Tech Glitches Postpone MA Legislature's Hearing On Coronavirus

BOSTON — Lawmakers will try again next week to hold a round table on the impact of the new coronavirus on the state budget after technical problems forced the cancellation of Tuesday's hearing.

Technicians spent 30 minutes trying to repair the livestream of the hearing before organizers decided to postpone the economic round table until next Tuesday.

State officials are expecting huge revenue shortfalls in April and possibly longer at a time when the state is facing record-breaking unemployment claims and other expenses related to the new coronavirus emergency. Tuesday's hearing was supposed to be the first step to not only write a new budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, but also must find ways to plug revenue gaps in the current fiscal year.

Last week, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation warned that the state will likely fall $300 million to $500 million short of revenue projections for the current fiscal year, while the Center for State Policy Analysis said it could be as high as $750 million. Both groups warned revenue shortfalls could be as high as $2 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

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"In the midst of the continued fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the fiscal situation the Commonwealth is facing is both dire and unprecedented," House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz said in a statement. "It is crucial that we have as clear of a picture as possible before we make any substantial budgetary decisions."

Michlewitz said it is "highly unlikely" the House will release its budget in April, as it typically does.

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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).