By CharlieBrown, unverified — Wed, 11/17/2010 - 09:02
The city is losing money on the building on a yearly basis. Either the tenants would need to make up that loss or someone looking to make money on the situation would buy the building. Since that is not happening what incentive does the city have to keep footing the bill? Maine taxes are the answer for why job growth is so sluggish. Maine has an ample work force. The government should be targeting businesses and offering them incentives in the form of tax breaks to establish or expand in Maine. Stop focusing on the how much revenue a tax break on the front end costs and focus on the back end rewards. If you provide a business an incentive to open in Maine there really is no loss of revenue since you were not collecting on them in the first place. If they bring in 80-100 jobs, that is revenue in the form of payroll taxes, sales tax on what they spend their dollars on, etc. That revenue will more than make up for the 'lost' revenue on the front end. Only a good economy will support the arts. Until the state does something to really provide businesses a reason to grow in Maine, taxes will continue to rise and the economy and the arts will continue to suffer.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Sat, 10/09/2010 - 10:09
How many soccer players have been terrorized or killed because they scored an own goal or made a costly mistake on the world stage 'letting their country down.' It's not just America that wants to win. Why do other countries keep medal counts in the Olympics? Why does Japan watch baseball games in the middle of their night when their teams are playing in international competition? I think your premise is flawed. It is not just America's obsession with winning.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Tue, 09/21/2010 - 12:37
Look at Penn's full body of work not one instance. He has continually cozied up to enemies of the State (Castro, Chavez, Iran). He has done good work in Haiti and New Orleans as have many other people. To me his bad mouthing of America to other countries around the world negates his good deeds. I know the facts when I run my mouth. Do you?
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Tue, 09/21/2010 - 07:26
or at least use your celeb status for more important causes. Think more like Bono of U2, not Sean Penn. Whether gays can openly serve in the military is less of a cause than (except to them) hunger, poverty, and the countless devastation around the globe. Those causes don't pay as well as this one though.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Wed, 09/01/2010 - 07:16
We always started after Labor Day and I do not remember an unbearable day at the beginning of the year. We had a few hot ones at the end in June when we made up all the snow days, but we weren't doing any real work then anyway.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Tue, 08/31/2010 - 15:27
So glad I left Lewiston 16 years ago after having been born there and spending more than half of my life there. Not because of the immigrants, but because of the intolerant people like the ones posting here. My gosh, seems like every problem in the State is because of the Somali immigrants. There couldn't possibly be any other group in Maine getting the SAME benefits as they are. The fact that they are utilizing the store fronts on Lisbon St. is a great thing for Lewiston. They pay rent and more importantly having a licensed business they are bringing in revenue to the city and state even if 'the average American' isn't shopping there. Seems like many of the yahoos posting here would rather have empty, run down, vandalized store fronts like there used to be instead of those helping out the community. This Country is a Nation if immigrants. I am only 3rd generation from Croatia and Poland. My grand-parents came here legally to seek a better life from the ills they faced in their homeland. The Somali people are doing the same. When the Poles, Irish, German, etc. groups first came to the US they sought out their own people so they could 'fit it.' Over time they because more American than where they came from, but that didn't happen over night. The same thing will happen with the Somali immigrants and other groups over time.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Fri, 07/16/2010 - 11:33
Around the World only the UK has higher business taxes than the US. Wonder why all the jobs are going to countries that used to be called 3rd world? Maine has one of the higher state tax rates on businesses in the US. Wonder why jobs are not growing in Maine? Giving businesses an incentive to open in your state brings jobs. The 'lost' revenue from the tax break is made up by the creation of jobs. The income tax on the workers, the sales tax on the things they can now buy, and the reduction in state aid to them because they are now employed more than make up for the tax breaks. Looking at the tax break as lost revenue is extremely short sighted by the state. If a business does not come to do business or a current business does not expand and grow, you didn't lose revenue. You just didn't do anything to earn any.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Fri, 12/04/2009 - 11:18
candiceanne illustrates why we have so much crime now. Not enough fear of punishment. Let's see....if I swipe a $100 pair of sneakers and speed off then the cops should not chase me because they are putting inoocent lives at stake. So now I can take anything I like and not have to worry about the cops unlsee I slip up and get busted somewhere down the road. So now Mom & Pop store owner arm themselves to protect their investment because the cops can't do anything about it. Joe Criminal now arms himself to commit the crimes. Mom & Pop fight back and end up getting shot. NOW the cops can chase them. Great plan.
I think I would rather have the cops chase the $100 sneaker thief and risk an innocent. If something happens you add the charge to Joe Criminal so that $100 sneaker theft could cost him his neck. And yes I realize that the innocent could be my family member. When the Lord calls your number, that's it.
That scenario just happened in Charlotte, NC. The suspect fled and police pursed, but not at a high rate of speed. The suspect crossed the center line and killed a person. The cops came upon the scene after the crash. The sneaker thief now faces vehicular homicide charges among a host of other traffic violations. It doesn't matter if the cops pursue at 30 MPH the criminal will speed. So don't blame the cops for anything a criminal does while fleeing. It is 100% the criminals fault and should be treated as such. Stop hand cuffing the cops and let them do their jobs.
By CharlieBrown, unverified — Mon, 11/30/2009 - 08:12
Thank You to all WWII vets for all you did. The time between the Civil War and WWII is nearly the same as WWII to now. A small percentage of those who fought in WWII are still around and I believe that many people have forgotten the sacrifice and suffering the veterans and those at home went through during WWII. God Bless you all and all those who have served and continue to serve.
