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I'm not old, and DH is younger than me and we're moving there. We're of "working age". I don't work for anyone else, but I could if I were so inclined. DH will work in the medical field. We'll contribute to our community and pay taxes just like everyone else. We have 3 children, too. That will add at least 5 "young" people to the Maineland!
I myself am into natural sciences and I do not doubt that Maine is very popular with the young Permaculture crowd. I think anyone who is into that stuff has at least some appreciation for Maine's areas of natural beauty.
The truth is is that I do not fully understand the problem of Maine's youth leaving. It may or may not be a truely serious problem. I certainly do not have exact numbers nor do I have very specific facts about it. I have read about it alot though and I seem to be constantly running into people worried about the Maine economy, including my job interviewer. This compounded with my frustration led to the post. I guess the reason I was so fired up about it was that I feel that my enthusiasm was exacty what Brunswick needed, but it was that exact quality that was not appreciated and led me to feeling so rejected.
It was my first big job interview out of college, the guy interviwing me treated me poorly, and I feel much more discouraged about my ability to be hired at all now, and yes I will keep on trying and all of that. The interviewer had me wait for over a month while he was doing a background check on me, and I called him many times asking for job staus and he wouldn't answer the phone or even call back. When I finnally did reach him, he said he was still doing a background check on me, (all because 2 people wern't calling him back, and I do have a pretty good work record and a clean background,) and informed me that after that it would take him yet another month to complete the backround check with all of the states I had lived in. He also talked to me like I was an idiot at that point, telling me he wasn't impressed with me, but offering to allow me to wait another month. He kept saying in a condecending way, "you would REALLY wait that long just to work HERE?" At that point, I was not impressed with him, and gave up on the job and in particular gave up on that employer. The job still hasn't been filled, I can tell because its still offered on the website.
In reality many of my issues are probably largely due to the fact that the guy just rubbed me the wrong way, and he may or may not represent alot of what Ive been ranting about.
I think the youth Brain drain is happening more in certain areas, particularly, I would guess from places exactly like Brunswick, and maybe Lewistown, Auburn, Augusta and Bangor, and rural areas in general, (but rural kids leaving can be common with other rural states.) But I'm sure young people interested in permaculture love Maine's natural areas and young people who are into a great cultural scene love Portland. And I'm sure there are young people who appreciate other parts of Maine as well.
Sorry if I caused any greif I was just and still am pretty ticked off, nothing more, nothing less. I understand that being ticked off does not nessesarily reach out to people in the most efficient manner possible. Anyway, its over and it's pointless to keep worrying about it. There are great things about your state quite obviously and its good that people are looking at the bright side.
I have noticed a huge increase in the number of skilled artisans/craftsmen in Maine. From writing to carpentry, specialty manufacturing and needlework. Home businesses are growing along with the creativity of the younger people and the help of the internet. Just look at the "whoopee pie lady", who now ships world wide. Perhaps a new discussion concerning home businesses would spark some ideas that would be a positive step for some of us that do love the simpler life rural Maine offers?
I have noticed a huge increase in the number of skilled artisans/craftsmen in Maine. From writing to carpentry, specialty manufacturing and needlework. Home businesses are growing along with the creativity of the younger people and the help of the internet. Just look at the "whoopee pie lady", who now ships world wide. Perhaps a new discussion concerning home businesses would spark some ideas that would be a positive step for some of us that do love the simpler life rural Maine offers?
I've had a home-based business (started out of necessity to avoid paying $800 a month in daycare) for about a year and a half now and do quite well. All online and over the phone. The internet is a miracle - and a curse - but it helps my bottom line! (not the nekkid one streakin' through the woods!)
forest beekeeper imagines:
"From census data, it seems that Maine's demographics break down is not that far from the average. We have less minorities, but in terms of age groups we are fine."
Maine is now the oldest state. We passed Floerida two years ago. However, our geezers are vigorous outdoor people with a lifetime of knowledge to pass on and they take younger folks fishing if they help launch the boat. ;-)
Maine has huge opportunities for the enterprising young person. There are few 9 to 5 job openings with full benefits unless you work in government or the medical field so people do more than one thing. People often ask, "What do you do for a job here?" I reply that I don't have a job; I have some jobs. Most people have a primary job and do various other things. I take aerial photos, clear land with my Kubota 4WD tractor, do some land planning management, (hence my handle above) and I used to guide. A guide should be in better shape than his sports and I can't say that any more.
I have noticed a huge increase in the number of skilled artisans/craftsmen in Maine. From writing to carpentry, specialty manufacturing and needlework. Home businesses are growing along with the creativity of the younger people and the help of the internet. Just look at the "whoopee pie lady", who now ships world wide. Perhaps a new discussion concerning home businesses would spark some ideas that would be a positive step for some of us that do love the simpler life rural Maine offers?
the whooppee pie lady,,,i think ive met her,,,isomax is the name of her company,,
I'm a Vermonter from 17 years back. In Vermont if you weren't born there you are "A Flatlander". When we came here to Maine, we were "From Away". I spent my first few years in PI asking people who were also "From Away", why they came here? I just really wondered because it's so out of the way? People's answers were interesting. It wasn't supposed to be accusatory. For me, it was my husband's job. I learned to love it up here.
