Mayor Sarno states, “I want to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for their continued efforts working with municipalities like the city of Springfield to help move our local economies forward and investing in our residents and business communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected many communities throughout our Commonwealth and across our Nation. To help offset these challenges and provide much-needed relief to our residents and business community as possible, my administration has utilized our local allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. To date, my administration has announced five (5) rounds of ARPA funding for small businesses, nonprofits, neighborhood councils and local programs and initiatives totaling over $47.3 million, with additional funding scheduled to be awarded in the near future, but we cannot do this alone. It is imperative for the Commonwealth to seize this opportunity to utilize the state allocation of federal money and capital spending authorizations to help our local municipalities recover from the economic challenges of the pandemic. Governor Baker’s FORWARD legislation, would help address many of our local and regional projects and create a good four-letter word – JOBS.”
“Time is of the essence,” Mayor Sarno added. “Per federal law, ARPA funding must be committed by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. The clock is ticking.”
