The Maine Economy (Portland, Lewiston, Bangor: credit card, buy, bankruptcy)

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by DavidoftheNorth

I think there are 3 categories of people who have varying levels of concern about "The Maine Economy":

1. "Natives" - folks who were born and raised in Maine and I'll include people who moved here at an early age and stayed through adulthood.
2. Non-native retirees
3. Seasonal visitors

I'll add a fourth:

4. Folks moving in, hoping to make Maine their lifelong home. (That's me.) We have a big stake in Maine's economic future, especially for those of us who have kids and want a good future for the next generation.

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

I'll add a fourth:

4. Folks moving in, hoping to make Maine their lifelong home. (That's me.) We have a big stake in Maine's economic future, especially for those of us who have kids and want a good future for the next generation.

Mark - you're absolutely right and I apologize for omitting the obvious. Thank you for amending my comment.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by DavidoftheNorth

So who cares? I think there are 3 categories of people who have varying levels of concern about "The Maine Economy":

1. "Natives" - folks who were born and raised in Maine and I'll include people who moved here at an early age and stayed through adulthood.
2. Non-native retirees
3. Seasonal visitors.

good Point And I will add ."YOUNG FAMILIES".

Young families like myself (ok iam getting old) have a lot to worry about. And maine in general should worry about young families because if you hadn't noticed we have one of the worst state demographics in the country. If you think things are difficult now.....wait 20 years.

Note: A gods honest true story. I was in plymouth ma this weekend and I happened to be out and about when i met a younger couple who just sold their home in Smithfield. Long story short...They have lived in a few different areas of the east coast when they decided to settle in Maine. After 2 years they decided it was too risky to stay here and raise a family. They both worked for a small bank and were concerned if they lost their job where they would work. They were also concerned about the taxes and Maines overall economy. 6 mos in Ma and they feel they made a smart decision. They are making 75% more and are paying a lot less in taxes. Though they loved Maine they didn't feel like Maine was ready to change.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by flycessna

Note: A gods honest true story. I was in plymouth ma this weekend and I happened to be out and about when i met a younger couple who just sold their home in Smithfield. Long story short...They have lived in a few different areas of the east coast when they decided to settle in Maine. After 2 years they decided it was too risky to stay here and raise a family. They both worked for a small bank and were concerned if they lost their job where they would work. They were also concerned about the taxes and Maines overall economy. 6 mos in Ma and they feel they made a smart decision. They are making 75% more and are paying a lot less in taxes. Though they loved Maine they didn't feel like Maine was ready to change.

A good friend of mine is considering moving to Plymouth. It looks like a lovely, lovely area. But I've seen home prices there. As a young family ourselves, we couldn't afford to live in Plymouth.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Uh, two hours North and I am in Canada. I have done that already.

We shop at the Mennonite store in Smyrna

Um... When you get to the border at Houlton, turn north and keep going on Route 1. Hate to break the news, but there is still hours of driving left in Maine north of Smyrna. From Argyle 2 hours North-East and you are in Canada, 2 Hours North and it is still the States.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

I was up in Aroostook a couple of months ago when the big nor'easter hit and dumped 6-12 inches of snow. The roads -- even the back-country county roads -- were plowed clean by 7 AM. Was there the occasional pothole? Sure. That means you have winter. But even Maine's back-country roads were in better shape than the main highways here in Washington State. Not sure what you're talking about.

Clearing the roads, yes! Never seen better anywhere in the States. Period! Don't know where in Aroostook County you were, but where I am, there are not maintained very well in the Summer months. If we have better roads than you do in Washington State, I feel for you.

[dramamama6685]

Originally Posted by Bydand

LOL man that is spoken like somebody from downstate. Clean air, yes; clean water, so-so (depends on time of year and what they are spraying on the Potatoes); well paid police, teachers, firemen? Not even close. Man we are getting eaten alive by taxes and stupid bond issues. Well maintained roads just don't happen north of Bangor. What we need in this state is either 1,000,000 more people; or a State Government that is 1/2 the size it has bloated to.

I couldn't agree more, but bigger goverment = bigger money...and so it grows on.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Um... When you get to the border at Houlton, turn north and keep going on Route 1. Hate to break the news, but there is still hours of driving left in Maine north of Smyrna. From Argyle 2 hours North-East and you are in Canada, 2 Hours North and it is still the States.

Starting at exit 199 we go North to exit 305 [which is the border crossing]. So it is less than two hours a drive.

However yes you are right as the last few miles of I-95 there turns East so the border crossing there is as you travel East. Allowing a person to turn North near the border, to continue moving Northward within Maine.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by flycessna

You sound like you know what your talking about but when I looked it up it appeared that the fed IRS code only dealt with federal taxes and that local taxes and state taxes are handeled by the state. In either case it appears to me that the tax code needs to be adjusted. Let the state or federal goverment reimberse the municipalities and we's probably see a change real fast.

yes, you are correct in that state taxes are originated in and serve the state. However there is an interrelation between Federal tax code and local tax codes especially when Federal revenue sharing is considered.

Here in Maine, the biggest single issue is not taxes per se. The entire structure of Maine government is outdated. There are sixteen separate entities in Augusta vying for a share of the revenue pie, and there is NO mechanism by which they communicate one with the other. Those agencies are in fact making the entire revenue generation process far worse. In addition, the size and structure of the legislature itself is out of proportion to the state's population.

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by Acadianlion

There are sixteen separate entities in Augusta vying for a share of the revenue pie, and there is NO mechanism by which they communicate one with the other.

What about via the Governor's Office, assuming you are referring to the Executive agencies?