The best place to live in Maine. (quality of life, tax rates)

[Submariner]

I am caucasian.

I have noticed the very obvious fact that 99% of the local population is also caucasian. [okay fine at one point I did read through the census website, I realize that the number is really like 94%, but you get the idea]

I could see where a non-caucasian moving to Maine may feel negative vibes from the locals.

I am hesitant to say that the locals are all bigots. However I read in the news articles about Pacific Islanders moving to Maine [in the area of Ellsworth] and over-whelming the welfare system there locally. So when I see someone, it is difficult to push that out of my mind.

Sorry about this, but I am human.

[Acadianlion]

Pacific Islanders in Ellsworth? I live in the Ellsworth area and haven't heard about this. What "Pacific Islanders" are you talking about? And I haven't heard that the 'welfare system' is overwhelmed here at all.

[Submariner]

Ooops, I looked up the source, it was not PI'ers in Ellsworth. It is Somalis in Lewiston.

Sorry about the confusion.

Apparently a lot of folks have been immigrating to Lewiston from Somali, lately.

[ontheroad]

I've noticed that several of the countries suffering a war, drought and political unrest and receiving asylum in the US are moving to more remote areas--like ME, Western MA, and Taos, NM.

Somalia is new, but I have met quite a few people who have come to New England from Vietnam.

[BooWill]

It depends on your reasons for being in Maine.The state is so diverse that it offers something for almost everyone. I have lived on an island for a couple of years and we don't even consider ourselves part of Maine--we say we are going to America when we go to the mainland. It's an entirely different lifestyle than anywhere and it's not for everyone. Now I am looking for something different but still small-town and remote. If you want to be accessible to Boston, don't live Down East, in The County or on an island. Save those places for those of us who want to get away from all that! :>)

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Ooops, I looked up the source, it was not PI'ers in Ellsworth. It is Somalis in Lewiston.

Sorry about the confusion.

Apparently a lot of folks have been immigrating to Lewiston from Somali, lately.

That problem is apparently so bad it has gained national attention. I saw a TV documentary about it a month or two ago.

Caveat: I have never been there. I do not know the town, nor have I experienced the situation firsthand.

However, the documentary I saw left me with the impression that the recent immigrants are indeed causing some pretty severe problems. Gangs and drugs have become a problem in a town that never had such problems before. The response from some locals has been pretty bad and might even be considered racist. It looked like a real ugly situation all around.

That being said, I have no idea how fair or accurate that particular documentary was. But it sure did sour my impression of Lewiston.

[Submariner]

Well, if two places exist in Maine, that resemble cities outside of Maine, that is okay by me.

The rest of Maine is still pretty nice, low crime, low cost-of-living and most folks get along pretty well.

Just stay away from those two distinct places and your fine.

[North Mass or anywhere South of Augusta, and now Lewiston]

[truenative]

i have a question. i live near lancaster, pa right now. some of my children want me to move to maine, to buy a mini farm in searsport. i am torn. for starters, i love racial diversity. i am come from a red-headed irish/scotch/german mother and a black/native american father. i grew up in rye, ny (i was given up for adoption because of my father's backround ) and felt much racism as a child, which when i tell that to people here in pa, they are shocked. (as they take me for white) will searsport emit the same vibe as rye did in the 80's? because, as well priced and beautiful the home may be, being the darkest person in a town isn't what i strive to be.
can any native mainers offer some advice?
p.s. when i went to block island a few years ago, i felt very uncomfortable, and actually the woman whose home we stayed in made many derogatory comments about my skin coloring, as i get very dark. would this be the norm? especially in searsport?

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

That problem is apparently so bad it has gained national attention. I saw a TV documentary about it a month or two ago.

Caveat: I have never been there. I do not know the town, nor have I experienced the situation firsthand.

However, the documentary I saw left me with the impression that the recent immigrants are indeed causing some pretty severe problems. Gangs and drugs have become a problem in a town that never had such problems before. The response from some locals has been pretty bad and might even be considered racist. It looked like a real ugly situation all around.

That being said, I have no idea how fair or accurate that particular documentary was. But it sure did sour my impression of Lewiston.

It's good that you qualified your comments by saying you don't know the town. Lewiston has many fine points -- low-cost real estate, great location vis a vis Portland and Augusta and the western mountains, excellent arts program -- but it has long been known as one of the roughest cities in Maine. Drugs, violence, and other illegal activities didn't arrive with the new immigrants.

The "problem" with the influx of Somali immigrants was that they simply overwhelmed the city's social services with their numbers. Many of them had been living in Atlanta and other major cities. Then one of the immigrant service agencies settled a few Somalis in Lewiston, and they liked it so much that they put the word out to friends and relatives. Compared to Atlanta, Lewiston is Eden.

The then-mayor sent a letter to the Somali community leaders asking them to slow the influx for a while to give the city government a chance to catch up, and it was completely misinterpreted by the media, which proceeded to portray the city as a hotbed of racism. Not true -- Lewiston has had one of the largest black communities in Maine for a long time -- but it made good copy. Then some drunken idiot rolled a pig's head into the local mosque and made all the hype look accurate.

FWIW, I've heard that the Somalis are honest, hard-working, and fitting in well now that the furor has died down.

[patsfan]

Originally Posted by truenative

i have a question. i live near lancaster, pa right now. some of my children want me to move to maine, to buy a mini farm in searsport. i am torn. for starters, i love racial diversity. i am come from a red-headed irish/scotch/german mother and a black/native american father. i grew up in rye, ny (i was given up for adoption because of my father's backround ) and felt much racism as a child, which when i tell that to people here in pa, they are shocked. (as they take me for white) will searsport emit the same vibe as rye did in the 80's? because, as well priced and beautiful the home may be, being the darkest person in a town isn't what i strive to be.
can any native mainers offer some advice?
p.s. when i went to block island a few years ago, i felt very uncomfortable, and actually the woman whose home we stayed in made many derogatory comments about my skin coloring, as i get very dark. would this be the norm? especially in searsport?

Searsport is a great little town. I moved here a few years ago and love it. Haven't noticed any racism. We have a selecmen who is black. I'm sure there must be a few others but to be honest with you no one pays much attention to your color here. During the summer we have many mixed race tourists visiting. I would be shocked if anyone made remarks to you about your color. My husband looks very mideastern in the summer and no one says anything to him. Searsport is divided into natives and transplants, that is where all our tension comes from.
The natives have and old fashioned live and let live attitude, and the "people from away" are quite liberal. I should mention also we have a strong lesbian/ gay popualtion. They are also accepted here and treated the same as everyone else. Hope this helps.