Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Seemed to me that the article indicated by the OP spoke mostly of income taxes not property taxes. I think for the most part Mainers pay an average or lesser property tax per dollar than in most states. I would have to agree that the culmulative Fed, State income taxes, registration fees and licenses are burdensome for most of us with just a middlin income. we're starting to approach MA tax burden without the MA level of services.
That was my understanding as well. My friend who "beat feet" to NH in the early 90's realized over $5,000 in personal income tax savings.
That's pretty significant to me. Property taxes are so variable IMO, that we could go on for days about them, but income taxes are income taxes. Those don't vary depending on whether you live in the urban jungle, the sticks or the wilywags...
That was my understanding as well. My friend who "beat feet" to NH in the early 90's realized over $5,000 in personal income tax savings.
That's pretty significant to me. Property taxes are so variable IMO, that we could go on for days about them, but income taxes are income taxes. Those don't vary depending on whether you live in the urban jungle, the sticks or the wilywags...
True income taxes vary more according to your budget and tax-plan.
Seemed to me that the article indicated by the OP spoke mostly of income taxes not property taxes. I think for the most part Mainers pay an average or lesser property tax per dollar than in most states. I would have to agree that the culmulative Fed, State income taxes, registration fees and licenses are burdensome for most of us with just a middlin income. we're starting to approach MA tax burden without the MA level of services.
My Mom pays $200 more in real estate taxes in MA, on a property valued three times what mine is. You can jump the border and your property will be worth more than in Maine.
The level of services in Maine is HUGE, if you keep your income low enough. It is literally worth $50k+, just for being a drag on society.
True income taxes vary more according to your budget and tax-plan.
This is true, but I think there are more people who pay the same rate of income taxes than there are people who pay the same rate of property taxes. Property taxes seem to be more variable. I don't know...just seems to be that way to me.
We can all agree that property taxes in Maine are probably no worse than other New England states. As Forest points out it's a situational thing. If I choose to live near the coast I have nobody to complain to if I pay higher property taxes. Where I believe Maine is unique is their propensity to "tax " us with variety of user fees and excise fees. I have never been able to figure out why the State taxes us on the manufacturer's suggested retail price of a car instead of the actual price paid. You have a piece of paper stating the price you paid for the vehicle when you go to register it. Why isn't that price the basis for the excise tax instead of an arbitrary (and usually much higher) sticker price? It's like paying sales tax on the MSRP of a washing machine. Would people stand for paying tax on a suggested price elsewhere? Of course the way around the whole thing is to drive old cars, which many Mainers choose to do.
We can all agree that property taxes in Maine are probably no worse than other New England states. As Forest points out it's a situational thing. If I choose to live near the coast I have nobody to complain to if I pay higher property taxes. Where I believe Maine is unique is their propensity to "tax " us with variety of user fees and excise fees. I have never been able to figure out why the State taxes us on the manufacturer's suggested retail price of a car instead of the actual price paid. You have a piece of paper stating the price you paid for the vehicle when you go to register it. Why isn't that price the basis for the excise tax instead of an arbitrary (and usually much higher) sticker price? It's like paying sales tax on the MSRP of a washing machine. Would people stand for paying tax on a suggested price elsewhere? Of course the way around the whole thing is to drive old cars, which many Mainers choose to do.
Excellent points and also a good description of why I never, ever buy a new car. I simply cannot afford to register it or insure it to the degree that a new car costs in comprehensive. I have also found that I'm a pretty good judge of "horse flesh" as I can usually pick up a decent used car that will not "nickel and dime" me to death (like I almost always hear from any dealer I've spoken to when looking for a car)
I find no payment to be a big enough incentive to set aside enough funds to repair something should it go astray.
As far as property taxes, I guess it boils down to personal preference. If you want curb-side trash pickup vs. transfer stations, then it has to be paid for somehow.
I lived in Maine for over 20 years before I finally left. Maine is going to be facing a bigger financial crisis very soon, once oil resumes it's inevitable rise in costs. And having cities so far apart, with no public transporation system, driving will also become an expensive undertaking for the poor folks who are driving the pot-holed roads to their low-paying jobs. It's just one more issue facing Mainer's in the coming years, with no way to pay for it. Increase taxes? Increase fees? The majority of working age people who are lucky enough to have jobs, are being taxed up the *ss, and I doubt they will take much more. Many of the doctors in Maine are fed-up with the low-paying Medicare/Medicaid system so prevalent in Maine, and are leaving in frustration.
I sold my 2-unit apartment in Maine due to rising oil prices which are again starting to creep up, and the high property taxes. The property tax on my small 2-unit in Augusta was over $1800/yr (assessed at $80k) was equal to what my friend in China Village, Maine was paying on his antique cape with 50 acres, (assessed at $250k) because Augusta has many welfare recipients who sponge off the system.
