Moving to Maine?What to do??? (Portland, Lewiston: low income, leases, crime rates)

[Acadianlion]

Maine has ALL the social problems that exist in all the other areas of the country. Make no mistake: once you cross the New Hampshire/Maine border you do NOT go back to a kindler gentler time.

Now, having said that, Maine does not have the enormous amount of lawless chaos that exists in most of the more densly populated areas of the country. Yes, many people have trouble finding work that pays what they think they should be paid. We have a very small economy: remember: 1.2 million people in the whole state, and this is not a small state by any margin.

The Brookings Institution has just released a major study about Maine. The institute spent a long time and a lot of money travelling all over the state to map out the good, the bad, and the ugly things about the state. The study is a guideline that is being implemented by the Governor in a major effort to reform those issues that hold Maine back. The Maine "brand" has great value, and enhancing that value is a major undertaking that is starting now, to insure a good future for people living, working or wanting to come here to live and work.

One very important conclusion that was reached by the Brooking's researchers was that as they travelled all over the state and talked to all sorts of people from all walks and stations in life, they found one common thread: Maine people LOVE the place they live with a passion that the Brooking's institution has NEVER found in any place that they have been before.

As I said at the top of this, things are not perfect in Maine. This is not heaven on earth. But the vast majority of us who live here are here because we love it here, warts and all, and don't want to be any where else. We enjoy Maine for all the wonders that enfold it, and we'll work on the warts as we go along.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by AllAboutME

Gotcha. Yes, I am speaking about Portland.

allaboutme, this quote is taken directly from the PORTLAND PRESS HERALD, portlands' largest newspaper


As Portland evolves, its toughest challenges will be preserving safe neighborhoods and maintaining good schools. Both have put Portland on national lists of safest cities and best places to raise children. Police and school budgets already demand a lot from taxpayers, and that need likely will intensify in the future.




Portland's crime rate dropped significantly in the last two decades. In 1987, the city reported 8,176 serious crimes, ranging from larceny and car theft to murder. In 2004, the number of serious crimes fell to 3,282. The crime rate nationally also declined during that period, but not to the same extent.


THE CRIME RATE IN PORTLAND HAS DROPPED OVER 50%!!!!!!!!

[AllAboutME]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

allaboutme, this quote is taken directly from the PORTLAND PRESS HERALD, portlands' largest newspaper


As Portland evolves, its toughest challenges will be preserving safe neighborhoods and maintaining good schools. Both have put Portland on national lists of safest cities and best places to raise children. Police and school budgets already demand a lot from taxpayers, and that need likely will intensify in the future.




Portland's crime rate dropped significantly in the last two decades. In 1987, the city reported 8,176 serious crimes, ranging from larceny and car theft to murder. In 2004, the number of serious crimes fell to 3,282. The crime rate nationally also declined during that period, but not to the same extent.


THE CRIME RATE IN PORTLAND HAS DROPPED OVER 50%!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I read that. 2006 was not considered. Also, the PPH left out some other key stats. I'm trying to find the other article that included it and will post it if I can find it.

[AllAboutME]

http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/justiceresearch/News.Databook.htm (broken link)

This is what I was seeking:
· Violent crimes increased by 0.7 percent, including an increase of 7.4 percent in robbery and 3.7 percent in aggravated assaults.

Yes, Maine is still one of the safest states, other kinds of crimes have declined, it's one of the things I love. However, certain kinds of crimes, mostly fueled by drugs, are on the rise.

Keep your eyes open for 2006 reports.

[AllAboutME]

Originally Posted by Acadianlion

Maine has ALL the social problems that exist in all the other areas of the country. Make no mistake: once you cross the New Hampshire/Maine border you do NOT go back to a kindler gentler time.

Now, having said that, Maine does not have the enormous amount of lawless chaos that exists in most of the more densly populated areas of the country. Yes, many people have trouble finding work that pays what they think they should be paid. We have a very small economy: remember: 1.2 million people in the whole state, and this is not a small state by any margin.

The Brookings Institution has just released a major study about Maine. The institute spent a long time and a lot of money travelling all over the state to map out the good, the bad, and the ugly things about the state. The study is a guideline that is being implemented by the Governor in a major effort to reform those issues that hold Maine back. The Maine "brand" has great value, and enhancing that value is a major undertaking that is starting now, to insure a good future for people living, working or wanting to come here to live and work.

One very important conclusion that was reached by the Brooking's researchers was that as they travelled all over the state and talked to all sorts of people from all walks and stations in life, they found one common thread: Maine people LOVE the place they live with a passion that the Brooking's institution has NEVER found in any place that they have been before.

As I said at the top of this, things are not perfect in Maine. This is not heaven on earth. But the vast majority of us who live here are here because we love it here, warts and all, and don't want to be any where else. We enjoy Maine for all the wonders that enfold it, and we'll work on the warts as we go along.

Bravo!!! Well said.

[Elcarim]

I always chuckle when I read posts about the "gang problems" and crime rates in Maine. I must say, coming out of Houston, TX, NOTHING will deter us from Maine as we plan our move across country for next year.

Acadianlion, I LOVE your post about the study done on the state. It truly speaks volumes that the people living, breathing and working in the state with all it's "warts" STILL wouldn't want to live anywhere else. That's good enough for me!

See you all in 12 days!!

[MsJL]

Look, here's my take on it:

Had I stayed in NH, I could have

statistically speaking

paid less property tax.

But the house itself would have cost 3-4 times as much.

I could live in a city whose crime rate has actually decreased by a percentage point

statistically speaking

but the point of reference that indicates the percentage is already far more than Maine.

IOW, if a real number of murders, used to calculate such things "statistically", is 100, then 5 fewer murders in the subsequent year reflects a drop in the murder rate of 5%. By the same means, a place with 1 murder one year and 2 the next has a jump in the murder rate of 100%.

(BTW, you also have to check the facts on the types of crime. Many, across the board, are due to domestic violence - intimate-on-intimate - and are not stranger-to-victim.)

As to the high cost of living and the tax rates, etc.: if the lovely house I'm in sold for $75,000 5 years ago (and from what I've seen, it would have), and I paid $149,900 for it last year, then yes, the housing prices around here have doubled in 5 years. Statistically, they haven't doubled on the house I came here from in NH - they've only gone up about 3-4% - but that's on property valued now at $500,000. My taxes run a couple thousand, which looks like a pretty big percentage; however, the taxes on the house I left last spring were over $8,000.

Well, at least they have no income/sales tax in NH, right? Statistically, they look good there and Maine's in a bad way. It all depends on how you want to regard things.

Then again, there's certainly nothing wrong with being concerned about the stats, as long as they're kept based in the truth, and aren't used to discourage people who so badly want what we have here. People who come here looking for a better life - not a better image of a life - will cherish this place.

BTW, my daughter and I came to a decision last night: we're Portland-bound, everyone. Wish us luck...

[MsJL]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

I always chuckle when I read posts about the "gang problems" and crime rates in Maine. I must say, coming out of Houston, TX, NOTHING will deter us from Maine as we plan our move across country for next year.

Acadianlion, I LOVE your post about the study done on the state. It truly speaks volumes that the people living, breathing and working in the state with all it's "warts" STILL wouldn't want to live anywhere else. That's good enough for me!

See you all in 12 days!!

Safe trip, okay?

[Annabelle56]

Hi All,
Thank you so much for your posts,I truly appreciate the info.If you were to take what we pay here in sales tax (my initial post)and compare it to your taxes in Maine-is it similar?Less?More?

[MsJL]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

msjl, again, excellent post!!

Awww, thanks.

Maine people are just so nice...