Illinois is headed for disaster and I don't want to be here for it (Chicago: 2015, buy)

[Kevroqs]

Originally Posted by Manterro

"The biggest reason why I’m leaving is the financial crisis facing Illinois. The state of Illinois is already bankrupt. Even with massive tax increases, there is no way the state can meet its pension obligations. The crisis will come when state officials acknowledge that fact and miss the first pension payments. Pensioners will meet in mass public protests, and the legislature will break into open warfare."

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...iIxEqpeaIolzpq

That's what happens when you vote democrat.

[NewHomer556]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

I guess it will eventually get to the point where there are zero funds available and they cannot raise taxes any more, then pensioners will be SOL.

They won't touch the sales tax as Chicago already has the highest sales tax in the country. They'll keep increasing the property tax and introduce new taxes until they no longer can.

That is exactly what happened in Detroit Michigan.
Anyone that wants to see how this all will play out in Illinois can look at that bankruptcy as the perfect case study. Michigan has the same pension protection clause in its state constitution as Illinois. Doesn't matter in Federal Bankruptcy court.

[damba]

Originally Posted by NewHomer556

That is exactly what happened in Detroit Michigan.
Anyone that wants to see how this all will play out in Illinois can look at that bankruptcy as the perfect case study. Michigan has the same pension protection clause in its state constitution as Illinois. Doesn't matter in Federal Bankruptcy court.

You have to look at the whole picture, not just select parts.

Chicago has a much more robust economy than Detroit.

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by damba

You have to look at the whole picture, not just select parts.

Chicago has a much more robust economy than Detroit.

Absolutely.

[civis]

Originally Posted by mwj119

Let's humor this: What are the most notable things that folks from Chicagoland love about the area?

-Wonderful public transportation
-Great public schools (very regional, not across the board)
-Very clean and well kept
-Incredible state funded entertainment and space (museums, parks)



To come full circle, the areas taxes are among the highest because the expectations are high. It's a nice area for a reason.

That's pretty much a distortion of the reality. BTW, IL schools are not really prized on the national level, or regional level, not even in the top 20.
Chicago is well kept? Where? Downtown area may be, but have a look at road conditions in areas of West and South, or Evanston as example, they look like there was a war, and they forgot to fix the roads after. I'm not even mentioning violent crime levels, which now exceed those in the poorest countries.

Taxes are high not because of "high expectations", simply because of high level of corruption and government incompetence, remember those jailed IL governors?
BTW, approving pensions of over $100K to hundreds of thousands of people when the state never had the ability to pay such is corruption too.
There's no way out for IL from its financial mess, simply because the state moral standards are so low, nothing will work.

[damba]

Originally Posted by civis

That's pretty much a distortion of the reality. BTW, IL schools are not really prized on the national level, or regional level, not even in the top 20.
Chicago is well kept? Where? Downtown area may be, but have a look at road conditions in areas of West and South, or Evanston as example, they look like there was a war, and they forgot to fix the roads after. I'm not even mentioning violent crime levels, which now exceed those in the poorest countries.

Taxes are high not because of "high expectations", simply because of high level of corruption and government incompetence, remember those jailed IL governors?
BTW, approving pensions of over $100K to hundreds of thousands of people when the state never had the ability to pay such is corruption too.
There's no way out for IL from its financial mess, simply because the state moral standards are so low, nothing will work.

You are still somewhat delusional. Aren’t you the guy who asserted that downtown Evanston was filled with thugs/gangbanger types? Your credibility is suspect and many of your other posts are drivel.

FYI, N/NW/W suburban districts are highly regarded. Many of those districts are very popular places to work since staff and students are well supported from property taxes and successful programs. Also, compared to some other major cities, Chicago is relatively affordable.

[civis]

Originally Posted by damba

Your credibility is suspect

FYI, N/NW/W suburban districts are highly regarded. Many of those districts are very popular places to work since staff and students are well supported from property taxes and successful programs. Also, compared to some other major cities, Chicago is relatively affordable.

What this has to do with my "credibility"?? It wasn't me who jailed all those past IL governors on corruption charges, and it wasn't me who signed up to pay ridiculous pensions to teachers and police, just to realize that there's no money in the bank. All these facts are indicator of enormous level of corruption and incompetence in past and current IL leadership. You can sugar coat anything you see but it will not get IL out of looming bankruptcy.

N/NW/W suburban districts are not bad, but they are not top districts by any measure, look at any public school rating. And you can find better schools in many states in the US, for example VA, or GA, or WA where school taxes are a fraction of what corrupted IL governments charge.

[damba]

Originally Posted by civis

N/NW/W suburban districts are not bad, but they are not top districts by any measure, look at any public school rating. And you can find better schools in many states in the US, for example VA, or GA, or WA where school taxes are a fraction of what corrupted IL governments charge.

Yes, you can find good schools elsewhere- that is not in dispute. My relatives in NoVA, friends in MD and Westchester NY live in well rated excellent districts too. Plenty of others, without a doubt.

'Not bad' is not the type of description that anyone with first hand knowledge of what quality, on average, lies elsewhere in the United States would use to describe a very large swath of the suburban Chicagoland offerings. Teachers still want to work here, even with the pension issue.

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by damba

You are still somewhat delusional. Aren’t you the guy who asserted that downtown Evanston was filled with thugs/gangbanger types? Your credibility is suspect and many of your other posts are drivel.

FYI, N/NW/W suburban districts are highly regarded. Many of those districts are very popular places to work since staff and students are well supported from property taxes and successful programs. Also, compared to some other major cities, Chicago is relatively affordable.

Absolutely true. Here in Massachusetts, people are familiar with the school districts and their prestige in Chicagoland. The area is held in high regard.

[civis]

Originally Posted by damba

Yes, you can find good schools elsewhere- that is not in dispute. My relatives in NoVA, friends in MD and Westchester NY live in well rated excellent districts too. Plenty of others, without a doubt.

You seem to be having issues understating written statements, probably result of some "great" Chicagoland education. Here's again what I said, and I highlighted my point for you to help you understand:

"And you can find better schools in many states in the US, for example VA, or GA, or WA where school taxes are a fraction of what corrupted IL governments charge."