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Old 10-06-2012, 08:39 AM
 
1,874 posts, read 2,857,199 times
Reputation: 2032

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Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
Actually, it depends on the company. If they have a physical presence in Maine, no matter how small, they must collect sales tax. Problem is a lot of people in the rural parts of Maine have no where to buy a lot of items, so we have to order them online. If I could buy them here, I would.

The way they want you to pay is based on your adjusted gross income, or if you kept receipts, that amount. There is no rhyme or reason to the formula. Based on my income, I would owe about $80 in taxes. I know I haven't spent nearly that much on line. They estimate I would have spent $1600 based on my income. That is ridiculous.

I wish we HAD MORE LOCAL MERCHANTS, but the closest thing we have to a local merchant is a corporate local merchant, WALMART.
no offense, but something to think about....You say "Problem is a lot of people in the rural parts of Maine have no where to buy a lot of items, so we have to order them online." How did Maine people survive without buying online when buying online wasn't an option. My family has been in Washington County since the 1700s; my parents grew up there (pre Walmart and pre online) without buying online, I managed to reach adulthood in Hancock County without buying online. If something wasn't available locally or by driving to Bangor (or maybe Portland), they/we ordered it from the Sears catalog. I've known a few people in the 70s who would fly to Boston for a weekend shopping trip, but they weren't bringing back any heavy items...obviously they had to be able to afford the trip....well, technically, I guess they didn't "have" to be able to afford the trip. People sometimes take trips that they can't afford.

Based on your second paragraph it would be in your best interest to save your receipts rather than base the amount of your sales tax on your income.

I realize ordering on the web and shipping to a local store or to your home has replaced some of the catalog ordering. I still get several types of catalogs in the mail though. There's a Sears hometown store in Ellsworth if you ever need them; that would be the closest to Eastport. http://www.searshometownstores.com/0003054.html

Just to clarify, I am in favor of hometown local businesses. It's hard for some of them to stay in business for several reasons. Others seem to thrive....yummy restaurants serving local foods, excellent car repair shops, Friends and Family Market in Ellsworth, etc.

Last edited by mainegrl2011; 10-06-2012 at 09:21 AM..
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Old 10-06-2012, 09:02 AM
 
Location: Forests of Maine
37,239 posts, read 60,963,154 times
Reputation: 30133
I do not see many people volunteering to pay this tax.
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Old 10-06-2012, 01:01 PM
 
Location: Central Maine
1,473 posts, read 3,184,247 times
Reputation: 1296
Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman View Post
if the tax was 7%, out of state then the state would owe us 2%?????

how come this is a one way street??
Ah, taxes are always a one way street lol! I always pay the use tax (the default percentage). Did the same in VA and got a letter asking what the amount I added was for. I guess very few bother with the use tax there. It isn't a lot of money, and I don't believe in cheating on my taxes. I just vote for people that don't want to raise them.
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Old 10-06-2012, 01:46 PM
 
19,959 posts, read 30,011,147 times
Reputation: 39992
Quote:
Originally Posted by mainegrl2011 View Post
no offense, but something to think about....You say "Problem is a lot of people in the rural parts of Maine have no where to buy a lot of items, so we have to order them online." How did Maine people survive without buying online when buying online wasn't an option. My family has been in Washington County since the 1700s; my parents grew up there (pre Walmart and pre online) without buying online, I managed to reach adulthood in Hancock County without buying online. If something wasn't available locally or by driving to Bangor (or maybe Portland), they/we ordered it from the Sears catalog. I've known a few people in the 70s who would fly to Boston for a weekend shopping trip, but they weren't bringing back any heavy items...obviously they had to be able to afford the trip....well, technically, I guess they didn't "have" to be able to afford the trip. People sometimes take trips that they can't afford.

Based on your second paragraph it would be in your best interest to save your receipts rather than base the amount of your sales tax on your income.

I realize ordering on the web and shipping to a local store or to your home has replaced some of the catalog ordering. I still get several types of catalogs in the mail though. There's a Sears hometown store in Ellsworth if you ever need them; that would be the closest to Eastport. Sears Hometown Stores – Shop ELLSWORTH, ME 04605 for appliances, tools, lawn and garden equipment and electronics at your local Sears retailer.

