Maine's outgoing governor moving to Florida over taxes
Maine’s outgoing Gov. Paul LePage is moving to Florida — and it’s not just for the weather. He said he’s being “forced out.”
“For the 60 years I’ve been working in Maine and lived in Maine, I have been trying to reduce the taxes,” LePage said to FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on Thursday. “Right now we have an enormous surplus – we do not need an income tax. But the incoming Democrats believe that they want to raise it… We’ve managed to get the military tax off pensions but they are unwilling to address the retirees.”
Florida has become known as a tax-friendly state, especially for retirees, because it has no income tax, which means income from Social Security, pensions and 401(k)s is untaxed. Additionally, there is no estate or inheritance tax.
In Florida you have to be spend a minimum of 180 days to establish residency. LePage said he has a home in the Sunshine State and is eager to stop working.
“I still have to pay taxes in Maine for this year,” he said. “And I’m going to join a former governor who brought the income tax to Maine, who retired to Florida — I’m going to retire with him.”
During Tuesday's midterm elections, Rick Scott, an advocate of tax cuts, edged out Bill Nelson in Florida's Senate race.