Bob is correct
The city is losing money on the building on a yearly basis. Either the tenants would need to make up that loss or someone looking to make money on the situation would buy the building. Since that is not happening what incentive does the city have to keep footing the bill? Maine taxes are the answer for why job growth is so sluggish. Maine has an ample work force. The government should be targeting businesses and offering them incentives in the form of tax breaks to establish or expand in Maine. Stop focusing on the how much revenue a tax break on the front end costs and focus on the back end rewards. If you provide a business an incentive to open in Maine there really is no loss of revenue since you were not collecting on them in the first place. If they bring in 80-100 jobs, that is revenue in the form of payroll taxes, sales tax on what they spend their dollars on, etc. That revenue will more than make up for the 'lost' revenue on the front end. Only a good economy will support the arts. Until the state does something to really provide businesses a reason to grow in Maine, taxes will continue to rise and the economy and the arts will continue to suffer.
Hey professor, check out soccer in South America
How many soccer players have been terrorized or killed because they scored an own goal or made a costly mistake on the world stage 'letting their country down.' It's not just America that wants to win. Why do other countries keep medal counts in the Olympics? Why does Japan watch baseball games in the middle of their night when their teams are playing in international competition? I think your premise is flawed. It is not just America's obsession with winning.
veritas
Look at Penn's full body of work not one instance. He has continually cozied up to enemies of the State (Castro, Chavez, Iran). He has done good work in Haiti and New Orleans as have many other people. To me his bad mouthing of America to other countries around the world negates his good deeds. I know the facts when I run my mouth. Do you?
Stick to performing
or at least use your celeb status for more important causes. Think more like Bono of U2, not Sean Penn. Whether gays can openly serve in the military is less of a cause than (except to them) hunger, poverty, and the countless devastation around the globe. Those causes don't pay as well as this one though.
Start after Labor Day
We always started after Labor Day and I do not remember an unbearable day at the beginning of the year. We had a few hot ones at the end in June when we made up all the snow days, but we weren't doing any real work then anyway.
Glad I left
So glad I left Lewiston 16 years ago after having been born there and spending more than half of my life there. Not because of the immigrants, but because of the intolerant people like the ones posting here. My gosh, seems like every problem in the State is because of the Somali immigrants. There couldn't possibly be any other group in Maine getting the SAME benefits as they are. The fact that they are utilizing the store fronts on Lisbon St. is a great thing for Lewiston. They pay rent and more importantly having a licensed business they are bringing in revenue to the city and state even if 'the average American' isn't shopping there. Seems like many of the yahoos posting here would rather have empty, run down, vandalized store fronts like there used to be instead of those helping out the community. This Country is a Nation if immigrants. I am only 3rd generation from Croatia and Poland. My grand-parents came here legally to seek a better life from the ills they faced in their homeland. The Somali people are doing the same. When the Poles, Irish, German, etc. groups first came to the US they sought out their own people so they could 'fit it.' Over time they because more American than where they came from, but that didn't happen over night. The same thing will happen with the Somali immigrants and other groups over time.
Maybe someday Maine will wise up
Around the World only the UK has higher business taxes than the US. Wonder why all the jobs are going to countries that used to be called 3rd world? Maine has one of the higher state tax rates on businesses in the US. Wonder why jobs are not growing in Maine? Giving businesses an incentive to open in your state brings jobs. The 'lost' revenue from the tax break is made up by the creation of jobs. The income tax on the workers, the sales tax on the things they can now buy, and the reduction in state aid to them because they are now employed more than make up for the tax breaks. Looking at the tax break as lost revenue is extremely short sighted by the state. If a business does not come to do business or a current business does not expand and grow, you didn't lose revenue. You just didn't do anything to earn any.
Yet
He has not done anything as President, but hir record as Junior Senator from Illinois clearly shows his anti-gun bias.
The people walking around with guns on their hips are not the ones to be afraid of.
candiceanne illustrates why
candiceanne illustrates why we have so much crime now. Not enough fear of punishment. Let's see....if I swipe a $100 pair of sneakers and speed off then the cops should not chase me because they are putting inoocent lives at stake. So now I can take anything I like and not have to worry about the cops unlsee I slip up and get busted somewhere down the road. So now Mom & Pop store owner arm themselves to protect their investment because the cops can't do anything about it. Joe Criminal now arms himself to commit the crimes. Mom & Pop fight back and end up getting shot. NOW the cops can chase them. Great plan.
I think I would rather have the cops chase the $100 sneaker thief and risk an innocent. If something happens you add the charge to Joe Criminal so that $100 sneaker theft could cost him his neck. And yes I realize that the innocent could be my family member. When the Lord calls your number, that's it.
That scenario just happened in Charlotte, NC. The suspect fled and police pursed, but not at a high rate of speed. The suspect crossed the center line and killed a person. The cops came upon the scene after the crash. The sneaker thief now faces vehicular homicide charges among a host of other traffic violations. It doesn't matter if the cops pursue at 30 MPH the criminal will speed. So don't blame the cops for anything a criminal does while fleeing. It is 100% the criminals fault and should be treated as such. Stop hand cuffing the cops and let them do their jobs.
Thank You to all WWII vets
Thank You to all WWII vets for all you did. The time between the Civil War and WWII is nearly the same as WWII to now. A small percentage of those who fought in WWII are still around and I believe that many people have forgotten the sacrifice and suffering the veterans and those at home went through during WWII. God Bless you all and all those who have served and continue to serve.