Retirees: Maine One of Ten Tax Unfriendly States (health insurance, loans)

[Zarathu]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Good point...and we *need* to be arguing this. At the last town meeting I went to, myself and a couple of others did just that. We pointed out that we just couldn't afford to be paying for some of the things that they wanted in the budget.

The town reps responded that it was "really only a relatively 'small' increase in what everyone would have to pay". My response to that was to hold up the latest of the growing list of delinquent property taxes (on which appeared the name of one of the boardmembers) and point out that we were already unable to fund at the current level, nevermind an *increase*.

We need, at all levels, to bite the bullet and realize that we just can't keep spending money on everything that comes down the pike, because we just don't have it to spend. We can't afford it, and it is fiscally irresponsible to pretend that the money will magically appear sometime in the future and create/increase debt by counting on imagined [future] income from 'somewhere'. (Which is exactly the type of thinking that had a part in the mortgage/economic meltdown that we just experienced.)

The stuff that comes from the fed mandates have to be paid or the feds will withdraw all funds. Its a catch 22 system. Mississippi doesn't do it, and they receive no federal funds. My local district cannot afford to be without the the 7 million of federal money. In regards to education, what would YOU believe we should cut?

[RHB]

Originally Posted by Zarathu

The stuff that comes from the fed mandates have to be paid or the feds will withdraw all funds. Its a catch 22 system. Mississippi doesn't do it, and they receive no federal funds. My local district cannot afford to be without the the 7 million of federal money. In regards to education, what would YOU believe we should cut?

What are my choices? I don't know your system. I know in WA state, some teachers, and school board people had cars. I'd take away their cars (if they are using them for school business, paying milage on a personal car would be cheaper than paying for the whole car). I know there are trips that state (schools being a part of that) and federal employees take, some to very nice places (Disney World comes to mind) for training. I'm sure I could find a cheaper way to do those trainings.

Let me look at the budget, I'm sure I can find cuts.

[cebdark]

The year before our school consolidated, the school board went through the budget line by line and cut the living snot out of it. They left absolutely no item unturned.

For one example, they stopped buying workbooks and started copying them instead. Teachers and parent volunteers manned the copiers. They bought bulk covers to bind them with. That process alone saved a significant amount of money. They used internet sources (free ones or low cost ones which didn't require yearly license fees or the fees were relatively low). Teachers dug into their own pockets (yet again, as they often do - that seems to be a secret) to buy supplies at the Dollar Tree. Parents, the PTF, etc. donated as well.

Any aides they could get rid of, they did (barring federal mandates because like most everywhere else, we can't get along without federal payments). I can imagine 'they' like to call this practice of 'do it or else we aren't paying you a dime of funding' an 'incentive.'

Personally, I call it 'coercion.' Of course school districts are going to comply. Towns can't afford not to.

In the end, we were still forced to consolidate, and my taxes have done nothing but go UP. The DH and I predicted this outcome several years ago, when we questioned EPS allocation numbers that didn't add up right. It was pretty obvious to those who were paying attention IMHO.


Many retirees in our town are not happy about school spending, but unfortunately, aside from the few that actually attended a meeting or two, they largely stayed away. Their taxes continued to climb.

Now our town just voted down the school budget, but guess what? The other two towns voted it right through anyway.

There were those of us who were quite vocal about that very scenario happening if we didn't stand up and say "Uh, No. We'll pay the penalty and wait it out thank you. It'll cost less in the long run."

People were too afraid of the unknown and voted it in anyway.

We need to be careful what we wish for.

When people do not argue a point once and a while, to me anyway, they get out what they put in.

C'est la vie.

[RHB]

Although some of the ideas in reloop's post are interesting, I want to make note, that my post didn't touch books or supplies for the students, it only touched the admin people. I think we need to quit looking at the classrooms for cuts, and look at the offices.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

There is a lien process. Usually starts with notices going out after 10 months or so and ends in about 34 months with foreclosure. Not sure of the whole timeline but that's pretty close as I recall. The town does not have to foreclose though. Here, we set up payment schedules to help out. We recoup back monies and they keep their house. We don't need more off the tax roles. There's enough already.

Heh, heh, heh...many years ago, when those in arrears were painted with the 'scarlet letter' of having their names listed in the annual town report for past-due property taxes, we had a lawyer in town whose name was always prominently listed for a few pieces of property he owned.

Eh, most of the time it wasn't much, $50 here, $200 there - once and a while upwards of near $900, but he never lost any of his properties. He'd wait until the last possible minute and then pay them.

In other words, he gamed the system. He wasn't alone.

I recall asking my parents about that once (as a child) when I was looking at the report. I asked them why our name was never listed there.

Their reply?

Because one's bills must be paid before money is spent on anything else. Taxes are bills.

He may be crooked, but we like to be able to sleep at night.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by RHB

Although some of the ideas in reloop's post are interesting, I want to make note, that my post didn't touch books or supplies for the students, it only touched the admin people. I think we need to quit looking at the classrooms for cuts, and look at the offices.

I agree. They also cut administration positions, but once we consolidated, it seemed we had more since we now had 3 towns to administer.

[PAhippo]

One thing I think should happen is make parents responsible for damage their kids do to school property, including desks, books, walls,...

A certain amt of wear and tear is expected of course but tax payers shouldn't have to pay to have a wall painted cuz sweet lil Johnny or Susie decided to scribble nasty grams on it.

[Zarathu]

Originally Posted by RHB

What are my choices? I don't know your system. I know in WA state, some teachers, and school board people had cars. I'd take away their cars (if they are using them for school business, paying milage on a personal car would be cheaper than paying for the whole car). I know there are trips that state (schools being a part of that) and federal employees take, some to very nice places (Disney World comes to mind) for training. I'm sure I could find a cheaper way to do those trainings.

Let me look at the budget, I'm sure I can find cuts.

Wow! cars for employees? grips to disney world? Who wouldn't cut that? no such thing in my district.

[Kiwiluver]

Those who got graduate degrees(MA, MS, MEd, EdD, PHD, ETC) have retirement incomes above $60K per year.

I don't think the State of North Carolina Retirement System got this memo!

[Zarathu]

Originally Posted by Kiwiluver

Those who got graduate degrees(MA, MS, MEd, EdD, PHD, ETC) have retirement incomes above $60K per year.

I don't think the State of North Carolina Retirement System got this memo!

I don't believe this was memo, it was quote from Money Magazine. However, if for 40 years of working, you religiously save 10-11% of your paycheck, there is a good chance that you can amass more than a million dollars total. And if you add your social security income to that at age 62, then you will have an income of around $60,000 a year for the next 25 years of life after that.

But you have to start putting away 10 to 11% of your income after taxes to make this happen. Lots of people do it.