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Mayor Sarno to Submit Special Home Rule Legislation to City Council to Help Address Illegal Fireworks

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will be submitting a special home rule legislation to the City Council to help address illegal fireworks which have been a quality of life issue for our residents and business community.

Although fireworks are illegal in the City of Springfield and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and being caught with them can result in fines, this penalty has not had the deterrence many had hoped.  

Mayor Sarno stated, “The constant barrage of fireworks across our city has not only posed a quality of life issue and a potential fire hazard for our brave and dedicated public safety officials, but has also become a major concern and issue for our residents suffering from PTSD, our families who have a new born baby at home who are trying to sleep, and for our pets who become scared and anxious from the loud noises.”

In response to the ongoing quality of life complaints from our residents, Mayor Sarno is sponsoring a special home rule legislation that will add stronger penalties for those caught with illegal fireworks and to those who choose to ignore the written notices of violations.

This special home rule legislation, An Act Relative to Outstanding Fines, Fees, Penalties, or Costs Related to Use of Fireworks or Pyrotechnics in the City of Springfield, will be submitted before the City Council for approval at their July 20th meeting.  If approved, the home rule legislation will be sent to our Springfield state legislative delegation to be filed on behalf of the City of Springfield.

“I have heard the fireworks in my neighborhood and the complaints from our residents about the quality of life issues from these illegal fireworks that have been plaguing not just our Springfield but has become a negative phenomenon for urban America too,” Mayor Sarno added.  “It is time for our illegal firework violations to have some teeth to them.  Much like the home rule legislation which was passed into law years ago to help the City crackdown on delinquent excise taxes and parking tickets, this legislation would also allow the city to immobilize parked cars when the owners have long-delinquent violations related to illegal fireworks possession.  This will give the City of Springfield the much needed authority to hold these violators accountable.  It will send a strong message that fireworks are not only dangerous and a major quality of life nuisance but it will remind them that fireworks are illegal and that there will be a significant cost associated if you are caught with them in the City of Springfield.”   

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Page last updated:  Tuesday, March 1, 2022 01:32 pm