Our elected officials rage against taxes. They claim high taxes drive people out of the state and prevent businesses and people from moving in. I might put it all into prospective with a personal experience in my family.
Our son and his fiancee moved from Maine several years ago. They located first to Philadelphia until the climate there became too hostile and the crime rate kept them in their own insular neighborhood, afraid to venture far.
After that, they relocated to Manhattan and have been there for about four years. I recently had a call from my son, who was excited and ecstatic about the fact they are moving back to Maine and how happy both of them will be to pay Maine taxes, I know it sounds crazy, excited to pay taxes.
In New York City, they pay multiple taxes — state, local, county, sales, etc. In Maine, there is only a comparatively small state and sales tax.
So I offer this example to all the officials who claim that high taxes are driving good people from Maine. Two very qualified professionals are moving back to their home state because of our tax situation and quality of life. The grass isn’t always greener. Maine is still “the way life should be.”
Roberta Kelly
China
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