What are the different cultural regions of Maine?

[slyfox2]

I live in the cultural region of Mount Desert Island. It is PARK CULTURE.

[massnative71]

General cultural regions I came up with:


Northern Maine (includes sub-regions like the St. John Valley, which is very different from Central or Southern Aroostook).
Central Maine (again big differences between the larger towns/cities and more rural areas).
Downeast
Midcoast
Western Maine
Southern Maine (also great differences between Portland and coastal tourist areas, gritty old cities like Biddeford and Lewiston/Auburn, and lake country, etc.)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Local taxes in Maine are simply a credit off the state taxes. If you're living on social security, this is a problem, since you may not have much state tax. If you have a job, it is not, because the taxes are a wash.... then.

I have never paid Maine income taxes, my pension income is not wealthy enough to put me in that high a tax bracket.

A couple years ago the state made military pensions tax-free, which obviously has not affected my taxes. But it was a nice gesture, though an empty one.

I pay my property taxes directly to the state.

I have friends who live in Portland, they complain about their high property taxes a lot. They often confuse Portland having high taxes with Maine, which is when I show them my property tax bill. If a town wants to increase their spending in the hope of attracting more tourists, they can. Residents need to remember that their tax increases are 100% the fault of their own town's increased spending.

I do not get TV so I do not know who the talking heads are in Portland, but it is obvious that someone keeps telling them to blame their local tax increases on the state. Whereas in reality state property taxes have held steady and in some cases have been dropping.

[kellysmith]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Local taxes in Maine are simply a credit off the state taxes. If you're living on social security, this is a problem, since you may not have much state tax. If you have a job, it is not, because the taxes are a wash.... then.

Not sure who does your taxes, but in my world local taxes are a deduction, not a credit. A $4000 tax deduction for local taxes does not wash with what you will pay in State taxes. In the past if you can itemize it will help a little, but not this year. You must now have $10,000 in local and state taxes to get a dime break on the federal taxes.

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by kellysmith

Not sure who does your taxes, but in my world local taxes are a deduction, not a credit. A $4000 tax deduction for local taxes does not wash with what you will pay in State taxes. In the past if you can itemize it will help a little, but not this year. You must now have $10,000 in local and state taxes to get a dime break on the federal taxes.

That's correct. The states with high tax rates were able to offset their profligacy a bit, by taking some of the expense off their federal tax filings.
That has been changed.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by kellysmith

Not sure who does your taxes, but in my world local taxes are a deduction, not a credit. A $4000 tax deduction for local taxes does not wash with what you will pay in State taxes. In the past if you can itemize it will help a little, but not this year. You must now have $10,000 in local and state taxes to get a dime break on the federal taxes.

Incorrect. You can still deduct UP to $10,000. It's when you go over that that it's no longer deductible.