Why do you all think your taxes are so high? (Portland: real estate, apartment)

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Audry524

Good question!

I've run the numbers over and over and over and compared to everything I pay here in CT, Maine seems like a bargain to me.

That's not to say that it's a bargain compared to some other states but in most towns in Maine my property tax on my home alone is double what it would be in Maine for twice the house and 2-3 times the land. Other taxes work out to be less too.

That is what we have seen during our move to Maine.

From so many folks whinning about their taxes, it would appear that there are a minority of areas where their mil rates are medium [not high and not low]. However most of Maine enjoys very low mil rates.

Perhaps it is because I moved here to Maine as a retiree. My wife works part-time, so our combined income is low and under the radar of Maine's income taxes.

Perhaps it is because we moved to an area of Maine where the tax base is low [which is most of Maine].

Perhaps it is because I have lived in areas before where we did truly pay high taxes.

Enjoy

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Good luck to all, hope you find you are right and all the financial analysts are wrong, I really mean that.

They are right..........at least as far as they are concerned. But so are we. I look at this board and see this....... I see the ones who are here and look at their tax bill and are saying geeze..I am paying a lot of taxes, and then there are those who are not paying a lot in taxes...in fact some of them probably are paying hardly any taxes at all.....

We all have choices.............of course...........moving to northern Maine and living like a hermit would not work for me........nor does it appeal to me in any way shape or form. But I do not consider myself a whiner......I do pay a lot in taxes to the state of Maine and to it’s municipalities........and MY taxes would be cheaper in many other states. I find a little disconcerting that so many people here have actual contempt for anything that they would consider negative commentary about Maine, Especially when the commentary is backed up by multiple personal experiences and mounds of statistical data.

Maine is essentially a huge wealth redistribution state…..those that pay taxes and those that don’t. Maybe some of that contempt comes from the fact they like it that way.

The morality of socialism can be summed-up in two words: envy and self-sacrifice. Envy is the desire to not only possess another’s wealth but also the desire to see another’s wealth lowered to the level of one’s own

[Trailmonkey]

FWIW, my last electric bill was almost 16 cents per KWH.

But, that does not mean that I want to move somewhere that the electric is under 10 cents. I like it here. I would like to see more hydro generators, etc. Instead, they are tearing them out. Huh?

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by flycessna

I find a little disconcerting that so many people here have actual contempt for anything that they would consider negative commentary about Maine, Especially when the commentary is backed up by multiple personal experiences and mounds of statistical data.

Maine is essentially a huge wealth redistribution state…..those that pay taxes and those that don’t. Maybe some of that contempt comes from the fact they like it that way.

All states have their share of the population that holds it in the highest regards, but Mainers tend to go a little overboard at the slightest negativity towards Maine. That's just a general observation and I am not slinging mud at anyone.

For as much as Mainers complain about the way things are, they sure do seem to lack any motivation to do anything about it. Not that Mainers are lazy, but in their reluctance to change lies a contentment to keep things the way they are.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by flycessna

We all have choices.............of course...........moving to northern Maine and living like a hermit would not work for me........nor does it appeal to me in any way shape or form.

It isn't a strictly Northern Maine/Southern Maine issue though. I live as far north as all but one or two of the posters here on the forum, and I still have very high taxes. Property, income, etc.... Not higher dollar wise, but higher as in the percentage of my income that goes to paying those taxes. Sure dollar for dollar my property taxes here are less than the property taxes on the house in Michigan was ($1100 -vs- $1250) but when you take in consideration that the property here is valued at less than 1/3 the other it doesn't look so good anymore. When you factor in that we make +20K LESS here than there, it looks even worse. Couple that with a higher income tax rate for us and it starts to hurt even more. Dollar for dollar it very well may be less than where you are, and if you are on a fixed income, or low income then it is going to be a relief for you. If not, and you pay taxes every year, look carefully where you are planning on moving to, and what your income is going to do when you get here, it may be an unpleasant surprise if you don't do homework very carefully.

