Pros and Cons of Maine (Portland, Dover-Foxcroft: crimes, organic, living)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Another positive that showed up in today's paper is that the state police have issued 11,000 concealed firearm permits. That's a very good thing. Police Chief Craig left Portland and went to Detroit where they don't issue very many concealed weapon permits. That's what they call them in Detroit. He said they would immediately begin issuing permits to any eligible citizen and that he had learned in Maine that it is a reason we are the safest state in the nation according to the FBI.

On the down side, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport will likely vote on Tuesday to spend $75,000,000 for school renovations. That's $75 MILLION DOLLARS for renovations.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

... On the down side, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport will likely vote on Tuesday to spend $75,000,000 for school renovations. That's $75 MILLION DOLLARS for renovations.

Obviously they have money.

If they can afford to pay a full-time Police Investigator to work for 2-years investigating a one hooker for misdemeanor prostitution. [along with the DA, court costs, etc] then those tax-payers can easily cover $75Million to paint and carpet a school.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

On the down side, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport will likely vote on Tuesday to spend $75,000,000 for school renovations. That's $75 MILLION DOLLARS for renovations.

Most of my relatives came from careers in Education.

More than likely there have been no infra-structure repairs on those buildings in 25 years. This means that there is no insulation in the buildings to speak of. It means that not only are the walls and the carpets shot the heaven, but the heating and roofing and plumbing and electrical systems are so far gone that they simply have to do something finally. More than likely there is little electrical connections for the ubiquitous computer technology that is part of every day life.

And then there are the probably totally obnoxious rules regarding structure. Everything has to be build to code that requires the building to be substantial enough to add 5 floors to it even though they never planned to do more than 2. All union labor has to be used(which is nice, but often very costly). ETC.ETC.

If you contacted your local school administrator and asked why its so expensive and why this one is so expensive, I'm sure you would get an earfull. Most people just don't and see it like building a deck in their back yard.

Building public structures for the use of children is way way more complicated and costly that you could ever imagine.

[Maineguy04654]

Originally Posted by kmanloup

I would just like some incite from Mainers about what they think about their state. Both the pros and cons. I would just like to get some more information; nothing in particular just general views.

Having grown up on military bases and having lived right outside DC for a time there are very few things I miss. 1) Ethnic food. 2) 24 hour everything. 3) The ability to get anything and everything within a hour of home. 4) The BIG one I really miss. DELIVERY!!! I used to be able to order almost any food I could want to my door. That said the pro's far outweigh those things. 1) Peace and quiet. 2) Hearing a gunshot does not mean a crime is being committed. 3) NO traffic. 4) No rush. 5) No crime. 6) Not only do I know almost every person in town I also like them. 7) If you get a flat someone will stop to help.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by CoastalMaineiac

Most of the pros, in my opinion, are related to the general culture and attitude of the people here (and I'm a bit biased as a native). We are very live and let live here, especially in the rural parts of the state. If you break down on the side of the road, people will actually stop and offer to help. You don't see that in many places.

Up in Aroostook County, they still have farm stands where they use the honor system (get your veggies, put your money in the box, even make change out of the box, all on your own). They can still do that in places up here, because the honest still far outnumber the dishonest.

The scenery and wildlife is another pro, although it can be a con as well, especially if you end up hitting a deer or moose and end up totaling your car! Skunks also abound, and their smells are anything but pleasant!

There is plenty of room up here. Even our cities with the most traffic (Bangor, Portland, Augusta) rarely have the long delays like you would see in other areas.

We are not infested with venomous snakes or spiders.

Major storms, like hurricanes, are most usually carried away from us by the gulf stream. The ones that do make it here are usually but a fraction of their former selves by the time they get here!

You can actually drive your car with the windows open and enjoy the fresh air! Summer weather is nice, and air conditioning is actually optional here!

There are places here where you can drive for a hundred miles or better on non-interstate roads without ever seeing a traffic light!

The cons:

Many homes use oil for heat, and it has to be delivered by truck. It is expensive, no matter how you look at it. Some older homes might use 800 or 1000 gallons per heating season. If you heat with wood, you might save some money, at the cost of a significant chunk of your life just chopping and splitting wood!

All of the natural beauty in a fresh snow quickly turns into a pain in the butt when you realize you have to spend an hour shoveling out your driveway, another ten minutes scraping the ice off your vehicle's windows, and an extra 20 to 30 minutes in commuting times because you "can't drive 55!" (Lucky on some of the roads if you can do 25 after a snow!)

While we may not have a lot of venomous creepy-crawly things, but if you live in a rural area, you will soon find mosquitoes and black flies to be the bane of your existence. Those blood-thirsty vampires do not let up! No matter how many of their friends you kill, they keep coming back! The black flies will fly into your ears, into your eyes, and into your mouth if they have chance! They are on a mission, and that mission is to be a pain in the ass!

