Fox 25 Boston: How soon before the shutdown affects you?
Director of Economic and Public Policy Research Daniel Hodge appeared on Fox 25 News Boston to discuss the impact that the government shutdown is having on the Massachusetts economy. Approximately 11,000 federal workers were furloughed throughout the state yesterday. Coming on the heels of a tax increase and the ongoing sequestration, the shutdown is the third federal action this year to take a toll on federal workers’ wages.
While the majority of the state’s workers are not federal employees, the climate of uncertainty, coupled with reduced paychecks, trickles down in the form of decreased spending in the private sector and a sluggish rate of job growth throughout the state. Despite a relatively strong post-recession job bounce, unemployment in Massachusetts has recently risen from 6.4 percent to 7.2 percent.
Read article: How soon before the shutdown affects you?
October 01, 2013
