Why isn't Chicago a separate state? (Washington, Madison: 2013, home, taxes)

[OuttaTheLouBurbs]

As far as I'm aware, Chicago and most of downstate Illinois have massive cultural, economic, political, and other differences. The two are completely different-the Chicago area is a dense, urban concentration, which starkly contrasts with the rest of Illinois' rural nature. Yet, somehow the two still manage to put up with each other. Why haven't they split up yet? And is a split possible in the future?

What is your take on this, Chicagoans? Do you think Chicago's differences from downstate Illinois are large enough that they need to become political boundaries? Or do you think that Chicago and Illinois have their fates intertwined?

[squishy506]

Every state has a liberal metropolis and several extremely conservative backwoods towns. If Chicago split, would not the taxes be even higher?

[oakparkdude]

I would think that an independent state of Chicagoland would be financially better have not having to subsidize downstate.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by squishy506

Every state has a liberal metropolis and several extremely conservative backwoods towns.

That's just not true

[OuttaTheLouBurbs]

Originally Posted by marothisu

That's just not true

Agreed. What about states like Wyoming or Idaho, that lack a major metropolis?

And what about states that are dominated by many metropolises/cities, like California or Ohio?

[OuttaTheLouBurbs]

Originally Posted by squishy506

Every state has a liberal metropolis and several extremely conservative backwoods towns. If Chicago split, would not the taxes be even higher?

How so? Wouldn't taxes be lower due to less infrastructure and services (in and around Chicago) to take care of? I might be wrong, I'm just wondering.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by OuttaTheLouBurbs

How so? Wouldn't taxes be lower due to less infrastructure and services (in and around Chicago) to take care of? I might be wrong, I'm just wondering.

Those long stretches of interstate in rural areas don't take care of themselves.

[lizcharlene]

Because the rural areas of Illinois fuel the urban businesses and vice-versa, making it cheaper and possible for companies to have the resources that they do within their home state and the business knowledge to make things happen.

[Bucktownbabe]

While it's true that not every state has political or cultural splits, there are many that do. Seattle vs. Eastern Washington, Portland vs. Eastern Oregon, Northern vs. Southern California AND coastal vs. inland California, Austin vs. most of the rest of Texas, Northern vs. Southern Florida, NYC vs. Upstate NY, the DC suburbs of Virginia vs. most of the rest of Virginia, eastern vs. western PA, Milwaukee, Madison, and the rest of WI, eastern vs. western Michigan, NWI vs. the rest of Indiana, New Orleans vs. northern Louisiana, etc. Several of those differences are arguably as big as or bigger than the differences between Chicago and the rest of Illinois.

No, Illinois shouldn't be two states, unless we're going to redraw the boundaries of all the states nationwide in way that makes more sense. That's not going to happen, though.

[Bucktownbabe]

Many people have suggested it, though: