GOP: Budget woes need more than Band-Aid

The Republicans who sit on the Appropriations Committee are calling for major structural changes to the state budget, now that new revenue numbers show a projected $570 million hole.

Rep. Sawin Millett, R-Waterford, and Sen. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport, will be key players as negotiations get into the nitty-gritty this week and next.

"This is not a one biennium problem," Millett said in a statement. "We could be facing another three to five years of economic uncertainty before Maine returns to the statewide employment levels of early 2008."

Rosen expressed concern that federal stimulus funds will create a cliff in 2011 that will make it even harder for the state to balance its budget.

"I would recommend that municipalities, school systems and other institutions that rely on state spending work with us cooperatively to use this stimulus interlude to plan for leaner times ahead," he said.

Republicans will have more power than normal in budget negotiations because two-thirds support is needed to get something passed. Legislative leaders have said they want a budget in place by May 8, because that's when the Department of Health and Human Services will be out of money for some of its programs.