The Municipal Leadership Award was presented to Springfield City Government for its “efforts to reform its finances, administration, public safety and schools,” said a press release from the Pioneer Institute, and recognizes “tremendous progress and innovation in municipal operations.” 

“It is an honor to have our hard work and diligence recognized by the Pioneer Institute,” said Mayor Ryan.  “We’ve rolled up our sleeves and have been hard at work over the past three years, fixated on returning this great city to the level of excellence and acclaim it once enjoyed.”

Since the Finance Control Board took the reins of the city with Mayor Ryan in July 2004, great strides have been taken toward improvement.  The city’s finances were reevaluated, bringing Springfield out of a $41 million budget shortfall, saving more than $18 million in health insurance costs, increasing retirement earnings by $25 million, implementing an integrated financial management system for the School Department and collecting more than $25 million in back taxes.  Also among the city’s improvements were the successful negotiation of all city and school department labor contracts, an increase in the city’s fire and police personnel, greater accountability for city employees with personnel policies and performance measures, and an upgrade of the city’s bond rating from junk status.

“The Mayor and the Control Board have given Springfield hope by taking city government in a new direction,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute.  “Springfield was a city in crisis and now, in many respects, it is better managed than other Massachusetts cities.”

The Better Government Competition seeks to promote innovative ideas and programs to improve the efficiency, quality, effectiveness and costliness of government services in Massachusetts. The Pioneer Institute, an independent, non-partisan, privately funded public policy research organization, has organized the event for the past 16 years. 

- Lauren Foley