Balancing the budget
OUR VIEW: “It’s a lucky break in Monopoly to draw the “Bank error in your favor, collect $200” card. But that’s small change compared to finding $760 million,” writes the editorial board this week. “In August, the state’s nonpartisan Revenue Forecasting Committee issued a grim projection: a budget shortfall of $527.8 million for the current fiscal year and $883.2 million for the 2022-23 biennium. But in December, the committee revised its projections and the numbers, by comparison anyway, are looking up. The forecasters now anticipate a $255 million general fund shortfall this year (roughly half the original projection) and a $395.8 million shortfall for FY22-23…What Maine people need — and the Legislature should deliver in the budget process — is stability. A budget delivered on time and drawing wide bipartisan support would be welcome news indeed.”