One of my biggest complaints about Maine (I worked for the legislature for 11 years) is that it supports welfare to the extent that the State encourages welfare leaches to move to the State, (the word is out that Maine is 'generous' and 'easy') because the more welfare recipients they get, the more FED funding they get, which in turn supplies more jobs for the State welfare offices, and that means there will be more people in Augusta paying taxes. The largest budget for the State of Maine is DHS. If the State of Maine would get rid of every member of the current legislature and elect only fiscally conservative people who would run the State as a business, it would be the best thing for the people of Maine, but this will never happen. The State profits too highly from being a welfare State. Maine is also the 'whitest' state and the 'oldest'.
I now live in Oregon where I can register a brand new BMW for a total of $60 for 2 years, and not pay a single penny in sales tax. in Maine, when there is something that is not taxed, it usually comes with a 'registration fee'..so that one way or another, you are paying a tax to the State. And it's a yearly fee. As in paying a registration fee every summer for your 'personal watercraft.' I think when the legislature tried to pass a law to charge a yearly fee to register a kayak, the poor people in Maine finally said 'no.'
Maine is generally anti-business, through their aggressive tax structures, so many companies leave, or just don't bother to come in the first place. Once the kids get out of high school, or college, they leave the State to find jobs elsewhere, as there are few, unless you want to work for DHS and hand out welfare checks and food stamps. Even the poor summer folks who come to 'VACATIONLAND' land are getting fed up with every new tax the Legislature comes up with during the year. It should be called "TAXATION LAND"...
I think Maine is a lovely place to visit...maybe for a week in September, after mud season, and the black flies and mosquitos are gone, and you can find a place to park at the beach where you are now free to freeze your toes in the ocean, and before hunting season, where it's only safe to go for a walk on Sundays...because oh yes, after all it's "Maine, the way life SHOULD be"....AYUH!
I lived in Maine for over 20 years before I finally left. Maine is going to be facing a bigger financial crisis very soon, once oil resumes it's inevitable rise in costs. And having cities so far apart, with no public transporation system, driving will also become an expensive undertaking for the poor folks who are driving the pot-holed roads to their low-paying jobs. It's just one more issue facing Mainer's in the coming years, with no way to pay for it. Increase taxes? Increase fees? The majority of working age people who are lucky enough to have jobs, are being taxed up the *ss, and I doubt they will take much more. Many of the doctors in Maine are fed-up with the low-paying Medicare/Medicaid system so prevalent in Maine, and are leaving in frustration.
I sold my 2-unit apartment in Maine due to rising oil prices which are again starting to creep up, and the high property taxes. The property tax on my small 2-unit in Augusta was over $1800/yr (assessed at $80k) was equal to what my friend in China Village, Maine was paying on his antique cape with 50 acres, (assessed at $250k) because Augusta has many welfare recipients who sponge off the system.
One of my biggest complaints about Maine (I worked for the legislature for 11 years) is that it supports welfare to the extent that the State encourages welfare leaches to move to the State, (the word is out that Maine is 'generous' and 'easy') because the more welfare recipients they get, the more FED funding they get, which in turn supplies more jobs for the State welfare offices, and that means there will be more people in Augusta paying taxes. The largest budget for the State of Maine is DHS. If the State of Maine would get rid of every member of the current legislature and elect only fiscally conservative people who would run the State as a business, it would be the best thing for the people of Maine, but this will never happen. The State profits too highly from being a welfare State. Maine is also the 'whitest' state and the 'oldest'.
I now live in Oregon where I can register a brand new BMW for a total of $60 for 2 years, and not pay a single penny in sales tax. in Maine, when there is something that is not taxed, it usually comes with a 'registration fee'..so that one way or another, you are paying a tax to the State. And it's a yearly fee. As in paying a registration fee every summer for your 'personal watercraft.' I think when the legislature tried to pass a law to charge a yearly fee to register a kayak, the poor people in Maine finally said 'no.'
Maine is generally anti-business, through their aggressive tax structures, so many companies leave, or just don't bother to come in the first place. Once the kids get out of high school, or college, they leave the State to find jobs elsewhere, as there are few, unless you want to work for DHS and hand out welfare checks and food stamps. Even the poor summer folks who come to 'VACATIONLAND' land are getting fed up with every new tax the Legislature comes up with during the year. It should be called "TAXATION LAND"...
I think Maine is a lovely place to visit...maybe for a week in September, after mud season, and the black flies and mosquitos are gone, and you can find a place to park at the beach where you are now free to freeze your toes in the ocean, and before hunting season, where it's only safe to go for a walk on Sundays...because oh yes, after all it's "Maine, the way life SHOULD be"....AYUH!
I'll agree with most of your sentiments up to the "only safe to be in the woods on Sunday during hunting season" line. You're statistically safer in the Maine woods during hunting season than you are driving the turnpike....about 10 times safer!
Maine is a very poorly governed state. It has always been a poorly governed state. The weather is no prize, winter is long,the roads are bad, the bugs are rampant, there is little divirsity, employment is hard to come by and pay is low, heating costs are high, taxes and fees are higher than most other states,
etc. etc....we've heard it all before.....yet we stay....why??
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Property taxes are so variable IMO, that we could go on for days about them, but income taxes are income taxes. Those don't vary depending on whether you live in the urban jungle, the sticks or the wilywags...
Tax threads on the Maine Forum