Just to clarify, I am in favor of hometown local businesses. It's hard for some of them to stay in business for several reasons. Others seem to thrive....yummy restaurants serving local foods, excellent car repair shops, Friends and Family Market in Ellsworth, etc.
good points, the sears (and roebuck) catalog was a major part of commerce generations ago....
I remember my fourth grade teacher saying how the whole family would look thru the catalog and dream of buying many of the items someday
I believe more and more people have an awareness of trying to support a local or hometown business
I will pay a little more if I have to, I despise going into big box stores,,,
I like friends and family store in Ellsworth too, The owners, Ron and Launa are good people-
I also like the trenton marketplace store- I make it a point to stop there when Im in the area
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Old 10-06-2012, 05:47 PM
 
1,874 posts, read 2,857,199 times
Reputation: 2032
Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman View Post
good points, the sears (and roebuck) catalog was a major part of commerce generations ago....
I remember my fourth grade teacher saying how the whole family would look thru the catalog and dream of buying many of the items someday
I believe more and more people have an awareness of trying to support a local or hometown business
I will pay a little more if I have to, I despise going into big box stores,,,
I like friends and family store in Ellsworth too, The owners, Ron and Launa are good people-
I also like the trenton marketplace store- I make it a point to stop there when Im in the area
Yes, I like the Trenton Marketplace too. You're right about Ron and Launa. When Launa's dad owned Larry's Pastry, that was one of my favorite places to go--everything was good, but I loved the brownies. Maybe we should start a thread about successful local businesses in Maine....no national chains....no big national box types. Marden's is a "box," but it's a Maine business so we can count them.

It was a shame that Paperbacks went out of business; they were around for a long time...one of my favorite stores ...digital books didn't help them.
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Old 10-06-2012, 07:51 PM
 
Location: Florida/winter & Maine/Summer
1,179 posts, read 2,477,069 times
Reputation: 1170
hum....well...I bet when you did all that driving that gas wasn't $4 a gallon either. Let me clarify, I buy what I can locally, but, it just isn't available.

Things I can't buy locally: socks, underwear, a winter coat, A TV set, blank CD/DVD's, a bicycle, shades, a lamp.....etc.etc.etc.

Why would I drive almost 200 miles to buy these items? I may sound snarky here, but it isn't the 1700's anymore. I grew up in where we used the Sears and Roebuck catalog too, it wasn't just Sears back then.

You are correct, I should save the receipts, but I didn't know we had a use tax, but I am not surprised as Maine taxes everything but the air we breathe.

I suspect that Maine was doing much better back then when you were younger. Eastport had all those things that I mentioned years ago, at least the ones that had been invented, but now, it doesn't. I'm not putting the town down either. I like it, that is why I moved here.

A note about Marden's; how many mom and pop shops still survive in an area around a Mardens? I would venture to say not many. I had a business, and did quite well, until Walmart came, end of story as they say. Small merchants cannot compete with national chains.
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Old 10-06-2012, 09:27 PM
 
Location: On a Slow-Sinking Granite Rock Up North
3,638 posts, read 6,136,678 times
Reputation: 2677
Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
A note about Marden's; how many mom and pop shops still survive in an area around a Mardens? I would venture to say not many. I had a business, and did quite well, until Walmart came, end of story as they say. Small merchants cannot compete with national chains.

Marden's prices have gone up considerably for salvage merchandise IMHO. Pretty much all I am willing to buy there now are books and maybe dishwares.
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Old 10-06-2012, 09:31 PM
 
Location: Florida/winter & Maine/Summer
1,179 posts, read 2,477,069 times
Reputation: 1170
Loop, I agree. Even 2-3 years ago they had much better merchandise. Now you have to watch what you are buying, and the selection is nowhere near what it used to be.
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Old 10-06-2012, 11:56 PM
 
19,959 posts, read 30,011,147 times
Reputation: 39992
Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
hum....well...I bet when you did all that driving that gas wasn't $4 a gallon either. Let me clarify, I buy what I can locally, but, it just isn't available.

Things I can't buy locally: socks, underwear, a winter coat, A TV set, blank CD/DVD's, a bicycle, shades, a lamp.....etc.etc.etc.

Why would I drive almost 200 miles to buy these items? I may sound snarky here, but it isn't the 1700's anymore. I grew up in where we used the Sears and Roebuck catalog too, it wasn't just Sears back then.

You are correct, I should save the receipts, but I didn't know we had a use tax, but I am not surprised as Maine taxes everything but the air we breathe.

I suspect that Maine was doing much better back then when you were younger. Eastport had all those things that I mentioned years ago, at least the ones that had been invented, but now, it doesn't. I'm not putting the town down either. I like it, that is why I moved here.

A note about Marden's; how many mom and pop shops still survive in an area around a Mardens? I would venture to say not many. I had a business, and did quite well, until Walmart came, end of story as they say. Small merchants cannot compete with national chains.
walmarts have wiped out other local department stores- thats why you see the family dollars all over the place- to fill somewhat of a void

I remember western auto growing up, worked all summer and bought my first ten speed there

I dont know if any are left in the state-tho I do remember seeing one a while ago, and was surprised, cant remember where it was
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Old 10-07-2012, 12:07 AM
 
Location: Oregon
56 posts, read 112,203 times
Reputation: 48
I have never heard of a use tax and there is no way they can enforce it. Is the state going to come to your residence and demand to look through your closets?

I live in state that does not have any sales tax. I have bought things from LL Bean online and have not paid Maine sales tax on it. I have bought in the store in Freeport and I am sure I paid sales tax on that. If I go across the state line into Washington I pay sales tax and have to pump my own gas.
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