Maine taxes ... new report (Auburn, Hope: how much, houses, income)

[nullgeo]

Having read much on this Forum about Maine's tax burden, I am sure a number of you contributors and readers will find this new report interesting.

No comment from me — or opinion. Just information for you.

First link is quick, superficial review of "top 10" / "bottom 10" in U.S. rankings for burdens. Maine rates in neither category. Second link is to complete study and has a downloadable statistical set of specifics. Maine ranks 15th in this study.

NJ, NY top list of highest state+local taxes; where does your state fall? - WalletPop Blog
The Tax Foundation - State-Local Tax Burdens Dip As Income Growth Outpaces Tax Growth

[Labamba]

Thank you, nullgeo. We have seen this report and our resident analysts are dissecting it as I write this. Here's our thread on this and thank you for your interest in Maine:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/maine...-relative.html

[Maineah]

There is a lot more to that study than meets the eye.
They have done a lot of paper shuffling and re-categorizing of different taxes to make the final burden seem less than what they have previously been reporting. Lipstick on a pig as someone else called it. Good analogy.
You don't go from number one to number 15 overnight when they haven't changed a darn thing without some very suspicious accounting proceedures. Don't trust that study.
Trust the hole in your wallet...that is much more telling than some skewed study.

[dmyankee]

All they did was rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic. Now, what an out of stater pays in property tax is no longer figured into the equation, among other things.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Labamba

Thank you, nullgeo. We have seen this report and our resident analysts are dissecting it as I write this. Here's our thread on this and thank you for your interest in Maine:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/maine...-relative.html

Thanks for the notice, Labamba ... I see the earlier thread now ... I was out of the loop from the 6th thru 9th as medics and surgeons were piecing me back together following an argument I lost with a car while I was bike riding. Now, as I return to browsing articles and net, and can type with one finger of one hand (other in a cast), I noted article on taxes. Thought to self, "now there's a subject I can relate to" (pain). Got carried away and jumped to post before catching up the lost days.

I'll go back to eating through my straw now for the next few months. Any move I make to Maine is postponed another year now anyway. You all enjoy now

[RMoore007]

Yikes! Don't let them catch you nullgeo

Sorry to hear of your accident. Hope you get well soon.

[Nor'Eastah]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

medics and surgeons were piecing me back together following an argument I lost with a car while I was bike riding.

Hang in there, nullgeo! Prayers comin' your way for a speedy recovery! We wish you would be more careful! Take care of yourself!

[flycessna]

Well, i think what is sad is that at first glance, it was not Maine that so much came down in its tax burden as it was as much other states increasing their own. IMHO....it's not a win for Maine as much as it is a loss for Americans at large. I did like the quote that said the south looked as though it had tax bargains galore. Since I have lived in the south and have family down their...I can agree..their tax structure us much less intrusive then ours up here in the North east. But agian..........things have been changing down there as well as the demographics change the conservative majority is losing seats.

[Rachael84]

So how much is the average property tax in Maine? My fiance and I are looking for houses on Long Island (NY. Where I grew up), and the average there is 8,000/yr.

[flycessna]

statistically the state is a little over 1% of the value. In the cities you will see it 2% to 2.5% of value. here in Auburn I pay 4k for a home that would sell for about 200k or less. And that 4k is a larger portion of my overall income then if i was living and working on Long island paying 8k... So its all in the value.

basically.....do not move to Maine because you think it is cheaper to live here.....(unless you want to go extreme rural). Come to Maine because you was a specific quality of life you cannot find elswhere.