[399083453]

Q. Why do you all think your taxes are so high?

A. Cuz Mainer's are poor.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by Bydand

It isn't a strictly Northern Maine/Southern Maine issue though. I live as far north as all but one or two of the posters here on the forum, and I still have very high taxes.

OK, I guess I really didn't mean Northern as much as rural. unorganized comes to mind. I think there was a time only Cities were pushing the envalope of high mil rates. Then it pushed into the smaller towns. Now "most" towns surrounding the cities now have budget crises's and the Mil rates are climbing. The last safe havens are unorganized areas and some out of way towns.

It almost seems Maine is for the unemployed, poor retirees, poor people in genreal, and minimalists.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I just received a book today by Dr. Lyle H. Rossiter, Jr. MD. The title is; "The Liberal Mind". We finally have a scholarly text in sociology that dissects and reveals the psychoses that constitute the liberal mind. It is well documented. Dr. Rossiter graduated from the University of Chicago. He is board certified in both general and forensic psychiatry and has diagnosedc and treated mental disorders for more than 40 years. He has consulted in more than 2,700 cases in both state and federal jurisdictions.

People from the south side of "the line" are not under attack by people from the north side. It is the people in Northern Maine that are under attack. They are the victims of rural cleansing. As Rodney King said so famously, "Can't we all just get along?" Good question, Rodney. Maybe if we can understand people on the other side we can make them see why and how we wish to preserve our way of life. Since we mean them no harm, why should they mean us harm? This book will help me understand these people better.

[RMoore007]

Originally Posted by flycessna

It almost seems Maine is for the unemployed, poor retirees, poor people in genreal, and minimalists.

Most all of the dozens of relatives and lifelong friends that I know live quite well in Central Maine and are employed. Or they are retired from their work and live quite well. And I am talking about people that have lived there forever. But where your statement may be more true is if you are talking about newcomers. I could give you examples in my own family. If you are poor somewhere else like California and move to Maine and live poor, you may still make less than you did before, but end up with more stuff and a better house to live in with way more property, even for renters. And probably a better school for your kids and an active community to live in with adjacent communities that are similar. Your quality of life may go up with a new found stamina for the seasons that you will encounter. No place like Maine for season awareness. And I can guarantee all newcomers to Maine, you will be comparing your new surroundings, money flow and weather to your old surroundings, money flow and weather. Just feel free to express yourself openly when it's positive. All the rest in private. And with the tax burdon, my family complains about taxes just like we do out here. But it doesn't seem to stop them from living there. I miss not living near my family and am making motions to get there. And I have studied their way of life and money matters and weather differences to no end. I'm ending up there soon, even with those pesky taxes.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by RMoore007

Most all of the dozens of relatives and lifelong friends that I know live quite well in Central Maine and are employed. Or they are retired from their work and live quite well. And I am talking about people that have lived there forever. But where your statement may be more true is if you are talking about newcomers. I could give you examples in my own family. If you are poor somewhere else like California and move to Maine and live poor, you may still make less than you did before, but end up with more stuff and a better house to live in with way more property, even for renters. And probably a better school for your kids and an active community to live in with adjacent communities that are similar. Your quality of life may go up with a new found stamina for the seasons that you will encounter. No place like Maine for season awareness. And I can guarantee all newcomers to Maine, you will be comparing your new surroundings, money flow and weather to your old surroundings, money flow and weather. Just feel free to express yourself openly when it's positive. All the rest in private. And with the tax burdon, my family complains about taxes just like we do out here. But it doesn't seem to stop them from living there. I miss not living near my family and am making motions to get there. And I have studied their way of life and money matters and weather differences to no end. I'm ending up there soon, even with those pesky taxes.

I was raised in California, I attended college in Fresno. My mother lives in Merced, I have brothers in Turlock, Modesto, Sausalito and Sacramento. I once owned apartments in California.

Today I would have extreme difficulty supporting my family with my pension, if I lived in California.

However we have been able to move to Maine, buy a large property and build a house, while we still have one child in school.

If this is 'high taxes' [which are in fact significantly lower than our taxes were in California], then WooHoo! 'high taxes' that cost less.