Sorry if I caused any greif I was just and still am pretty ticked off, nothing more, nothing less. I understand that being ticked off does not nessesarily reach out to people in the most efficient manner possible. Anyway, its over and it's pointless to keep worrying about it. There are great things about your state quite obviously and its good that people are looking at the bright side.
Hang in there Cullen. I know I am. There is more than one employer in Maine. You mentioned you are into the natural sciences. Which field(s)?
I wanted to also post a huge problem with people posing to move to Maine and reside there throughout the rest of their lives.
Maine is not a wealthy state, in turn they come after anyone, especially outsiders that have money.
Unfortunately my father passed away 5 mths ago. I have been going to Maine for over 30 yrs, we have been tax paying "outsiders" and we own quite a bit of property.
My father became a resident of Maine, which he remained a resident for many years. At the young age of 60, he began looking into the by laws of Maine, as he began to think about estate planning.
He soon discovered many troubling things.
He quickly changed his residency in the nick of time. Obviously not aware of his yet to come extremely untimely death. 2 years later he passed away, with residency in the state of Florida. THANK GOD!!!
Maine treats your death unlike any other state, if you pass away in Florida, Florida deals with it in Florida probate, and only cares about what you own in Florida.
Maine on the other hand goes after 8-9% of your estate NATION-WIDE!
where-ever you own anything, Land, Property, Cars, Boats, Recreational vehicles, Money in the bank, basically your ENTIRE ESTATE, Maine comes after.
death Tax is a painful thing, on top of the pain and suffering you are already enduring....
This means on top of you paying the unbelievable 47% that the feds take on your loved one's estate over a certain limit....right now the cap is 2 million (meaning if your loved one has 3 million in assets, 1 million is taxed 47% so you are handing over $500,000 dollars to the feds), in 2011 this goes back to 0. meaning that ALL of your loved ones estate is fully taxable at 47%. if your loved one has 1 million in assets, that means you fork over half of that to uncle sam! $500,000!!
On top of, if you reside in the state of Maine, and die there, you hand them over another 8-9% of everything owned nation-wide. And believe me, they go after EVERYTHING!!!
2 million sounds like a lot, but when you start adding all the little things up, believe me, it gets there quicker than you think.
They want 10% of everything my father owned in Maine right now.
Thank the lord above he no longer resided there.
Keep this in mind my friends, if your loved ones now reside in Maine, and plan on entering a retirement home and living out their days there, if they want any control over leaving their sons, and daughters anything to carry on......get them out of Maine, and change their residency status, as quickly as you can.
I love Maine, always have, always will, but this is wrong, along with the Fed's status on this, it's all wrong.
your parents worked all their lives, payed taxes on every dollar they earned, paid taxes on land, property all their lives, the when they die, the feds, and the state of Maine takes it all back, just wrong....
I am a tax paying land owner in Maine with over 100 acres of land in different locations, I'll go there for the rest of my days, but one thing I will never do is become a resident.
I wanted to also post a huge problem with people posing to move to Maine and reside there throughout the rest of their lives.
Maine is not a wealthy state, in turn they come after anyone, especially outsiders that have money. Unfortunately my father passed away 5 mths ago. I have been going to Maine for over 30 yrs, we have been tax paying "outsiders" and we own quite a bit of property. My father became a resident of Maine, which he remained a resident for many years. At the young age of 60, he began looking into the by laws of Maine, as he began to think about estate planning. ... .
I am so sorry for your loss.
You do bring up a very good point about estate planning.
I think that no matter where you live, well thought through estate planning is needed. Yet most of our citizens will never take the effort.
At every college in the nation when you take a 'Tax Theory' course. We are taught that the basic purpose of taxes remains to passively influence the society, and raising monies for the state is only a secondary purpose.
Property taxes in most areas have sheltering devices available. In Maine we have 'tree growth' and 'open space', 'farm land' and others available to the land owner to shelter him from the higher taxes of simple home owners.
In income taxes we have plenty of tax-sheltering devices available, to those who research them, and who begin to step away from the 'wage slave' class.
In estate taxes also have sheltering devices.
The problem of course that we see among the vast majority of citizenry is that the general masses are 'wage slaves' and have no time or desire to research and implement any of these devices.
To keep more money in my pocket from a paycheck; the simplest most basic method is the learn to budget. Secondly is to learn tax-sheltering, to stop paying income taxes. And then of course investing in vehicles that use other folk's money to grow with.
The same principles can be seen in property taxes, and thus estate taxes.
Unfortunately most of our citizenry will never learn any of these lessons.
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I hope Maine stays the same forever
