgets and high bond ratings, and asked departments to propose 3% cuts as a hedge against uncertain federal funding.
Mayor Sarno opened the third day of Springfield City budget hearings by outlining the administration's budget priorities and asking department heads to prepare for possible federal funding reductions.
"For 10 consecutive years, we've been able to balance the budget without the use of any reserves," Mayor Sarno said, adding that the city currently holds a reserve of $71,000,000 and maintains its highest bond ratings in city history.
The mayor said the city's combined budget is "nearing nearly $1,000,000,000," and that about $671,000,000 of that total is controlled by the school side. He noted the city pays student transportation from the city side (approximately $42,000,000). Sarno also asked departments to submit budgets showing a 3% reduction, targeted at vacant or nonfilled positions and other nonpayroll items, "because of the uncertainty of potential and possible federal budget cuts." He cited federal funding flows to the city ($55,000,000) and to the school department ($75,000,000) as examples of money that could be at risk.
CFO Kathy Bruno told the hearing the mayor's FY27 request is currently "level service" and that staff had identified a roughly $24,000,000 budget gap. Bruno said departments had provided proposed cuts, but the administration had not built the 3% reduction into the budget without first hearing each department's explanation of service impacts.
Several councilors in attendance, including Finance Chair Tim Allen and Councilors Zaida Govan and Victor Davila, reiterated support for balancing the budget while seeking ways to limit tax pressure on residents.
The mayor and city staff emphasized the plan is to prepare for possible federal reductions while hoping they do not materialize. They said final decisions will be made after the full series of departmental hearings and before the council's formal review and appropriation process.
