Garrett Martin: Congress must act now to prevent state budget collapse

The coronavirus pandemic has already spurred a jobs crisis and recession unlike anything we have ever experienced.

But if the federal government does not act quickly, it will also cause an unprecedented state budget crisis — one that could force the state to make painful cuts that will hurt Maine families and make the recession worse. …

Congress must increase emergency funds for states and provide more flexibility to use those funds to cover rising costs and make up for lost revenues.

The economic fallout from coronavirus is unlike anything we have ever experienced. It threatens Mainers’ education, health care and other basic investments necessary for a strong society and a thriving economy. The federal government must meet the severity of this crisis with substantial funding to protect families and state governments facing economic catastrophe.

Click here to read the full op-ed by MECEP executive director Garrett Martin, published May 11, 2020, in the Bangor Daily News.