Economy will hurt for some time, legislators tell West Springfield, Agawam business leaders
When the public health threat of COVID-19 subsides, repairing the economic damage could take several years, legislators told the West of the River Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. In a morning question-and-answer session with chamber members, four local lawmakers said the state will likely depend for years on federal assistance to balance its budget, and may have to reexamine some of its economic regulations, including 2018’s “grand bargain” on paid leave and the minimum wage.