We have no real public transportation system, to speak of. So you better grow accustomed to owning and maintaining a car. Vehicle maintenance is incredibly important here, because, while people may stop and help you out, you don't want to break down when it's 10 below zero outside!

Most of our highways are two lane highways. We don't have a lot of traffic, per se, but you have to take into consideration that you might get stuck behind slowpokes, with no way to pass them for a few miles! We have a lot of old folks driving here, so expect to meet these types a lot. Just learn to be patient with them, and continue to maintain a safe following distance. It's part of life here. Some of them are also slow on the uptake. They'll pull out in what would normally be a safe gap, but accelerate so slowly that you still have to hit your brakes! Again, it's something that you just have to get used to. Anticipate that, even if they have what should be plenty of space to get up to speed, they won't! And since you will have to drive to get anywhere, you'll be dealing with plenty of slowpokes, old and young.

All in all, I feel that most of our cons are minor, and far outweighed by the pros of the lifestyle you can live here. There isn't a lot of money to be made here, but there are things we have that are worth more than all the money in the world!

Beautiful post!
Though, honor system produce stands are even found in CA [even in so cal, with some of the avocado and fruit stands i've been to]. Most recently, I was in Mendocino county and stopped by an apple orchard to buy juice-they had samples of apples out, not a person in sight, and a box to put the money for juice. I've also seen this in Hawaii. Probably it's more common in ME, or 'the norm', however. Love it!!! Thanks.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by elston

In Saco Maine....(Southern Maine) there is a farm up the street that just converted from dairy to vegetable farming. They have a farm stand on the road side that is also "honor system". In Gorham Maine......the farmer up the road from me bagged composted cow manure and put it out on a flat bed truck .... with a canister for payment....Honor System. He did quite a good business...and people must have been "honorable" because he kept selling on the honor system.

There are honor system produce stands in many places throughout the country, including CA where I currently live. I'm glad to know that this practice is alive and well in ME.

[Newdaawn]

$75 million for just renovations and not a new school? Perhaps those kids will be enjoying Oriental carpets in their classrooms. Hey if those residents vote FOR it they they deserve to pay a high tax bill.

[foglover]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

Having grown up on military bases and having lived right outside DC for a time there are very few things I miss. 1) Ethnic food. 2) 24 hour everything. 3) The ability to get anything and everything within a hour of home. 4) The BIG one I really miss. DELIVERY!!! I used to be able to order almost any food I could want to my door. That said the pro's far outweigh those things. 1) Peace and quiet. 2) Hearing a gunshot does not mean a crime is being committed. 3) NO traffic. 4) No rush. 5) No crime. 6) Not only do I know almost every person in town I also like them. 7) If you get a flat someone will stop to help.

Uh, number 2 on the pro list. From that and other comments I'm getting the notion that Mainers are really into firearms. (Not in my Maine, they were'nt.) Hearing gunshots would totally wig me out. I am terrified of firearms. Don't have a problem with hunting and enjoy being the recipient of wild meat, but .... Wait a minute, you wouldn't be hearing gunshots except in hunting season, right?

[American girl]

Originally Posted by foglover

Uh, number 2 on the pro list. From that and other comments I'm getting the notion that Mainers are really into firearms. (Not in my Maine, they were'nt.) Hearing gunshots would totally wig me out. I am terrified of firearms. Don't have a problem with hunting and enjoy being the recipient of wild meat, but .... Wait a minute, you wouldn't be hearing gunshots except in hunting season, right?

Oh, yes!
Target practicing, gun safety classes, beer can bingo. And then there are the Monster trucks and fireworks. Maine can be a noisy place but you get used it.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by foglover

... From that and other comments I'm getting the notion that Mainers are really into firearms. (Not in my Maine, they were'nt.) Hearing gunshots would totally wig me out. I am terrified of firearms. Don't have a problem with hunting and enjoy being the recipient of wild meat, but .... Wait a minute, you wouldn't be hearing gunshots except in hunting season, right?

In my township, there is only one store-front business. It is a gunsmith and he has a rifle range behind his house.

A bunch of the town's menfolk meetup once/week at the gunsmith's shop for coffee. My Dw calls it 'Floyd's Barbershop' in honor of Mayberry.

Firearms are fairly popular here. Including full-auto and silencers. We have folks who Open Carry, and folks who Conceal Carry.

There is also a good deal of fur-trapping here.

The primary Law Enforcement presence is Forest Rangers and Game Wardens.

Around here you are very likely to hear firearms any day of the week, all year round.