Why do you all think your taxes are so high? (cost of living, living)

[nullgeo]

Anybody notice that people live in all 50 states, and many thrive in each, regardless of tax structures? That's because individuals have the opportunity to adjust favorably to varying conditions. And it is individual analysis that will guide a person through the pluses and minuses of their particular situation. Anecdotal stories serve little purpose to truth other than to point this out: that individual adjustments and compensations for conditions exist everywhere with regard to taxes.

[krisk590]

I question the way the state is spending our money. IE Olympia Snowe went to a certain business,with an enterouge of people,to see if a certain business would qualify for help to keep it going. 1. I know the business they never should of gotten the help. 2. Why did so many people have to go with her? A driver,a bodygaurd and many more. 3.Geuss who paid for lunch.

Did anyone in Maine realize that about 7-8 yrs ago the state house got new desks,railings,podium etc...and better yet the wood did not come from Maine. It was mahogany. Where does mahogany come from,the rain forest? Who paid for that we did. I think if any of our legislaters travels by car they can have a driver and that is it. Why not put them on the airbus when they fly? Cheap seats just like the regular people.
I don't know maybe I don't have enough education or have not been out enough to know any better. Guess I've said enough.

[forest beekeeper]

It was not my intent to insult anyone nor to belittle anyone.

If anyone feels insulted by what I have said, I do apologize.

As a pensioner and recent immigrant to Maine, I enjoy living in Maine. We have found a wonderful state to live in. In our scenario we are enjoying Maine's wonderfully low 'cost-of-living' and low taxes.

I hope that everyone can find the place where they want to live, and that everyone can live there and prosper there.

[flycessna]

Forest...you give a perspective of Maine that people need to know about. I do belive, what you have done, would not have possible in NH or VT. I don't know wether or not if they even have unincorporated towns?

On a different note, My aunts nephew(no relation to me) is fairly well educated and has recently taking a job overseas in Denmark. He was commenting on their extremely high tax rates.....but yet he likes how everything is "free". He also considers it to be rather clean, more hi tech, and overall, an easy place to live. Oh well....I've been fighting taxes for so long....maybe I should just join the other side

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by flycessna

Forest...you give a perspective of Maine that people need to know about. I do belive, what you have done, would not have possible in NH or VT. I don't know wether or not if they even have unincorporated towns?

On a different note, My aunts nephew(no relation to me) is fairly well educated and has recently taking a job overseas in Denmark. He was commenting on their extremely high tax rates.....but yet he likes how everything is "free". He also considers it to be rather clean, more hi tech, and overall, an easy place to live. Oh well....I've been fighting taxes for so long....maybe I should just join the other side

It is all relative.

When we lived in the UK, people were just accustomed to paying 50% income taxes. Every pound that they earned, 50 pence went to the crown. But everyone that I knew had subsidized mortgage payments. Heating oil prices were set by the crown, if it cost more for an oil distributor to haul oil out to some island, the crown paid the difference. So all businesses made a profit no matter what. Schooling is guaranteed, and at each grade-level each person is evaluated [they sit their boards]. That evaluation is meant to direct you toward a career path. You could stay in school, so long as the school administration thought that your grades showed that you had continuing aptitude toward a particular career. All health care is provided for free, Mooo! Once you become 60, if you are of a lower social class and you get a bad disease than expect pain meds. If you are of a slightly higher class then you could get treatment, until a slightly older age, and then you would be shifted onto pain meds. Only the highest social classes receive medical treatment to the oldest ages.

It costs a lot of money to maintain a system like that.

Cradle to grave.

We have nothing like that.

[jerseygirl52]

Originally Posted by corgis

In Maine the state sales tax is 5% - In WV, it's 6%

In Maine, our property tax is lower than in WV, by almost $1K a year, despite the fact that we have more land and a bigger house in Maine.

In Maine it will cost less to insure our cars, already checked - for the same identical coverage.

In Maine our homeowners insurance is almost $300. a year less than in WV and I am a retired insurance agent with 30 years of selling the stuff, so I know what I'm talking about.

In Maine our Bangor Hydro Electric bill is lower by almost 20. a month than in WV.

I just don't get it - why do people come in here and post that Maine's taxes are the highest in the nation, when they're not - my advice, don't post stuff like that unless you really know your facts.

Yes, car insurance is cheaper BUT it costs MUCH MORE (hundreds) to register a car in Maine. What is with the personal tax? If you own a business, there is absolutely no incentive to make any capital improvements since Maine just taxes you more and calls it a personal tax...so then they can say that the real estate is lower. My real estate taxes are not lower here in Maine. Maybe they were in the past, but over the last 5 years I've seen a huge jump...and those ARE THE FACTS!

[jerseygirl52]

I forgot to mention that sales tax is 5% but hospitality tax is 7%. We also pay taxes on clothes which you do not pay in NJ. In my opinion, Maine is becoming just as liberal and socialistic as VT. We will never be able to attract businesses to Maine if we keep overtaxing businesses. It becomes a vicious cycle...we lose businesses and therefore workers who can pay their fair share, who then have to go on Welfare (or move out of Maine) which costs us more... When are the "powers that be" going to figure this out?

[abatardi]

I was born and raised in Maine but moved out years ago for opportunities elsewhere (try finding a good tech job there), and my sister and the rest of my family are soon to follow (sis making arrangements to sell her practice and get out this year). For what you end up paying... in all forms of taxes, lower incomes, people gaming welfare/assistance programs *constantly* and tax-payers taking the hit... not to mention things like weather considerations (damn near 6 months of winter), etc... it's not worth it. Businesses get frustrated and start to walk away and people follow. I am a liberal and Maine is even getting a bit too liberal for me... Agree with jerseygirl 100%.

- aba

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by jerseygirl52

Yes, car insurance is cheaper BUT it costs MUCH MORE (hundreds) to register a car in Maine.

Our personal experience since moving to Maine has been that registering our vehicles in Maine has been far cheaper.

In Maine you do not purchase the tag, then pay the taxes on the tags, then pay property tax, then pay to 'register' the vehicle to the tag, then pay the annual fee.

In Maine you simple pay the 'excise' tax [which is extremely low], and a registration fee. No big deal and they are both fairly low.

... What is with the personal tax? If you own a business, there is absolutely no incentive to make any capital improvements since Maine just taxes you more and calls it a personal tax...so then they can say that the real estate is lower. My real estate taxes are not lower here in Maine. Maybe they were in the past, but over the last 5 years I've seen a huge jump...and those ARE THE FACTS!

Your 'facts' perhaps. Not any facts that are shared in my reality.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by abatardi

I was born and raised in Maine but moved out years ago for opportunities elsewhere (try finding a good tech job there), and my sister and the rest of my family are soon to follow (sis making arrangements to sell her practice and get out this year). For what you end up paying... in all forms of taxes, lower incomes, people gaming welfare/assistance programs *constantly* and tax-payers taking the hit... not to mention things like weather considerations (damn near 6 months of winter), etc... it's not worth it. Businesses get frustrated and start to walk away and people follow. I am a liberal and Maine is even getting a bit too liberal for me... Agree with jerseygirl 100%.

- aba

It it does not work for you to live and prosper in Maine, I certainly do wish you luck and prosperity wherever you go.

I have lived in a few other places, and we really like this area, it's low taxes, and everything.



caveat emptor