Forbes Magazine gives Maine bad marks (Washington: real estate, contractors, to live)

[KEVIN_224]

Best States for Business List - Forbes

Maine ranked dead last on this list, having to do with the cost of doing business in the state. Virginia was ranked #1 while my state (Connecticut) was 33rd.

[Snowball7]

you should be thankful.
it helps keeps the real estate affordable.

[cebdark]

I'm not surprised to see N Carolina up there. We were in that area and S Carolina this summer, and I ended up spending much less for food/gas, etc. than I had budgeted for.

It had all the appearances of being cheaper to live than where I am, and there were better paying jobs than around here.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by KEVIN_224

Best States for Business List - Forbes

Maine ranked dead last on this list, having to do with the cost of doing business in the state. Virginia was ranked #1 while my state (Connecticut) was 33rd.

Maine is a very small population state. Virginia has way larger population in a smaller area. Its very difficult for a government to provide for its people when they are spread all over creation, and the numbers are small. If Forbes doesn't understand this, then they need to do so. My respect for Forbes has dropped big time.

All the states are not equal in their level of affluence. What they can do is largely dependent on how affluent the state is in the first place. Wealth begats wealth.

[bangorme]

Comparing Virginia (or the D.C. area) to anyplace is hilarious. It's FLOODED with federal money that was sucked out the states. Three of the richest counties in the U.S. are in Northern Virginia and it's all federal money.

Maine provides a very hostile business environment, so the jobs go elsewhere... it's that simple. It's true we have a lot going against us, but we have a population that seems to find good jobs outside the state easy enough, so there's no reason they wouldn't be here if we didn't drive businesses out of Maine.

[birdinmigration]

What???? How can this be?? Don't we have a governor that says Maine is Open For Business? We have a sign! The governor put it up! It says "Open For Business". Didn't Forbes even read it?

We need more signs! That'll work.

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Maine is a very small population state. Virginia has way larger population in a smaller area. Its very difficult for a government to provide for its people when they are spread all over creation, and the numbers are small. If Forbes doesn't understand this, then they need to do so. My respect for Forbes has dropped big time.

All the states are not equal in their level of affluence. What they can do is largely dependent on how affluent the state is in the first place. Wealth begats wealth.

Except that, er, no. #2 on the Forbes list is N. Dakota, which has a much smaller population than Maine, and a large land area (much of it BLM).

So now we want the "government to provide for its people", I thought we wanted smaller government? I thought big government was the enemy? I'm confused!

Sorry, wealth doesn't "begat" wealth. Education and new ideas beget wealth.

(but I'm sure that Forbes is very very upset that you don't like it anymore)

[birdinmigration]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Comparing Virginia (or the D.C. area) to anyplace is hilarious. It's FLOODED with federal money that was sucked out the states. Three of the richest counties in the U.S. are in Northern Virginia and it's all federal money.

Maine provides a very hostile business environment, so the jobs go elsewhere... it's that simple. It's true we have a lot going against us, but we have a population that seems to find good jobs outside the state easy enough, so there's no reason they wouldn't be here if we didn't drive businesses out of Maine.

First paragraph: that isn't true. Most of those 'richest' counties are FLOODED with private industry money, and populated by lobbyists and their families. I lived in a couple of communities there, Fairfax, Falls Church, and worked in McLean and Arlington.

And then there's the Dulles Corridor, tech companies that rely on the military-industrial complex. Defense contractors selling solid gold hammers to the Pentagon, and making serious coin on post-nine-eleven paranoia, you know.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by birdinmigration

(but I'm sure that Forbes is very very upset that you don't like it anymore)

You're good at sarcasm. I remember when I was 12 and thought sarcasm was cool.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by birdinmigration

First paragraph: that isn't true. Most of those 'richest' counties are FLOODED with private industry money, and populated by lobbyists and their families. I lived in a couple of communities there, Fairfax, Falls Church, and worked in McLean and Arlington.

And then there's the Dulles Corridor, tech companies that rely on the military-industrial complex. Defense contractors selling solid gold hammers to the Pentagon, and making serious coin on post-nine-eleven paranoia, you know.

I'm not sure what your point is here. The lobbyists are there because the big government contracts are there. The lobbyists are paid by the corporations that get these government contracts. It's ALL government money. I don't care whether it's contracts, contractors, or government employees... it's all government money. It ALL came from the states.

Here's some interesting reading:The wealth of Washington, DC: Profiting from gridlock | The Economist

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Dport7674

You're good at sarcasm. I remember when I was 12 and thought sarcasm was cool.

Was that yesterday?