Lawmakers Push For Bigger Virus Response Role As Maine Projects $525m Shortfall

Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support our critical reporting on the coronavirus by purchasing a digital subscription or donating directly to the newsroom. AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers are pushing for more involvement in the state’s coronavirus response as top officials consider how to use federal money to backfill expenses while preparing for a projected budget shortfall of half a billion dollars. Maine could lose up to $525 million in revenue by mid-2021 in the coronavirus-related economic slowdown, Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services Commissioner Kirsten Figueroa told the committee.