[flu189]

My older son lived in Milton until a few months ago and a few of my work colleagues live either in Milton or nearby Fairfax and I have not heard any major complaints. The reputation of Milton was passed on to us over three years ago when we moved here, but the town has grown and become more developed, hence, changing the original stereotype of an absolute hick town. Being a commuter town for the most part it offers some better pricing for homes as somehow they have been able to build over years in quantity in spite of Vermont's uber regulatory climate. Can't comment on schools with any degree of accuracy, but from my son who works in another district he does caution that schools are quite a bit marketed and advertised, which of course means you may not get what you expect or are exactly looking for. In the end we chose Hinesburg ourselves as the town is within reasonable commuting distance and has a nice rural atmosphere while being close to the various attractions of the entire region. However, the closer you are to Burlington the more you will pay. Not to say that you may not find a deal, but overall the cost increases. There are quite a bit of homes on the market and with the current economic pressure those who absolutely must sell will have to lower their asking price. For the criteria of seeking "very liberal" I would say based on the numerous folks I know in Milton and folks I have met from there (just yesterday in fact, my oil burner serviceman for example) you may not find true happiness. Now my town has a reputation for being liberal, though, for my lifestyle and priorities it does virtually nothing to enrich my life other than drain more funds from an already withering portfolio and savings/checking account. I can however see how some find it nice or necessary which is OK with me. Being in my late 40s I also have all 32 teeth, but I don't credit that to a liberal community, has more to do with good genes and parents who emphasized good daily oral hygiene while growing up. Probably the best course of action is to continue to research information and data and then upon actually getting boots on the ground here during a visit to then in person distinguish hype from reality and see which town or region provides the feeling and vibe that clicks with what you are looking for.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by flu189

Now my town has a reputation for being liberal, though, for my lifestyle and priorities it does virtually nothing to enrich my life other than drain more funds from an already withering portfolio and savings/checking account. I

Amen bro. I've never been happier than I am here in Vermont, it's always been a dream of mine to live here and I'm glad I do. Financially though, it's never been harder. I won't be here in ten years, I can't afford it. After a recent trip to visit my wife's family in Wisconsin, I realized that is where I'll end up.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Amen bro. I've never been happier than I am here in Vermont, it's always been a dream of mine to live here and I'm glad I do. Financially though, it's never been harder. I won't be here in ten years, I can't afford it. After a recent trip to visit my wife's family in Wisconsin, I realized that is where I'll end up.

I fully agree. In the years before I moved here I spent quite a bit of time visiting, going on extended hiking trips, etc. Just last week got to spend a great week hiking on the Long Trail. For years I dreamed of living here and then three years ago made the leap. It's been a push-pull love-hate relationship here. I really like so many of the facets of living here, mainly the landscape and overall lack of persistent crime, but coupled with the current economic situation with overall affordability my wife and I envision a move in our future. The only way this could change is if by some miracle the legislature take a serious track toward reducing tax burdens, but most people I feel realize the odds for this trend more towards none versus slim chance.

[mustmove]

Quickdraw weren't you a hardcore defender of VT's ways not to long ago? Politics aside it is hard here. Our house went on the market yesterday hope it isn't to late to get out without too much pain.

[vter]

Guys...please keep this on topic - MILTON. Thanks!

[flu189]

Originally Posted by vter

Keep in mind when looking at properties to take into account what the property taxes are/will be and add those into your budget....they are on the high side (to say the least!) here!

Very solid advice for anyone that has to live on a budget to take into consideration. Before actually buying here also it goes without saying that it makes sense to know that you employment situation will be stable. Sounds like pure common sense, but I have run into folks here who fell in love with a particular property and town only to face serious problems when an employment situation went south (literally, in some cases) and/or they did not take into account annual increases in taxes and utilities as of late which can far exceed any anticipated raises. We may convey a warm, fuzzy, and caring atmosphere here, but when the town or state says "bill due in full by date X" they mean it, no excuses catered, and then if you are late the excess fees and surcharges can hit you hard.

[Alt Dach]

Theres no solution to the dilemma when half the state can take a 2K prop,tax hike from the
cookie jar and half need to move because of it.

[Mary77]

Hi Dave-

I have lived in Milton for 7 years and I love it. I have three sons who attend the Milton schools and they are doing very well. One of the things that you have to watch out for on this forum is people who try to give advice about something they know nothing about. For some reason a lot of Vermonters can be very negative, especially on this forum. In regards to that junkyard ad, I've never even seen that place and don't even know where it is. Any large town could have a situation like that.

We moved here from Florida and the reason we picked Milton was because we were able to get a lot more house and yard for the money than any other town within 30 minutes driving distance of Burlington. Milton is a small town with lots of sidewalks and nice families. This is one of those typical New England towns where you can walk to the grocery store, library or one of the small mom & pop pizza places. If you drive through the town you will notice kids riding their bikes all over the place and elderly people out walking their dogs. Milton used to be a very rural, poor town that had a reputation but that has changed and things are very different now. Milton is actually booming and is probably the smartest place in Chittenden county to invest in real estate. There are a few businesses planning major construction projects here and one of the premier builders has just cleared a large piece of land to develop a new neighborhood.

This is a great town for families. We have a terrific library with lots of special activities and there is plans for a hockey rink to be built here. If you go to the Milton city-data page you will see a couple pictures of Cobble Hill that I posted. This is a huge hill that you and your kids can climb and explore and it's a blast to go sledding down it in the Winter.

The schools here are good. I don't know why people on the outside insist on putting Milton schools down. Like I said, I have three sons in these school and they are thriving. One of the things that makes these schools so good is the fact that a lot of the teachers and the aids are people who grew up here and have their own kids and grandkids in this school. It isn't just a job for them, they are a close group of people who work together to make their school and their community a great place.

This is getting kind of long so I'll stop here but if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them.

[DaveWroteThis]

Thanks alot for all the great info.... I have to tell you, I have no problem with taxes. It's what's done with my tax money that concerns me. I believe we need to take care of our neighbors. 10 years ago, I made 18,000/year. 5 Years ago, I made 30,000/year. 2 Years ago, I made 60,000/year. Today, I make 120,000/year. By the end of this year I will make 150,000/year. In 5 years, assuming we don't fall into the next great depression, It's very realistic to expect 200,000/year plus. Obviously, there was a time I needed help. Where was it? I'm willing to help others now that I can. I have no problem taking from the rich and giving to the poor. But if my money is thrown away, yes, I have a problem with that. I work from home doing voiceovers. I can live and work in the North Pole if I want to. So why not try to find a place we fit in? If I skied, I wouldn't move to Florida. If I was a deep sea fisherman, I wouldn't move to North Dakota. I am a liberal atheist. So far, we've lived in places with 58-80% being hardcore religious. We don't fit in. In Chittenden county, 39% believe in God. So far, we've lived in places with 65-80% conservatives. We don't fit in. Chittenden county is 63-65% liberal. Can't fault me for wanting to go to a place with like minded people. In fact, I'm willing to pay taxes just to finally be the "norm". Everybody wants to be happy.

So, that's me. Is Vermont right for us? What is done with my tax money there? Facts please, not emotional ranting. I really appreciate the help.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by DaveWroteThis

So, that's me. Is Vermont right for us? What is done with my tax money there? Facts please, not emotional ranting. I really appreciate the help.

Based on your work situation and your priorities, Vermont sounds about as good as it gets. Still, I think that whether VT is right can be known only through experiencing Vermont yourself, which it sounds like you intend to do.

Here's the website for the Vermont Department of Taxes. Perhaps you'll be able to get the objective information you seek as to how taxes are spent here.