There is nothing beyond wishful thinking in the posts. No evidence that any of the cities are cutting taxes or "finding prosperity" - whatever that means in the real world - by cutting taxes.

>put on an addition, your taxes go up.

In much of PA, that is not how assessment law works.

There are 2 laws applicable to assessments: the General County Assessment Law at 72 P.S. Sect 5020 and the Consolidated County Assessment Law at 53 Pa. C.S. Sect 8801. The GCA applies only to Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties. All properties in a county must be uniformly assessed regardless of its use as residential or commercial. Beyond that, it gets a bit complicated.

An active business will be taxed more than a vacant building because of the 3-prong approach used in some counties, but there is no allowance for "taxing the land more and the building less." Also, in most counties, putting on an addition will not automatically - if at all - result in your property tax going up. The amount of the assessment can be appealed; indeed, a number of businesses appeal on an annual basis.

The last time I took a deep dive on the assessment issue, a majority of PA counties had not conducted a county wide reassessment for over 20 years. They were still issuing property tax bills based on FY 2000, or earlier! - market values.

>So the landowner sitting on a dead factory needs to pay taxes on it,

In PA, the owner of that land is paying tax on it. Cannot be otherwise under PA assessment law.

The land is not the product. Rather, the land is purchased with the product I make (income which is taxed), so I should not face a double tax on what is mine.

No guarantee that sharing costs will provide better service.

As for the town office, if it is only open one day a week then that is probably done to reduce costs (no lights on; no high electric bill). As best as I can determine, there is no mortgage on the building so keeping it closed 6 days a week, if that is what they do, reduces the cost to townspeople.

LERTA, imho, is corporate welfare best to be avoided.

Some places have a "land tax" that they then use to purchase land for the public or for conservation easements to preserve open land.

If I produce income (on which I am taxed) and I buy land with that income, am I not owning the value of what I have produced? Why should I be taxed a second time on that?

The same folks who have "No farms, no food" as a bumper sticker want to stick it to the farmer... go figure.

Yeah, for sure, let's keep cutting the taxes so that roadwork and public safety goes out the window. If you cut enough, there won't even be enough to fund the tax collection process!

There are times when you really do need to turn up the volume, tho.

Great advice! Only thing I would add is go to the program where you believe you are most likely to finish. If going small makes for a better learning experience then go small. Otherwise, head on up to Orono where you are likely to find other introverts.

Too early. Plus, OP does not want the burden of carrying the costs w/no guarantee of getting the $$ back.

Well water specialist thru DHHS can help. I posted link to more info, above.

Coliform is one of those indicators that your well might have other contaminants present. Usually does not cause an issue for healthy humans.

Folks with private wells can seek assistance from a private well specialist thru DHHS: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/dwp/consumers/waterWellFacts.shtml

ayuh

>Outside of New England, the county is the default form of government.

Not sure this is true.

They have a decision to make.

>does Dennysville have its own police department? oh. well, so much for all that verbiage.

Avoiding a pertinent question?

>This argument in favor of local control ignores obvious efficiencies of scale

An argument often made by failed politicians and now-unemployed corporate managers.

btw, does Dennysville have its own police department? oh. well, so much for all that verbiage.

MDI is likely a unique situation. Maine already has a countywide police force in its counties but even that is insufficient when you have towns/cities beyond a certain size. A significant number of towns have long relied solely on county deputies for law enforcement, but some towns have found that insufficient given the issues at the local level.

Rumors circulated on fauxbook often turn out to be nothing. A person passing in a winter fire is indicative only of unfortunate circumstances instead of foul play.

>At some point excessive local control is inefficient and duplicative

Not sure how local control is duplicative. Removing local control takes away the voice of the taxpayer/voter. And, as we have seen with public schools, the combining of entities has often resulted in less than ideal "efficiencies."

Sinister details?

Not just too many space heaters in an overloaded electrical system?

Do share...