There are only Pro's in Moving to Maine! (Portland, Auburn: vehicle registration, crimes)

[WoodyWW]

Originally Posted by timthegreat

I am not an expert on snow tires and didn't claim to be. I even stated I have never used them. I am merely stating that it is completely possible to drive without them and have no issues. My "experience" as I should call it is that the local utilities are awesome with clearing snow and I have had no issues driving around without snow tires. What I am saying is driving for 15 years in and around New England without snow tires isn't as difficult as some make it seem.

Well, that can depend greatly on the type of car you have, & the tires--some "All Weather" tires are better than others in snow. FWD is better than RWD, of course. 4WD--even with 4WD, your tires had better be good in snow. I had a Range Rover for about a year--those things can supposedly go thru anything--but with the summer tires it wasn't that great in snow.

IOW, tires are critical. I knew a woman with an AWD Subaru no less, with so-called "All Weather" tires, who slid into the car in front of her on a snowy road (AWD doesn't help you to stop on ice or snow if the tires aren't gripping). I tried to tell her she needed snow tires, & why, even on an AWD Subaru, living out in Groton Mass. with those winding, hilly, 2 lane roads. (She wouldn't listen of course).

And there are some cars--most RWD cars--that aren't going anywhere, at least not safely, in even 2-3 inches of snow. Personally I have a set of Dunlop Winter Sport M3's mounted on separate wheels (for easier & cheaper change-over in Fall & Spring).....

[hmcd2008]

The snow removal thing might be true for the state's highways but that is NOT the case in areas like downtown Lewiston or Auburn!!! I know for a fact that last year's poor snow removal was due to the fact that they didn't have enough workers and ran out of money to pay their drivers.

Some negatives
1. Cost of living is way too high!
2. Toll increases!! $5 round trip to go Portland is insane!
3. Um hello! Did you forget the hurricane that did come in at the coast?!
4. Property taxes are going up, up, & up!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Rhapsodie2014

... it is affecting my mental health.

I hope that you can find peace, somewhere.

... however good employment may be an issue and ME is not that cheap...lol.

Jobs are hard to find in Maine.

Cost-Of-Living varies a great deal. Some regions / lifestyles are relatively expensive, others are not.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by hmcd2008

The snow removal thing might be true for the state's highways but that is NOT the case in areas like downtown Lewiston or Auburn!!! I know for a fact that last year's poor snow removal was due to the fact that they didn't have enough workers and ran out of money to pay their drivers.

Some negatives
1. Cost of living is way too high!
2. Toll increases!! $5 round trip to go Portland is insane!
3. Um hello! Did you forget the hurricane that did come in at the coast?!
4. Property taxes are going up, up, & up!

Individual townships deal with their own budgets. Some towns are indeed lost when it comes to this process.

Since you find that in your area, your Cost-Of-Living is 'high', and your taxes are going up; perhaps you should consider other places to live?

It has been over a year since I paid a toll. I have no idea about toll increases.

The wind storm after Sandy died was kind of neat, we got 50 knot winds. Too bad the hurricane did not reach Maine, it might have been interesting.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by hmcd2008

The snow removal thing might be true for the state's highways but that is NOT the case in areas like downtown Lewiston or Auburn!!! I know for a fact that last year's poor snow removal was due to the fact that they didn't have enough workers and ran out of money to pay their drivers.

Some negatives
1. Cost of living is way too high!
2. Toll increases!! $5 round trip to go Portland is insane!
3. Um hello! Did you forget the hurricane that did come in at the coast?!
4. Property taxes are going up, up, & up!

1. Compared to what? Compared to living in Central Atlantic Baltimore/Philly, almost everything is cheaper, from food to auto insurance to taxes to even the cost of trash removal.

2. That's no reason not to move to Maine. Stay off the toll roads.

3. Maine generally doesn't have serious hurricanes, The water off the coast is too cold. The one last October was barely a category 1. And it didn't do a whole lot except for the water in long island sound which just happened to be blowing in exactly the right direct on a full moon. We have Nor-easter's on the coast that were worse than that.

4. Again..... If you have your state taxes deducted from your paycheck you won't know. But if you have to save for the state taxes because they cannot be deducted from your pensions, then you know that your local taxes are deducted dollar for dollar from what you owe the state. You will still owe both of them, but I don;t know too many states where the deduction is exactly what you paid in local taxes. I would be paying more now if I'd stayed in the state where I was, when the state didn't tax either of my pensions.

Of course if you live in an un-incorporated territory at 200 bucks for local taxes, this won't help much.

[Richard102938]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Pros Of Retiring to Maine(or moving even if you don't retire):

1. Year after year, our crime rate is one of the lowest in the nation

2. Data from the centers for medicare and medicaid show that Maine offers higher quality care than any other state in the country. We have 39 community hospital that provide readily accessible care, state of the art radiology services, and outstanding physicians. My wife recently was told that there would be a wait to see her OB-GYN. In Mid Atlantic that meant 2.5 months. Here is was 4 weeks.

3. 1000 miles of coastline, 5000 lakes, lots of climbable mountains know far and wide for its scenery

4. Seven state university campuses, Maine Maritime Academy, numerous private institutions of renown including Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Husson University, College of the Atlantic, offer a wide array of cultural event open to student and the public, often free of charge

5. High quality performing arts are everywhere with theater, and dance festivals, symphony orchestras in Portland and Bangor, and concerts for every conceivable taste, both large and small.

