Can Illinois Survive?

[Soxbadger]

People overall are moving south and west. Not sure that has anything to do with the illinois politics.

 

It has nothing to do with politics. The invention of air conditioning has more to do with it.

[StrangeSox]

The state has a ton of systemic problems that the Illinois Dems don't want to acknowledge. They would rather keep spending taxpayer money versus fixing them.

 

There's been plenty of can-kicking by both sides on these structural issues and pensions in particular.

[StrangeSox]

No quorum yet in the House, vote will be tomorrow per Madigan.

[StrangeSox]

1:30 House session delayed because some idiot threw some sort of substance on Gov. Rauner's office door at the Capitol.

 

Mrs. Rauner's group has been running pro-veto-override ads.

[pettie4sox]

Just a catch all post, what do soxtalkers think would help solve the problems Illinois has?

 

 

[SoxFan2003]

Just a catch all post, what do soxtalkers think would help solve the problems Illinois has?

 

Progressive income tax.

 

[bmags]

Just a catch all post, what do soxtalkers think would help solve the problems Illinois has?

 

Lots of things.

 

Consolidation of municipalities and townships. Illinois has the most in the country, lots of redundancy and overhead that are not creating better services but are creating bigger costs. Superintendants getting the same salaries whether they are servicing 14 schools or 40.

 

Police reform - CPD never bothered to reconcile with the community after the Burge torture ring and misconduct. Hard to see how trust improves when an institutional issue like that was never addressed. it will continue to haunt with every new incident.

 

It needs a budget

 

Progressive income tax and tax reform that changes funding model and needs to be coupled with a cut in consumption taxes and property taxes.

 

Chicago needs to make affordable housing a priority

 

Pension funding needs to be reworked and pensions themselves need to be renegotiated. Older, declining population and pensions become difficult as the costs grow as they approach retirement unless you have growing younger tax base (which we do not).

 

A hard look at the TIF program which in too many areas becomes a giveaway for alderman and powerful interests and does not serve it's purpose of reinvigorating districts.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Lots of things.

 

Consolidation of municipalities and townships. Illinois has the most in the country, lots of redundancy and overhead that are not creating better services but are creating bigger costs. Superintendants getting the same salaries whether they are servicing 14 schools or 40.

 

Police reform - CPD never bothered to reconcile with the community after the Burge torture ring and misconduct. Hard to see how trust improves when an institutional issue like that was never addressed. it will continue to haunt with every new incident.

 

It needs a budget

 

Progressive income tax and tax reform that changes funding model and needs to be coupled with a cut in consumption taxes and property taxes.

 

Chicago needs to make affordable housing a priority

 

Pension funding needs to be reworked and pensions themselves need to be renegotiated. Older, declining population and pensions become difficult as the costs grow as they approach retirement unless you have growing younger tax base (which we do not).

 

A hard look at the TIF program which in too many areas becomes a giveaway for alderman and powerful interests and does not serve it's purpose of reinvigorating districts.

 

This is a huge one right there. Pensions are a gigantic pyramid scheme. As long as more people are putting in than taking out, they work great. With Illinois having an aging and declining population, it could well collapse.

[StrangeSox]

In terms of per capita spending, Illinois is 37th.

 

In recent surveys, most Illinoisans want the problem solved mainly by cuts, but they don't actually want any specific programs, services, pensions or payments cut by pretty decent margins.

 

Illinois government is that Skinner/Krabappel argument over school funding forever

[bmags]

In terms of per capita spending, Illinois is 37th.

 

In recent surveys, most Illinoisans want the problem solved mainly by cuts, but they don't actually want any specific programs, services, pensions or payments cut by pretty decent margins.

 

Illinois government is that Skinner/Krabappel argument over school funding forever

 

I think part of this is psychological. I don't mean that in a dismissive way, or that taxes are not hurting people or affecting them. But I do think Chicago's consistent preference for consumption taxes and not income taxes, and Illinois' low income pushing to higher property taxes, give people the constants presence of taxation in a way that income tax does not. People mostly just think of what they get paid, after the get the decrease/bump it becomes constant. But with every soda, sales purchase, red light ticket, street cleaning and then mortgage payment it's just ever present, and also regressive.

 

Preckwinkle warning that there'd be cuts without the soda tax, but yet it's about health not revenue. Chicago cries about the unfairness of funding from the state but always chooses to raise it's funding from the poor.

[StrangeSox]

WE HAVE A BUDGET!!!

 

 

 

 

still deep structural problems though

[bmags]

This whole thing took way too f'ing long but I appreciate those that realized getting it done was worth it after 2 years. Real compromises and hard decisions were made.

[Soxfest]

Madigan got his tax hike, he will back wanting to raise taxes again within 2 years.

[southsider2k5]

In terms of per capita spending, Illinois is 37th.

 

In recent surveys, most Illinoisans want the problem solved mainly by cuts, but they don't actually want any specific programs, services, pensions or payments cut by pretty decent margins.

