State budget writers to host discussion of COVID economic impacts April 14

Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues, and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz

State budget leaders on April 14 are scheduled to hold an economic roundtable with key experts to discuss the economic impacts and fiscal implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Commonwealth.

The summit, originally scheduled for April 7, was announced on March 31 by Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan, Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues, and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz.

Participants are invited to join via video, audio conference or in-person. Participants in Room 428 at the State House will be practicing social distancing.

The event will be closed to the public, but will be streamed at malegislature.com/Events, beginning at 10 a.m.

Sen. Rodrigues said the roundtable “will help us to better understand current fiscal conditions and the health of our state’s economy during this unprecedented time … as we begin to assess the challenges we face together in managing the remainder of fiscal year 2020, planning for fiscal year 2021, and mitigating the economic disruption caused by this public health crisis.”

Rep. Michlewitz called the fiscal situation the Commonwealth is facing “both dire and unprecedented,” adding that, “It is crucial that we have as clear of a picture as possible before we make any substantial budgetary decisions.”