A debate: How to grow Maine's economy? (to rent, health insurance)

[dmyankee]

Privatize the schools! Watch the dead wood left to float downstream in a hurry.

Drop all of the onerous Business Equipment taxes! Why should you take a hit, just because I want to expand my business.

The small business people in this State are getting screwed at every turn (and there ain't no love'in involved!)

My momma used to tell us to stay in school and study hard. Otherwise we would be working for the State. Doesn't seem like a bad proposition these days, does it?

I have two buddies ready to retire in the next four years from the Feds. One worked for the ANG, DOD and the FAA. He faces mandatory retirement, well before 65, and will be receiving $80k per year the rest of his life. The other is a consultant to the USA at the DOD and has been working past mandatory early retirement. His retirement pay will be $146k per year. Some friggin' deal, huh?

Get rid of all public employee unions. Some one can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the President can revoke them with an executive order.

[Maineac]

Sure. Privatize the schools. The deadwood floats downstream, creates a log jam, climbs out on the bank realizing you've screwed them out of an education, and heads back upsteam after you. You don't seem to understand WHY there are public schools and have been since this Country was formed. And why truancy applies to both students AND parents.

I agree with you on the asinine Federal retirement plans. Including the Judicary and the military. Combat veterans should be treated differently. Just hangin' in the ANG for 20 years shouldn't qualify you for what they get, but the retirement and bennies were promised. What do you do? I went through school with one Bangor cop. He retired several years ago at age 46 with a pile of benefits and is now a well paid "consultant." I, on the other hand, get to work 24 years longer than him just to survive. It doesn't add up. But I guess someone has to work to pay his bennies so he can work his new job.

I'm not sure if I agree on the business equipment tax. I've been self employed for over 25 years and am keenly aware of the benefits of owning a small company, vehicles, phones, computers, "home office", deductible expenses, exemptions and the like. I could make less money than my "employed" friends and still have a lot more toys, time off, travel and bennies.

Nope. You've got to balance "cleaning house" with common sense or you end up with a complete mess. Too many people living in the U.S. now, and it's only going to get more densely populated. You want to select a large segment of society to cut out of America and push them "downstream." That's asking for trouble down the road. If your thought process is to ask for everything and hope for something, your credibility is going to suffer and people won't listen to any of it.

[Acadianlion]

[quote=Maineac;13076310] Combat veterans should be treated differently. Just hangin' in the ANG for 20 years shouldn't qualify you for what they get, but the retirement and bennies were promised.

Oh, I am so sorry, but this is just simply wrong. Apparently you haven't been watching the wrongful wars being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now more and more the developing wars in the Africa.

What "hanging around in the ANG" for 20 years gets one is a phone call at some point in the middle of the night and an "opportunity" to travel to some far off place and get blown apart. The US transfered its military capability to the National Guard system beginning in the 1970's because it was far cheaper to do that than to maintain a large standing military force. It all worked well right up until George Bush decided to go beat up on someone that he thought wouldn't be able to fight back.

Today we have ANG troops being rotated in and out of combat on a regular basis, and I can tell you with absolutely no fear of contradiction, a soldier from the Army National Guard on active duty bleeds just as well and the same color as a regular army soldier.

The national guard and reserve systems have worked well and efficiently. The Air National Guard is the worlds second best air force. The army national guard enables us to maintain a standing, combat ready force at a far less cost than if we kept three or four million on active duty all the time.

The implication that an ANG or Reserve component member is on a twenty year boodogle, is offensive and absolutely incorrect. During the Vietnam War the National Guard was not Federalized for service in Southeast Asia. Following the Vietnam War, the National Guard mission was changed, and they became an integral component of the active force and because of the regular force reduction, the ANG WOULD be called up if and when a major force was necessary.

[Maineac]

I knew and know an awful lot of people in the ANG who have never been anywhere near a gun loaded with the intent to fire it at an enemy. And I know an awful lot of people in the ANG that got free rides to Utah skiing year after year after year (and a certain General that got spanked for it), a lot of nice trips to Italy, a thrift savings plan, automatic deposit bimonthly, and not a whole lot of difficult, sweaty work when hangin' in the hood at the end of the Griffin Road. Like I said, actual combat duty is different. But the benefits were promised when they signed up, and arguing about the whole thing is mooted by the fact that my wishes will never come true. The Government will always take care of itself.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by Maineac

I knew and know an awful lot of people in the ANG who have never been anywhere near a gun loaded with the intent to fire it at an enemy. And I know an awful lot of people in the ANG that got free rides to Utah skiing year after year after year (and a certain General that got spanked for it), a lot of nice trips to Italy, a thrift savings plan, automatic deposit bimonthly, and not a whole lot of difficult, sweaty work when hangin' in the hood at the end of the Griffin Road. Like I said, actual combat duty is different. But the benefits were promised when they signed up, and arguing about the whole thing is mooted by the fact that my wishes will never come true. The Government will always take care of itself.

