Mass. Retailers Association

With no income coming in, John Hurst of the Mass. Retailers Association fears those businesses may not recover.

BOSTON (AP) - Brick and mortar retailers are weighing a possible 2018 ballot campaign aimed at lowering the state's 6.25 percent sales tax. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts is gauging support from members for such an approach as it waits for a decision from the Legislature on whether to authorize a sales tax holiday next month...

The Massachusetts Senate has approved a compromise bill that would hike the state's current $8-per-hour minimum wage to $11 per hour by 2017, but would not tie future increases to inflation. The 35-4 vote on Thursday came less than 24 hours after House and Senate negotiators hammered out a deal on the minimum wage...