Maine Taxes (Damariscotta, Penobscot: sales, real estate, health insurance)

[virginia farm girl]

Lived in Maine for 5 years...this is one reason why I moved to Virginia!

State Still Tops in Tax Burden: Per Capita Income Dips
Story date: 03/07/2007
By Victoria Wallack
Maine’s economy has stalled, based on some key indicators in an annual report card released Feb. 28, and investments are needed in worker training, capital improvements, research and development and the state’s roads and bridges to get things moving.

The 13th annual report of the Maine Economic Growth Council found Maine has experienced little economic growth since the last report was published. It also noted the state’s per capita income fell to 37th nationally in 2005 – the lowest ranking in 20 years.

Prepared by the Maine Development Foundation, which is run by former State Economist Laurie Lachance, the report flagged five areas that need attention:

• Research and development expenditures have gone down

• Worker productivity – a function of worker training and capital investment – is 28 percent behind the U.S. average

• Maine’s roads and bridges are in considerably worse shape than the rest of the region’s

• Health care costs are higher in Maine, consuming 18.5 percent of gross domestic product, compared to 13.4 percent nationally in 2005

• High state and local taxes once again gave the state the number one ranking in the country for tax burden, as a percent of income in 2006

The good news is a decline in international exports rebounded, hitting a new record of $2.6 billion in overseas sales in 2006. Forest products, as a whole, represent Maine’s largest export. Canada is the largest consumer of Maine products, followed by Malaysia.

Special recognition was given in the report to the state’s efforts to sustain its forestland and maintain growing stock. Maine forests cover nearly 90 percent of the state’s land.

And, as it has done in the past, the report highlighted the state’s high rate of health insurance coverage – 89 percent of Mainers have coverage compared to 84 percent nationwide. The report notes that employer-provided health insurance is declining here as elsewhere, but the gap is being filled by the state’s Medicaid program.

Gov. John Baldacci acknowledged the state received mixed reviews in the latest report, but said he is working on the problems.

“We know our economy is not yet where we want it to be. My administration is actively addressing these issues in an aggressive way,” Gov. Baldacci said.

“That’s why my plan for real property tax relief and growing incomes for all Maine people is so important. We must reduce government spending - including consolidating school administrative units, modernizing MaineCare (Medicaid), and merging state departments. And we need to make the right investments for Maine’s future. These include investments in cluster development, R and D, higher education and workforce development.”

Sen. Lynn Bromley, D-Cumberland County, who co-chaired the council’s report and also led a commission last year calling for substantial increases in research and development bonds, said, “The ‘Measures of Growth’ report proves what many of us have been saying all along. We need to invest in our state.”

“We can not cut our way into prosperity, but prosperity is within our reach, if we make a set of strategic and difficult choices and invest in proven strategies. As our economy grows our tax burden will decline,” Bromley said.

[Submariner]

I have only recently moved to Maine.

I came here due to the low taxes.

I have lived in high tax areas, Maine is nothing like such.

Keep in mind that Maines income taxes are NOT the highest.

Maines sales taxes are NOT the highest.

Maines property taxes are NOT the highest.

The reason why only a $million research corporation can determine the 'Tax burden' is because they slew the numbers around so much.

No one single tax in Maine is any higher than the national average. Yet by re-indexing the numbers by average household income, then the taxes 'appear' higher.

When simple factual numbers do not tell the story that you want; then just twist those numbers and eventually they will support whatever lie you wish to spread.

[virginia farm girl]

Well, if you live in Argyle, Maine, I guess you have a point:

http://www.answers.com/topic/argyle-maine

[mainebrokerman]

virginia, i own a house on the water in kennebec county, and my property taxes are less than 800 yr, a year round dwelling, worth more than 200k, so which town you live in, makes a huge difference

[virginia farm girl]

I lived in Damariscotta, 3+ acres. Sold the house for $340,000 in '05. Taxes were $4,000 for no services other than police protection.

Electricity prices were "off-the-wall" even in the summer.

The town charged me for water, even though I had my own well.

Excise taxes for my cars were unbelieveable too.

Also we were changed taxes on our telephone bills for our schools? (!)

My real estate taxes in Virginia, (Blue Ridge Moutain Area), are similar to yours ($650 per year) for a farmhouse & outbuildings on 5 1/2 acres.

Electricity is $30-35 in the summer for an all electric home. This winter, with February being the coldest (we are over 3,000 feet in elevation), my highest electric bill was $160.00. This includes everything heating & cooking.

I moved to Maine on a "whim" so I'm not blaiming anyone but myself for not looking into the costs ahead of time.

"Vacation Land" is an ept motto for the state. The best times to visit are in September & October...,no bugs!

[Submariner]

I have 42 acres. Forest with 1/4 mile of riverfrontage on the Penobscot river. year around maintained road, power / phone / DSL at the pavement. My taxes that last two years have been $47 / year.

I transferred two vehicles to Maine from Ct. To transfer both registrations, to buy both license plates, everything was under $200. In Ct: you buy the plates, you pay the taxes on the plates, you pay to register the plates to the vehicle, and you pay the taxes for registering the plates to the vehicle, and then you pay for the vehicle, and then you pay property taxes on the vehicle.

Registering a vehicle in Ct, cost me five times what it costs in Maine.

Yes Maine has 'excise tax' which is unique in that nobody else names their vehicle tax 'excise'. Everyone else calls it 'property tax'.

[virginia farm girl]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I have 42 acres. Forest with 1/4 mile of riverfrontage on the Penobscot river. year around maintained road, power / phone / DSL at the pavement. My taxes that last two years have been $47 / year.

I transferred two vehicles to Maine from Ct. To transfer both registrations, to buy both license plates, everything was under $200. In Ct: you buy the plates, you pay the taxes on the plates, you pay to register the plates to the vehicle, and you pay the taxes for registering the plates to the vehicle, and then you pay for the vehicle, and then you pay property taxes on the vehicle.

Registering a vehicle in Ct, cost me five times what it costs in Maine.

Yes Maine has 'excise tax' which is unique in that nobody else names their vehicle tax 'excise'. Everyone else calls it 'property tax'.

You are in an unorganized territory, hence the $47.00 in taxes...enjoy!

[Submariner]

Tree-growth

[virginia farm girl]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Tree-growth

Thank you for growing the trees...we need all we can get!!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by virginia farm girl

Thank you for growing the trees...we need all we can get!!

You are welcome.

LOL

We raise chickens too!

Goats!

And I have been planting organic-certified Ginseng under the forest canopy. We hope to one day be able to market the ginseng. Currently we have only been marketing the eggs and fiddleheads.









Retirement is great!