MA Coronavirus: Push For Federal Money For Cash-Strapped MA Is On

BOSTON — State and federal lawmakers from Massachusetts will begin working to get federal money for state and local governments that have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with a plan expected within the next ten days.

"When you look at exhaustion of state revenue it's amplified by the fact that this is going to go on for awhile," U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who represents the First Congressional District in western Massachusetts, said at the state's daily coronavirus briefing Saturday.

Neal spoke with Gov. Charlie Baker at a Hasbro game-making factory in East Longmeadow that has been converted to make 50,000 plastic face shields per week for donation to local hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company also donated 250 face shields to the Holyoke Soldiers Home on Friday.

The $484 billion relief package President Donald Trump signed Friday did not contain aid for states, including money to replenish depleted unemployment funds. At the current rate, Massachusetts would run out of unemployment money by mid-May and be forced to borrow from the federal government.

The state has lost wage tax revenue from the 689,000 jobs that have vanished since the start of the pandemic, as well as lost sales tax revenue from closed, non-essential businesses. That forced the state legislature was to scrap a budget process that began in December, leaving local governments in limbo. State lawmakers are hoping federal money could make that process easier.

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Baker was once again asked if nonessential businesses would be allowed to reopen on May 4, when the current emergency order expires. And Baker once again declined to specify when restrictions may be lifted but hinted he would offer more details next week.

"The key metric here is not May 4. That's where the emergency order went through...because we wanted to make it clear to people they would not be opening tomorrow or the day after," Baker said. "Any decisions we make are going to require two things: some drop in hospitalization rates....and putting rules for reopening and engagement in place, which we'll have a lot more to say about next week."

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

• Many MA Residents Still Waiting For Coronavirus Stimulus Checks
• As Unemployment Claims Mount, Massachusetts Fund Dwindles
• Coronavirus Case Counts For Every Massachusetts Town

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).