Would you consider NW Indiana if transit to Chicago improved? (Oak Park: condos, unemployment)

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Broadrippleguy

Well since were talking about toll roads ill give the full picture on Mitch Daniels leasing the toll road (Which is a great idea and heres why) First were not liable for paying to keep the road maintained after we leased it. 2nd and god this has to be embarassing even Mitch Daniels said the company that bought it paid to much (Hello they are in trouble financially i smell a bankruptcy brewing and a returning of the toll road) also 3rd as we saw in Minneapolis with the I35W bridge collasping we need to repair our bridges and roads and 3B extra up front cash will do the trick. For the people that have driven the Indiana toll road the tolls aren't insane either. plus in a few years you can take I-69 down to Evansville
Also Sunny to answer your question i am not sure ill ever take the toll roads again in Illinois after that if i need to visit my family. Taking more of my money in this recession is unacceptable and i won't allow it.

Then you can exercise that option and take the alternate routes
no one forces any one to use the toll road - its a toll road
it takes you between point a and point b in a timely manner.

You also should keep in mind this road IMHO is maintained very good
in the winter time its always clean and salted in inclimate weather.

I drive the toll road all the time and really have no complaints to me its worth my money.

The Indiana toll road on the other hand is ran by a consortium of spanish investors and I have heard they are in trouble.

That road is not maintained properly and is usally a mess in the wintertime.
The Illiana too is supposed to be a toll road for the Indiana portion.

The problem here is - there is no free lunch - You literally get what you pay for.

If you want a properly maintained road and one that is smooth with no potholes than its worth it if not use the surface streets but be prepared for long ride and you will burn more fuel.

[Broadrippleguy]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

The RTA oversees the CTA and Metra
Why on earth would they fund a train for Indiana

Well with Pat Quinns Income Tax *Stunt* 15 businesses have moved to Indiana if the population follows you might want to serve them

[sunnyandcloudydays]

[quote=Broadrippleguy;20826625]cause the other state is taking all the businesses.
Pat Quinn in some ways i feel sorry for Illinois/Chicago and some ways i don't If he is reelected in 2014 ill be poping the popcorn and watching Illinois turn into California #2. So well let time tell if i am right Illinois/Chicago's last opportunity to save itself from blowing all the businesses away is the next election.
But the ball is in Illinois hands its up to the voters to decide. heck CME group is talking about moving out of Illinois to another state.
Since i only have atm an avaiable chart of the cost of doing business in Illinois and Indiana well make a comparison between our 2 states.
A business has to make money or otherwise it gets bailed at (at your expense) or it closes its doors and people are unemployed.
Basic Business costs here is a chart based on a business with just 100 employees.
Per 1,000,000$ a business makes in taxable income they spend 30,000 more a year (Multibillion dollar corporations pay MILLIONS more in taxes)
Next expense for business is the main reason modern forge moved to Merriville Indiana. per 100 employees a business has to spend 136,000$ in workers compensation. Indiana that same business pays 47,000$ per 100 Employees. The Compensation rate is 1.23$ per hour compared to nearly 3$ per hour in Illinois. Finally Unemployment Insurance for 100 employees is 19k in Indiana compared to 42k in Illinois.
All i have to say is Illinois needs a Mitch Daniels to fix your business climate and balance the governments budget. There is more people like him out there you just need to find them and get them running for governor Hope this explains the full picture to why companies like Modern Forge are leaving Illinois.
I will add other factors are also used in a businesses decision to move or stay but the taxes aren't much of an arguement and gasoline prices aren't even worth getting into a dicussion about.[/QUOTE

Broadripple- you do not need to feel sorry for Illinois-
Illinois has a huge economy and the likes of Modern Forge leaving to Merrillville is nothing.

You also need to keep in mind companies do not fully pay the corporte tax rate . Most get huge breaks and incentives and have staff accontants to fatten the bottom line.

Part of the success of illinois business climate are things that you have not even mentioned

The resources we have here are incredible with colleges and world famous universities and medical schools.

Look at the major airports and the nations largest rail hub along with several of the busiest highways that criss cross the nation.

There is an incredible large talented labor pool along with a transportation network that is probably unmatched anywhere in the us.

Sure taxes are a piece of the picture but not the total picture.

There is a reason the area is or has attracted so many businesses because its a world class city and metro with world class amenities.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

The RTA oversees the CTA and Metra
Why on earth would they fund a train for Indiana

Well, the RTA can always just fund it in Calumet City, Illinois - right by State Line Road and a stone throw away from Hammond. But the truth is that gov't organization like the RTA aren't as concerned with the southern part of the Chicago region as the rest of it.