 

Illinois government is that Skinner/Krabappel argument over school funding forever

 

What is interesting here is that the states budgets can be found all broken out by category. Illinois trails the national averages by large amounts in areas such as lower education, higher education, medicare/cade, corrections, and transportation. They are second in the entire country on spending for "other". Not quite sure what that is exactly, and while I have my guesses, that 43.7% of the budget going to "other" (compared to 22.7 IN, 28.8 MI, 32.4 OH, and 40.8 WI) is only averaging 26.5% in the rest of the nation.

 

In Illinois you have nearly twice (as a percentage of the state budget) as much money going to things that aren't schools, roads, poor services, jails etc that most people expect from their state. That is how you are low in per capita, but still not getting anything to your residents when compared to surrounding states.

[StrangeSox]

Rauner is turning over much of his staff and appears to be aligning himself more closely with the right wing Illinois Policy Institute. He's also threatening to hold the school funding bill hostage.

 

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/201...institute-hires

Edited July 15, 2017 by StrangeSox

[StrangeSox]

Lisa Madigan announced the other day that she's not going to run for AG again. Some speculation on what she might want to run for instead (Durbin's seat? Gov, even though she's said previously she wouldn't while her dad was in charge of the House?), but there has been a mad rush of people throwing their hat into the ring for AG.

[StrangeSox]

PPP poll: Roskam has 53 percent disapproval rating, trails generic Dem 51-41

 

He'll be one of the top 2018 targets for D's.

[greg775]

Spent some time on the far South side this week and was not impressed. Hopefully we are not gonna become the new Detroit. Old old houses. What's up with construction on Cicero streets around 95th St this time of year? People that run cities need to realize upgrades are needed. Thought Mt. Greenwood/Oak Lawn area was very run down. It was kind of spooky seeing Brother Rice had the exact same dugouts as when I went there many moons ago. Their baseball field looked like a dump IMO. My old Q of M church was locked up on Monday what was up with that? Churches don't close.

The 115th St. Little League fields where I played as a kid classify as a dump. Some guy was working on them so they must still be in use.

And I found out Wonderburger has closed. I will say there was a nice new little shopping area with a nice new Mt. Greenwood sign over near 111th and Kedzie.

I wanted to grab a hot dog at Pop's on 103rd and Kedzie. Too crowded so I went to Portillos by Christ Hospital area. I will say the Oak Lawn Hilton has the right idea. it's a nice building and good hotel.

 

What are your takes on Chicago's south side. Kind of a dump I'm afraid.

Edited November 16, 2017 by greg775

[Soxbadger]

Spent some time on the far South side this week and was not impressed. Hopefully we are not gonna become the new Detroit. Old old houses. What's up with construction on Cicero streets around 95th St this time of year? People that run cities need to realize upgrades are needed. Thought Mt. Greenwood/Oak Lawn area was very run down. It was kind of spooky seeing Brother Rice had the exact same dugouts as when I went there many moons ago. Their baseball field looked like a dump IMO. My old Q of M church was locked up on Monday what was up with that? Churches don't close.

The 115th St. Little League fields where I played as a kid classify as a dump. Some guy was working on them so they must still be in use.

And I found out Wonderburger has closed. I will say there was a nice new little shopping area with a nice new Mt. Greenwood sign over near 111th and Kedzie.

I wanted to grab a hot dog at Pop's on 103rd and Kedzie. Too crowded so I went to Portillos by Christ Hospital area. I will say the Oak Lawn Hilton has the right idea. it's a nice building and good hotel.

 

What are your takes on Chicago's south side. Kind of a dump I'm afraid.

 

Chicago is the opposite of Detroit. Building more downtown then ever and rent is increasing every year.

 

 

[greg775]

Chicago is the opposite of Detroit. Building more downtown then ever and rent is increasing every year.

Nice.

What is your opinion of say, the area starting at Midway Airport heading south to well past 115th Street; that's a huge chunk of chicago as well. I thought it was very old looking and dumpish.

[RockRaines]

What’s wrong with old houses? Mine was built in 1883.

 

You’ve clearly never been to Detroit Greg. Maybe go there sometime.

[RockRaines]

Chicago is the opposite of Detroit. Building more downtown then ever and rent is increasing every year.

Downtown Detroit is having a bit of a rebirth. They are building and renovating a lot of the old rundown properties. Dan Gilbert owns about 15 buildings down in the epicenter.

 

Of course Detoirt isn’t nearly the size of Chicago and where Greg is taking about doesn’t exist there. People forget Cook county is more populated than about half the states in this country.

[bmags]

Clearly cities need to just go up to houses people are living in and force them to upgrade.

[greg775]

Downtown Detroit is having a bit of a rebirth. They are building and renovating a lot of the old rundown properties. Dan Gilbert owns about 15 buildings down in the epicenter.

 

Of course Detoirt isn’t nearly the size of Chicago and where Greg is taking about doesn’t exist there. People forget Cook county is more populated than about half the states in this country.

I just thought the South side was dumpy when I checked it out this week. It might have something to do with the weather; drizzly and dreary.

[RockRaines]

I just thought the South side was dumpy when I checked it out this week. It might have something to do with the weather; drizzly and dreary.

The median home price around Bedford park (area south of midway) is around 150k FYI.