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• Anonymous

  The overspending and gratuitous welfare under previous administrations have given no other option to Governor LePage than to find ways to make deep cuts.

• Anonymous

  Since we are talking about important figures that affect lives, let me set humility aside for a moment. 

  I was very fortunate last month.  Thinking the time was right, just before Thanksgiving I moved $460,000 of my savings into the stock market through a mutual fund. Five days later I transferred it back out of the mutual fund into savings.  In those two transactions, which I performed while I sat at my computer, I made $28, 000 in one week. 

   Because this was all done within my retirement plan I’ve paid no taxes on this income.  None. Zip.  It’s called a tax shelter. 

  If you can tell me how this moving money around makes me a “job creator” as the Republicans call it, please do. 

  Over the last ten years my taxes have done nothing but go down.  State income tax – down. Federal income tax – down.  Property tax – down.   

  This is not sane tax policy.  Politicians like Mr. LePage have been selling us on the idea that if we don’t pay taxes, everything will not only turn out okay, they will improve. 

  Our unfortunate neighbors, right here in Maine, right in our hometowns, are about to pay the price for this foolishness.

  The fortunate should pay more because our unfortunate neighbors are in need. That’s the kind of America I think we should be. Not the kind that takes us back to my childhood when I can remember the blind man on an Augusta sidewalk outside the jewelry store playing his accordion with a tin cup attached.

• Anonymous

  It’s an awful thing to be at the table and the gravy is missing. 

• Anonymous

  First, allow me to congradulate you on your successful day trade.  Second, it’s important to remember that most retirement plans only defer payment of capital gains(income)  taxes – they’re still due when you declare withdrawals from your retirement savings(at the then prevailing rates).  Judging from your screen name, I’d guess that you’re a 30 or 40 something.  You still have plenty of time to save for retirement, so your retirement savings losses now can be made up later – you can afford to take more risk(read return)  than, say, someone who only has 40 or 50K in a retirement plan and who’s 55. 
  Maine if the ‘oldest’ State in the Union, so it’s safe to say that most people are not in your position.  When you’re staring retirement in the face preservation of  capital becomes the most important goal.
  So you made a little over 6% on your day trade – good for you – now if you can invest for 8-9% profit you might be able to keep up with the ‘real’ rate of inflation.  If you live in Maine and your property taxes have gone down your situation is very unusual because people that I know in many areas of the State have seen approximately level or increased property taxes over the last  5-10 years.

• Anonymous

  Congrats Jason, I have been doing the same as I watch the market move up and down over the last 6 months in a fairly predictable pattern.
   You did not create any jobs in your endevour but you did in fact create wealth. Hopefully you will use it to your best advantage at some point in the future. At that time the wealth you have created over time will not only provide you with the things you need but create wealth for someone else from whom your purchase your needs. Also you will also being paying taxes on the withdrawals at the time.

• Anonymous

  I have an idea how the government can save $50 million. Stop giving the states methadone addicts taxi rides to the clinics. Daily state paid taxi rides to and from Eastport to Bangor is just plain nuts. That money could better be used to care for the truly needy the elderly poor for example. The meth addicts made their choice. Why should an elderly person have to pay the price for them.