NEW REPORT: Maine faces at least $1.2 billion revenue shortfall as coronavirus wreaks havoc on jobs, spending

To protect Maine families and communities, Congress must include substantial state fiscal aid in the next pandemic relief package

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine faces an estimated $1.2 billion revenue shortfall in the next fiscal year that puts many families at risk, according to a new report published today by the Maine Center for Economic Policy.

The state will see a 30 percent revenue decline in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, with income and sales tax revenues falling dramatically as a result of the unprecedented economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus. Maine is likely to face further losses in subsequent years, as state revenue shortfalls nationwide are projected to total $650 billion by the end of fiscal year 2022.

Only Congress has the borrowing power to stabilize state and local budgets on the brink of an unprecedented collapse. MECEP is calling on Congress to include substantial relief for state and local governments in the next round of coronavirus response legislation. (Click here to read the letter MECEP sent to Maine’s congressional delegation.)

“If left unaddressed, the unprecedented shortfall will force the state to make painful cuts that will hurt Maine families and make the recession worse — including widespread layoffs, cuts to education and health care, and reductions in state services and investments when they are needed most,” said Sarah Austin, a MECEP policy analyst and the report’s author.

“Congress must meet the severity of this fiscal crisis with substantial relief to protect families and state governments facing economic catastrophe,” Austin said.

State spending is a crucial element of the state economy, and a powerful tool for reducing the harm of this recession and hastening the recovery. More than one in six Maine workers is a public-sector employee. Without substantial federal aid, a revenue cut of this magnitude could cause mass layoffs throughout the state, making the economic challenges even worse.

The decline in revenue comes as the state sees increased costs associated with the coronavirus and the recession it caused.

• Medicaid enrollment is expected to spike after nearly 48,000 Mainers lost their employer-sponsored health insurance as the result of a layoff since the pandemic began.
• The state will face new education costs with ensuring equity and catching students up after months of distance learning, and establishing new systems and procedures to keep students, teachers, and staff safe when schools re-open.
• Market volatility during the coronavirus recession will likely spur losses in the state pension system. In the next budget, legislators will likely need to increase funding to ensure Maine seniors get what they have earned in their retirement years.