100$ for drivers license conversion?! MA you blow! (Boston, Lowell: condo, low crime)

[NEOhioBound]

So, my driver's license expires next month and is from another state. The state it is issued from is the one I was born and raised in, but since 2009, I have declared another state as my home of record due to the military spouse relief act. Needless to say, I can't renew my current license as I do not have a residency there, I can not get one from the state I do claim as I have no way to get there to get a new license (I did have one from that state prior to the current state one I have) so I am stuck with getting one here in MA.

And well, it is going to cost 100$!! Is it just me or isn't that ridiculously expensive?! I have never lived in any state where it cost even NEAR that much and I have lived in a LOT of states

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by NEOhioBound

So, my driver's license expires next month and is from another state. The state it is issued from is the one I was born and raised in, but since 2009, I have declared another state as my home of record due to the military spouse relief act. Needless to say, I can't renew my current license as I do not have a residency there, I can not get one from the state I do claim as I have no way to get there to get a new license (I did have one from that state prior to the current state one I have) so I am stuck with getting one here in MA.

And well, it is going to cost 100$!! Is it just me or isn't that ridiculously expensive?! I have never lived in any state where it cost even NEAR that much and I have lived in a LOT of states

Well, you haven't seen the beginning of it yet to live in MA..... my condolences... I didn't walk, I RAN away from living there, ever again. I wouldn't let my dog live there, (well, for the welfare, college benefits for illegal aliens, and unemployment payments made her a wealthy dog, which they did).

[NEOhioBound]

I have no choice as I am stationed here with military(husband is Active) Thank goodness we only have a year left here. There are many things I love about MA, but the taxes as well as what you mentioned, make me look forward to leaving next year

[sfosyd]

People are such babies! Massachusetts is in the bottom tier of states when it comes to tax burden:

Massachusetts' Tax Burden Falls to Bottom Tier of States | Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Also, you get great schools, low crime, clean air and water, exciting cities, high wages, a four season climate and access to so many different cool places. If you want to complain about taxes and fees, come to New York City btw which is still great despite the crazy taxes. You get what you pay for and Mass is a relative bargain!

[snatale1]

Originally Posted by sfosyd

People are such babies! Massachusetts is in the bottom tier of states when it comes to tax burden:

Massachusetts' Tax Burden Falls to Bottom Tier of States | Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Also, you get great schools, low crime, clean air and water, exciting cities, high wages, a four season climate and access to so many different cool places. If you want to complain about taxes and fees, come to New York City btw which is still great despite the crazy taxes. You get what you pay for and Mass is a relative bargain!

I live in VA now, where we pay tax on MORE than we did in MA....BUT you still make out because unlike MA, they don't overcharge for everything they can!

MA My Drivers Lic $55 (i think)
Commercial Plates $~140
Title $75

Converted to VA
Drivers $Lic $12
Plates $10
Title $15

That's just for the truck, let alone the rest of life. MA rapes the life out you. Comparing to a place like NY which is even worse doesn't make MA any better. Higher wages mean NOTHING when everything else costs more! I took a $12,000 paycut when I moved down here, and after cost of living was factored in, I have MORE money! MA is NO Bargain!

[tigerclaws]

Though I love living in MA, the DL was one of my pet peeves when I moved here from CA. I call it daylight robbery....

[sfosyd]

I've found northern Virginia, where the jobs are, to be more EXPENSIVE than the Boston environs and a much worse quality of life all around: traffic (kill me now), sprawl, crime, climate, people and far from any bodies of water. Ahh well to each his own.

[Bruins_Fan]

Originally Posted by sfosyd

People are such babies! Massachusetts is in the bottom tier of states when it comes to tax burden:

Massachusetts' Tax Burden Falls to Bottom Tier of States | Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Also, you get great schools, low crime, clean air and water, exciting cities, high wages, a four season climate and access to so many different cool places. If you want to complain about taxes and fees, come to New York City btw which is still great despite the crazy taxes. You get what you pay for and Mass is a relative bargain!

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by sfosyd

People are such babies! Massachusetts is in the bottom tier of states when it comes to tax burden:

Massachusetts' Tax Burden Falls to Bottom Tier of States | Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Also, you get great schools, low crime, clean air and water, exciting cities, high wages, a four season climate and access to so many different cool places. If you want to complain about taxes and fees, come to New York City btw which is still great despite the crazy taxes. You get what you pay for and Mass is a relative bargain!

ROTFLMAO.

I only lived in MA for about 30 years, so ignore what I say.

-- The tax burden in the link you stated is only for personal income, and was written 8 years ago, and the newest data there is 10 years ago. The MTF, is, ummm, not exactly unbiased.
-- Great schools; for a few towns, but a handful of awesome private ones.
-- Low crime: Try Lawrence (2nd only to Newark NJ for car theft), New Bedford.... I can name about 30 more. Ever wonder why there are so many drug rehabs in MA? Try western MA if you want to be scared.
For a crime rate of highest to lowest, 100 being the highest (and the top 100 in the country for populations over 25K), Lowell MA is 66, Brockton MA is 58, Holyoke is 53, New Beford is 49, Fall River is 48, Chelsea is 14... So for the worst crime rates in the US, MA has more than its fair share...
-- Exciting cities: can only name one or two.
-- High wages: Yes
-- Four season climate: Yes
--Clean air & water: tell me why MA adopted the CA emissions rules for cars. Then tell me about Woburn, MA, and 'Leukemia street'. Let's talk about the Pilgrim nuclear plant in Plymouth MA. Geez. Ahh, and W.R. Grace. Do you want me to list all the rivers that you aren't allowed to fish in, because of mercury levels?
-- I know all about NYC.... when I am in the states, I stay at my place there sometimes. For 'getting what you pay for', IMHO, NYC trumps MA, hands down.

[atvwife]

Positives and negatives to MA, but if you make any money at all they'll do their darned best to take it from you so they can "redistribute" it.