MAINE HAS A $1.3 BILLION BUDGET GAP: Record spending, new taxes, and a lack of fiscal responsibility by Democrats leave the next Governor with a sizeable hole to fill.

AUGUSTA - Yesterday the Four-Year Revenue and Expenditure Forecast was released by the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services' Bureau of the Budget. It reveals a projected General Fund structural gap (revenues less than allocations) for the 2028-2029 biennium of $1.085 billion and a projected Highway Fund structural gap of $256.7 million.

This has occurred despite years of record revenues from Maine taxpayers, new and expanded taxes, and substantial financial support from the federal government.

"This billion-dollar budget hole is exactly what Republicans warned about - Democrat control of Augusta the past eight years has led to out-of-control spending through partisan budgets and now the bill has come due," said Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart, R-Aroostook. "This is what happens when you refuse to prioritize. Democrats wrote these budgets, passed them without Republican votes, and signed them into law. Democrats' 'solution' is always higher taxes, and Mainers should expect more of the same if something doesn't change."

"Record revenues weren't enough. New taxes weren't enough. Billions in federal support weren't enough," said House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham. "Democrats spent Maine into a projected $1.3 billion budget hole, and taxpayers should not be handed the bill for their failure to control spending."

"Maine Democrats' calls for 'affordability' ring hollow since they completely own this budget gap. Spending like drunken sailors the past eight years, they have led us directly to where we are today - facing one of the largest budget gaps in Maine's history," said Assistant Senate Republican Leader Matt Harrington, R-York. "When you go back and see where former Gov. John Baldacci left the LePage administration with a similar $1 billion-plus budget gap, Gov. Janet Mills has put us in exactly the same situation."

"Democrats created this problem all on their own," said Assistant Republican Leader Katrina Smith. "If Democrats continue to have full control of state government, their only answer will be to squeeze Maine families with even higher taxes. That is always their answer: make Mainers pay more."

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