[reppin_the_847]

This is true. However, I do think that the CTA Red Line will eventually be extended into the Wild 100's just as Emmanuel has approved, provided that we don't run into any severe budget catastrophes. I'm sure there will be plenty of NIMBY's in downtown and the north side that aren't too thrilled about this (visions of flash mobs rolling in their head), but for the hard working south side folk that struggle to reach their Loop jobs via lengthy bus connections, this will be a welcome improvement to the South Side's transportation network.

Originally Posted by urza216

Well, the RTA can always just fund it in Calumet City, Illinois - right by State Line Road and a stone throw away from Hammond. But the truth is that gov't organization like the RTA aren't as concerned with the southern part of the Chicago region as the rest of it.

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

The RTA oversees the CTA and Metra
Why on earth would they fund a train for Indiana

Indiana would pay their fair share - an extension from Calumet City to Hammond. RTA/CTA would only pay as far as Calumet City.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by urza216

Well, the RTA can always just fund it in Calumet City, Illinois - right by State Line Road and a stone throw away from Hammond. But the truth is that gov't organization like the RTA aren't as concerned with the southern part of the Chicago region as the rest of it.

Yes, You have struck gold on this remark.
So very true.

Ther Red line extension is the closest we would have in the future of any cta development southbound.

As far as metra is concerned the south east lne

Really it would have to be up to Indiana on how they wish to fund their own residents transportation problems

This is one reason Illinois has a positive for me in the W column.
Tranasportations is vital.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by urza216

Well, the RTA can always just fund it in Calumet City, Illinois - right by State Line Road and a stone throw away from Hammond. But the truth is that gov't organization like the RTA aren't as concerned with the southern part of the Chicago region as the rest of it.

Yes, You have struck gold on this remark.
So very true.

Ther Red line extension is the closest we would have in the future of any cta development southbound.

As far as metra is concerned the south east lne

Really it would have to be up to Indiana on how they wish to fund their own residents transportation problems

This is one reason Illinois has a positive for me in the W column.
Tranasportations is vital.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Broadrippleguy

Well with Pat Quinns Income Tax *Stunt* 15 businesses have moved to Indiana if the population follows you might want to serve them

Broadripple- Cook county is the second most populous county in the united states.

Simply this fact alone will have a different make up of things needed for its residents.
Its 5.3 million people tucked into a county.
The whole state of Indiana is 6.2 or close to that figure.
15 businesses that move in a sour economy is hardly a ripple in the ocean.
for a population base in cook and collar of 10 million.

Not trying to belittle Indianpolis but It seems this whole thing is over blown a bit.
Yes you are going to have higher taxes in an urban environment -take a look at the major metros in the u.s.
funny thing is look at the list (they are in what you call higher tax states)

Really doubt 15 Illinois businesses moving is that rare , it probably happens every year- sometimes its just a natural course of a business relocation.
This entire metro is not decaying or dying
Look at Dupage county 1 millon peole- Will county one of the fastest growing counties in the u.s. i believe its population is neart 700k
Lake co Ill Its population is around 700k
Compare this to Marion co lets say they have a pop of 1mill maybe 1.1mil

Will county alone is 3/4 the size of Marion and that is just one county in the metro.

Anyway the movement between lake county Indiana and cook county (far eastern portion is nothing new)

Here is an interesting link for the so called dying business climate of IL
Top Job-Creating Companies on the Inc. 5000 | Inc.com

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by urza216

Well, BRU67, you can ride your bicycle to an El station outside of the city limits and in your neighboring town of Oak Park. It would be nice if this option was available to residents of Hammond, Indiana and its neighbor Calumet City, Illinois.

Maybe it doesn't make any sense that Skokie and Oak Park have El stations when there are so many parts of CHICAGO underserved by the El. Why do we invest dollars in these areas when they don't even pay property taxes to Chicago?

Why does the blue line go all the way to another city when the Red Line doesn't even go south of 95th street? There's still another good 20 more blocks IN THE CITY that could be covered on the Red Line.

As Sunny points out, the RTA oversees the CTA (and Metra and Pace). Oak Park is in the RTA's service area. NW Indiana is not because the RTA was established by Illinois statute.

The RTA also serves DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. So it would make more sense from the RTA's standpoint to expand the system further west and southwest into those areas before expanding it into another state outside the service area.

And IMHO, there is no reason to expand the service area when large parts of the existing one are underserved. Nothing against Indiana but we've got our own problems right now. If Indiana wants public transit into Chicago as a means of fostering growth in the NW region, then they should create a transit authority and fund it and pay for it.

Of course, since people in Indiana trump their low taxes, and isolation from other "City" issues, would they want to start going down that road? Do you think all residents of Hammond would want an easy L connection to Calumet City and the south side of Chicago? I think you'd get some pretty healthy debate on this.