Why do you all think your taxes are so high? (Bangor: sales, homeowners insurance)

[corgis]

In Maine the state sales tax is 5% - In WV, it's 6%

In Maine, our property tax is lower than in WV, by almost $1K a year, despite the fact that we have more land and a bigger house in Maine.

In Maine it will cost less to insure our cars, already checked - for the same identical coverage.

In Maine our homeowners insurance is almost $300. a year less than in WV and I am a retired insurance agent with 30 years of selling the stuff, so I know what I'm talking about.

In Maine our Bangor Hydro Electric bill is lower by almost 20. a month than in WV.

I just don't get it - why do people come in here and post that Maine's taxes are the highest in the nation, when they're not - my advice, don't post stuff like that unless you really know your facts.

[Elcarim]

Yep! I've wondered the same thing when I compare the taxes to ours.

[BacktoNE]

They are high based on income. They are low when compared to many other States. It's all perspective.

[flycessna]

First.............Some of us complain because "our" taxes are high. I pay $3600 a year for house that's worth between 189k and 200 tops. I think that is a lot of money. When I look at my local schools, our roads, employment opportunities, and a host of other factors......the numbers do not compute. My sister in Ashland Va lives in a house that is bigger than mine and worth about 275k tops and she pays 1600. Her schools are better, her trash pick up is WAY better, they come buy in the spring and the fall and vacume all of her leaves. And her taxes are actually higher in town then if she was in the county. My parents who retired here 5 years ago.........my mother does the taxes so she always fills out a form for Ma just to see the difference. Every year she would have paid LESS in Ma. In fact this year there was a $2500 difference.

Now lets look at the BIG picture.


these are the only states with a higher income taxe rate then Maine which is 8.5% and begins at $16,250

1. Vermont 9.5% 336,551

2. california 9.3% $43,468.00 or higher

3. oregon 9% begins at 6,851

4 Iowa 8.98% begins at 60,646 or higher

5 New Jersey 8.87% begins at 500,000 or higher

Rhode island you pay 25% of what you owe to the feds and

Wash DC is 8.7% which begins at $40,000

If you include RI only 6 states have a higher income taxe rate. And only one of them has their higher rate kick in earlier than Maine's. That leaves 44 states with a lower income tax rate and Maines exemptions do not skew these stats.

As far as TAX BURDEN, lets look at how Maines citizens paid a per capita average of $5,045 to the state. Apply that to Maine's unusually low per capita income and this is why we are #1 for tax burden.

But even just looking at the $5,045 each citizen paid to the great state of maine. on a per capita basis ONLY 7 STATES AND DC COLLECTED MORE FROM THEIR CITIZENS.

1. DC $7,873///2.CT $6,756///3.NJ $5,991///4.MA $5,419///5. VT $5,387///
6. MD $5,341///7. RI $5291///

for the record, California collected $4965.00 per person $422 less than Maine's. California's per person income is $43,338 and Maine is $36,117.

So maybe Maine's taxes are not high...........FOR EVERYONE.............but they are obviously high for some of us.

[schizuki]

Excellent facts and data, flycessna.

[AustinB]

Your second home is in Eastport. They just had a re-valuation last year. The mil rate went from approx. 36 down to 24. Anywhere else, you would have been clamboring for a re-val at around 24. My in-laws have a house in Eastport, so I get to see what is happening first hand. The property valuations are low. The value they placed on the in-laws place was crazy. But, you can have a high mil rate as long as property values stay low. I really couldn't imagine buying one of the new places on Carlow Island for what they are asking for them. The taxes would be outragious.

[msina]

Why has the cost of living still not affected it's popularity?

[flycessna]

Here are some other figures.


Maine's gas tax ranks 16th highest at 47.5 cents and.......neighboring NH ranks 38th at 38cents. I use about 2000 gallons a year so thats and extra $200 I pay to the state of Maine..........................AND THEN THEY BOND A HIGHWAY BILL


Corgis.......I do not know how to respond to your claim that your electric bill here is less than WV. I have never heard any agrue that our electric bills were not high. So I looked up the stats and.................

Maine is ranked 10th highest at 11.80 cents per kilowatthour and

west va was actually ranked 50th at 5.04 cents per killowatthour.


PS. I think on NBC.....but definately tomorrow night..............there doing a news story on comparing Maine to NH (taxess included) and seeing if the grass is greener. Now...I do not suspect the story to end with NH great Maine sucks........or vice versa..........but should be interesting to watch

[schizuki]

Originally Posted by msina

Why has the cost of living still not affected it's popularity?

According to the most recent US Census figures (1990-2000), Maine ranked 46th in population growth.

[msina]

Let me rephrase, to explain as it were............

"Why has the cost of living still not affected it's popularity?"
what I meant was more like........
"Why has the cost of living still not affected the popularity of being alive?"