Spoken like someone truly out of date, out of touch, and who probably never served.

Sounds a lot like a crony of Dubya.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

... I have two buddies ready to retire in the next four years from the Feds. One worked for the ANG, DOD and the FAA. He faces mandatory retirement, well before 65, and will be receiving $80k per year the rest of his life. The other is a consultant to the USA at the DOD and has been working past mandatory early retirement. His retirement pay will be $146k per year. Some friggin' deal, huh?

I was forced into retirement, due to a policy called 'High-Year-Tenure'.

I make far less than your buddies do.

My pension is much closer to what a burger-flipper makes.

[flycessna]

Forest, You deserve your pension as you worked and put the time in. It is obviousley a choice but it is still a sacrifice and I appreciate all military personal for the comittment they make when they join.

I however am concerned with the idea that being in the military can be lucrative. What I mean by that is I have seen so many people collecting partial disability pensions for minor injuries that don't even make them disabled. they collect and then go out and work regular careers.. and this is for LIFE! and just in my normal daily life I have come across so many that I can only assume that it must be rampant.. And I am not talking about sever or even chonic legitmate injuries as I had a serious injury one time and for many years it was dibilitating.. I know the effect that can have on someone so I am not trying to pass judgment on anyone. I just see too many young people taking advantage of a system that was in place to protect people who are seriously impared.

PS.. all someone has to do and go to USA jobs and take a look at the pay for these jobs.. military included!! My buddy is interviewing for a job the dod and he was telling me that he will automatically go from a GS-7 30-40k?? to GS 12 in the first 5 years which will pay over 100k.. he said there is nothing in the private sector that will compare for same job.

[RMoore007]

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More of this?
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We need cheaper forms of
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Or maybe we should all learn how to do this.Make Maine the Curling Capitol of the World.

That's all I've got. What do you expect from a Californian who pays way too much taxes, gambles a little for fun, needs cheaper electricity and loves curling. (Sorry Canada. I was rooting for you.)

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All kidding aside, I was thinking of starting a new business in Maine but it's just not the right time. Maybe later. I had looked into all my costs, zoning, property taxes, inventory, workforce and building plans. Money is too tight. People aren't spending. Returns looked discouraging. I won't quit though. Just postponing until my business picks up in CA.

I found out that Maine has a 16.7% tourism economy. Higher than all other New England states and even Florida which is 12.5%. Thats a lot of money. Around $10 billion I think. For comparison, snowmobiling is a $300 million dollar industry alone in Maine.

I would think that in order to capitalize on this percentage, we need to continue supporting our strong tourism industry.
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From the Maine.gov site:

“In 2006, tourism directly and indirectly generated roughly one in five dollars of sales throughout Maine’s economy. It supported the equivalent of one in six Maine jobs.”

An estimated 139,700 jobs and $10 billion dollars in sales were supported by tourism in 2006.

“In 2006, about one-fifth of state sales tax revenues were directly or indirectly attributable to tourism. Adding income and fuel taxes, state government received approximately $429 million tourism-related tax dollars.”

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If we are at 16.7% in 2006, why can't we be at 18+% in the years to come? Seems people already like coming to Maine. Let's give them and even more people reasons to spend their money here rather than somewhere else. I guess coming up with the "reasons" is the crux of the matter.

Ok, I guess I had a little bit more.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

I have two buddies ready to retire in the next four years from the Feds. One worked for the ANG, DOD and the FAA. He faces mandatory retirement, well before 65, and will be receiving $80k per year the rest of his life. The other is a consultant to the USA at the DOD and has been working past mandatory early retirement. His retirement pay will be $146k per year. Some friggin' deal, huh?

I don't know about the rest of them but the ANG pays for what goes into their retirement nowadays - in more than sweat equity that is.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by Maineac

I knew and know an awful lot of people in the ANG who have never been anywhere near a gun loaded with the intent to fire it at an enemy. And I know an awful lot of people in the ANG that got free rides to Utah skiing year after year after year (and a certain General that got spanked for it), a lot of nice trips to Italy, a thrift savings plan, automatic deposit bimonthly, and not a whole lot of difficult, sweaty work when hangin' in the hood at the end of the Griffin Road. Like I said, actual combat duty is different. But the benefits were promised when they signed up, and arguing about the whole thing is mooted by the fact that my wishes will never come true. The Government will always take care of itself.

Since 9/11 the ANG might just as well be active duty, and most of them have been activated. They also do rotations overseas - frequently.

They've also been 24/7 since 9-11. It's a whole differing ball of wax now, and I assure you, they work for it. At least most of them do, but I've worked in enough private sector places to see that it is no where near exclusive to the government.