Former North Adams Mayor John Barrett now serves as the Democratic State Representative for the 1st Berkshire District of Massachusetts. He’s been in office since November 2017, after winning a special election following the death of State Representative Gailanne Cariddi. After 26 years at the head the smallest city in the commonwealth, the 71-year-old is now tackling statewide politics. He spoke with WAMC about the impact of the new state budget on northern Berkshire County.