6. The state provides well maintained highways with superb snow removal, widespread access to internet and even generally excellent cell phone service despite the wide distances

7. Year round and seasonal restaurants mostly owned by local Mainers offer vast array of excellent food and very reasonable prices

8. Maine almost never encounters the cataclysmic weather occurrences--- hurricanes, tornadoes, mud slides, devastating floods, and forest fires, that occur in many regions.

9. There is little or no “keeping up with the Jones’s” In Maine you are judged by how good a neighbor you are not by how much money you have or what you did before you got here.

10. When you need help, every village has a local handyman who can fix anything.

There are some cons too.

1. Long cold winters.

2. Vary unfriendly business environment.

3. Expensive heating costs

4. High Taxes

5. Horrible roads

6. Vary poor with lots of petty crime

7. Aging population that requires lots of resources

8. Schools with shrinking populations that cost more to keep open

9. Vary clannish attitudes's

10. High substance abuse

[hmcd2008]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

1. Compared to what? Compared to living in Central Atlantic Baltimore/Philly, almost everything is cheaper, from food to auto insurance to taxes to even the cost of trash removal.

2. That's no reason not to move to Maine. Stay off the toll roads.

3. Maine generally doesn't have serious hurricanes, The water off the coast is too cold. The one last October was barely a category 1. And it didn't do a whole lot except for the water in long island sound which just happened to be blowing in exactly the right direct on a full moon. We have Nor-easter's on the coast that were worse than that.

4. Again..... If you have your state taxes deducted from your paycheck you won't know. But if you have to save for the state taxes because they cannot be deducted from your pensions, then you know that your local taxes are deducted dollar for dollar from what you owe the state. You will still owe both of them, but I don;t know too many states where the deduction is exactly what you paid in local taxes. I would be paying more now if I'd stayed in the state where I was, when the state didn't tax either of my pensions.

Of course if you live in an un-incorporated territory at 200 bucks for local taxes, this won't help much.

I compare this to having lived in Ohio and Florida.
Toll roads are an issue if you commute to work.
We did have a hurricane touch land and destroy a road and bridge on the way to Sugarloaf
I don't get a pension, I work, and yes our property taxes in Auburn are going up!

[hmcd2008]

Originally Posted by Submariner

Individual townships deal with their own budgets. Some towns are indeed lost when it comes to this process.

Since you find that in your area, your Cost-Of-Living is 'high', and your taxes are going up; perhaps you should consider other places to live?

It has been over a year since I paid a toll. I have no idea about toll increases.

The wind storm after Sandy died was kind of neat, we got 50 knot winds. Too bad the hurricane did not reach Maine, it might have been interesting.

We are moving out of state. $300 to register our car, $4 a gallon for milk, it's things like these that drive youth away from here! That and the lack of jobs.
Yes there are toll increases. It now costs $2.25 to travel from Auburn to Portland and $3.25 to return.
Don't forget some roads to Sugarloaf mountain were washed away

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by hmcd2008

I compare this to having lived in Ohio and Florida.
Toll roads are an issue if you commute to work.
We did have a hurricane touch land and destroy a road and bridge on the way to Sugarloaf
I don't get a pension, I work, and yes our property taxes in Auburn are going up!

a hurricane touch land on the way to sugarloaf......????

and i thought all these years hurricanes were over the ocean...

taxes in auburn are high, surrounding towns arent so bad...
but its the local government feeding upon itself... (i use to live in auburn)

the 95 tolls are high,,,but we have to make up for the top mta guy embezzling, and for paying his retirement

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Richard102938

There are some cons too.

1. Long cold winters.

2. Vary unfriendly business environment.

3. Expensive heating costs

4. High Taxes

5. Horrible roads

6. Vary poor with lots of petty crime

7. Aging population that requires lots of resources

8. Schools with shrinking populations that cost more to keep open

9. Vary clannish attitudes's

10. High substance abuse

1. OK, but if you don't like winter, then you surely should be in Florida. People who don't like winter never even consider moving to Maine. However, Fall is really long on the coast---slow and beautiful.

2. Can't vouch for the business environment. Some places are friendly, some are not. But you ahve to remember that a state with a very small population tax base is going to have a big problem competing in a business environment with a big rich state.

3. Heating? Compared to what? Georgia? Its all about gear. My heating cost for the entire winter is about $710 to $935. If its a vicious winter, it might rise to $1100. I heat with a wood stove, and buy wood at $$235 a ton. I have an insulated house, and I put insulated coverings on the windows.

You just have to make the adjustments yourself. Not a problem I fit in well, most Mainers are rather self-sufficient. If you're not, then you should probably find a state where self-sufficiency is not a requirment.

4. High taxes? No sorry. Again, compared to where? Tennesee, Mississippi? I'll take Maine over either of those places any day.

5. Horrible Roads? Where? Where I live in Maine the roads are just great.

6. Petty Crime? Maine has one of the lowest crimes stats in the country.

7. Aging population? But resources? I don't understand the issue.

8. Schools are among the best in the country

9. High substance abuse? Not where I live.

Heck... if you don't want to come somewhere, I'm sure you can make up a lot of reasons, even if most of them are completely off the mark.