The Springfield City Council held the equivalent of a double feature Monday night. A regularly scheduled Hearings meeting, during which the council approves or denies permits, followed a special meeting where numerous items were debated. City Council President Jose Tosado had scheduled the meeting to
(WMassP&I) Tonight a somewhat strange thing happened at 36 Court Street. The City Council fulfilled one of its legal obligations and actually did so by substantial majorities. Through relatively few votes, the Springfield City Council cut more than $2.8 million dollars from the budget the
**UPDATED** The following post has been updated as of 6/9/11. Data on the slots votes has been corrected. The Springfield City Council held their first meeting since last week’s tornado sliced through the heart of Springfield and neighboring towns. The council had a great deal
(WMassP&I) After all of the drama, all the testimony, all the passion, the Springfield City Council voted this evening to deny a permit for a used car dealership on Newhouse Street in the City’s Outer Belt Neighborhood. Yes, the tension and the anxiety over what
(WMassP&I) In many ways, we have abdicated our responsibility on the Biomass issue. When the permit was rammed through the city council on a 7-2 vote in 2008, it was hailed as a jobs creator period. Since then there has been a growing movement to
**Programming Note** WMassP&I will be live-tweeting today’s BioMass Meeting. Check out Hashtag #Biomass or visit our Facebook page or Twitter Feed. (WMassP&I) Yesterday’s City Council meeting in Springfield had some wind taken out of its sails when three potentially contentious issues were unceremoniously withdrawn from
Monday was a night of stunning defeats and equally stunning chutzpah. A dozen or so cops filled the council chamber ostensibly as a show of solidarity ahead of the civilian review vote. Other measures up included the trash fee, a petition to extend council terms
As Western Mass Politics & Insight arrogantly takes credit for starting the cascade of news stories about Scott Brown’s sudden love for family planning and women’s health, the Springfield City Council got short shrift again. Monday’s meeting emphasized the importance of committee. Much of the
Today we start a new series on WMassP&I called “The Insight” consisting of interviews of politicians, officials and other newsmakers within the Greater Springfield universe. Councilor Rivera (Facebook) Springfield, like many cities, has long been a place where politics is a contact sport. Campaigns can
(WMassP&I) While the Springfield City Council is usually known for at least being a good show, typically, the more controversial or in-depth the measures, the more entertainment is guaranteed. Despite the presence of a volatile issue in the form of a Civilian Police Review Board