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Metra ridership dropped 1% last year, but improving conditions plus a hike in gas prices could boost it. I also notice that western railroads, Metrolink, Sounder, Trinity Rail, were totally ignored in projections. True, East coast systems are larger, but Western systems have been growing faster.
Metra ridership dropped 1% last year, but improving conditions plus a hike in gas prices could boost it. I also notice that western railroads, Metrolink, Sounder, Trinity Rail, were totally ignored in projections. True, East coast systems are larger, but Western systems have been growing faster.
Western can't match Eastern numbers , thats not my dept.... Considering NJT and few other systems added between 14-20,000 is a good sign for Metra and the other systems. This was before Gas started to climb , it signals the recession is over...
I concur that job loss and stagnant economic conditions were what contributed to the drop off in ridership, I was merely stating the obvious.
I am curious as to why the other suburbs were not as drastically affected. Maybe more held onto their jobs, simple as that?
allen, thank you for that explanation. Can we agree to disagree? I disagree because the public schools here are terrible. You can't force people together who otherwise wouldn't interact, if they're resistant to the idea and have no respect for people of other cultures. Maybe that is why Rich Central does so well, they have the money to attract good teachers and there are few white kids. I don't know. I have had occasion to interact with this school and I can tell you it was a wonderful experience. The students take a lot of pride in their school.
I lived here briefly (end of fourth grade, beginning of fifth), and the only two friends I made in public school were black. The white students called me "n*****-lover", and pushed me off the school bus. I was so traumatized my mother sent me to St. Gerard Magella in fifth grade. The only friend I made there was black as well, and her family was much wealthier than mine. She had a canopy bed, her own room, and a Barbie dream house! I made her climb the willow tree in my grandmother's backyard, she got caught up there because she wouldn't jump down. I don't think we played together after that, lol. The white kids called my father a "baby-killer" (ten year olds!) and didn't like me because I was "color-blind". Which I don't think was very Christian at all, I was so glad when we got stationed elsewhere. So I have first-hand experience with the public schools here, even though it was long ago in a land far, far away. I attended public high school in another state, had no problems.
Now my son attends public school. I was disheartened by remarks I overheard from black parents who felt "discriminated against" because they don't offer bus service to the school, as if it was personal. They never did! My son told me a girl in his class said that her mom said "this school has too many d*** rules"! Good way to support your school mom, and teach respect for teachers to your kids. I told him that not all black people are like that. BTW He made some really racist remark at home that really shocked me, which led to our discussion. I guess I need to look for more opportunities to interact with people from other cultures myself.
I concur that job loss and stagnant economic conditions were what contributed to the drop off in ridership, I was merely stating the obvious.
I am curious as to why the other suburbs were not as drastically affected. Maybe more held onto their jobs, simple as that?
allen, thank you for that explanation. Can we agree to disagree? I disagree because the public schools here are terrible. You can't force people together who otherwise wouldn't interact, if they're resistant to the idea and have no respect for people of other cultures. Maybe that is why Rich Central does so well, they have the money to attract good teachers and there are few white kids. I don't know. I have had occasion to interact with this school and I can tell you it was a wonderful experience. The students take a lot of pride in their school.
I lived here briefly (end of fourth grade, beginning of fifth), and the only two friends I made in public school were black. The white students called me "n*****-lover", and pushed me off the school bus. I was so traumatized my mother sent me to St. Gerard Magella in fifth grade. The only friend I made there was black as well, and her family was much wealthier than mine. She had a canopy bed, her own room, and a Barbie dream house! I made her climb the willow tree in my grandmother's backyard, she got caught up there because she wouldn't jump down. I don't think we played together after that, lol. The white kids called my father a "baby-killer" (ten year olds!) and didn't like me because I was "color-blind". Which I don't think was very Christian at all, I was so glad when we got stationed elsewhere. So I have first-hand experience with the public schools here, even though it was long ago in a land far, far away. I attended public high school in another state, had no problems.
Now my son attends public school. I was disheartened by remarks I overheard from black parents who felt "discriminated against" because they don't offer bus service to the school, as if it was personal. They never did! My son told me a girl in his class said that her mom said "this school has too many d*** rules"! Good way to support your school mom, and teach respect for teachers to your kids. I told him that not all black people are like that. BTW He made some really racist remark at home that really shocked me, which led to our discussion. I guess I need to look for more opportunities to interact with people from other cultures myself.
Well we agree more than you think. The schools in your area may be underperforming. The south suburb's schools are a mixed bag. Some good and some not so good. But that's everywhere. I was just pointing out that many are performing a lot better than people think with predominantly black student bodies. And some of them are performing out right amazing. Homewood-Flossmoor High school's AYP results are beyond reproach. And it seems the AYP results are getting better every year. HF currently has the only black student body of any public open enrollment high school in illinois to pass any category of the AYP exam at a rate higher than 50 percent and HF's black student body has passed at rates as high as 60 percent in recent years. The white student body at homewood-flossmoor consistantly makes AYP among the highest rates of the top 10 chicago suburban public high schools. I know hf already has 3 national blue ribbons. But, I feel they certainly deserve another one sometime in the near future.
Last edited by allen2323; 05-10-2011 at 12:30 PM..
I concur that job loss and stagnant economic conditions were what contributed to the drop off in ridership, I was merely stating the obvious.
I am curious as to why the other suburbs were not as drastically affected. Maybe more held onto their jobs, simple as that?
allen, thank you for that explanation. Can we agree to disagree? I disagree because the public schools here are terrible. You can't force people together who otherwise wouldn't interact, if they're resistant to the idea and have no respect for people of other cultures. Maybe that is why Rich Central does so well, they have the money to attract good teachers and there are few white kids. I don't know. I have had occasion to interact with this school and I can tell you it was a wonderful experience. The students take a lot of pride in their school.
I lived here briefly (end of fourth grade, beginning of fifth), and the only two friends I made in public school were black. The white students called me "n*****-lover", and pushed me off the school bus. I was so traumatized my mother sent me to St. Gerard Magella in fifth grade. The only friend I made there was black as well, and her family was much wealthier than mine. She had a canopy bed, her own room, and a Barbie dream house! I made her climb the willow tree in my grandmother's backyard, she got caught up there because she wouldn't jump down. I don't think we played together after that, lol. The white kids called my father a "baby-killer" (ten year olds!) and didn't like me because I was "color-blind". Which I don't think was very Christian at all, I was so glad when we got stationed elsewhere. So I have first-hand experience with the public schools here, even though it was long ago in a land far, far away. I attended public high school in another state, had no problems.
Now my son attends public school. I was disheartened by remarks I overheard from black parents who felt "discriminated against" because they don't offer bus service to the school, as if it was personal. They never did! My son told me a girl in his class said that her mom said "this school has too many d*** rules"! Good way to support your school mom, and teach respect for teachers to your kids. I told him that not all black people are like that. BTW He made some really racist remark at home that really shocked me, which led to our discussion. I guess I need to look for more opportunities to interact with people from other cultures myself.
What town and schools did this happen in? This kind of racial tension just wasn't even remotely my experience with growing up in the south suburbs. I suppose you're older than I am though.
I mean, there was this Rap Music verse Rock Music thing.. But the "racial tension" didn't run too much deeper than that. Shocking, huh?
It was rock vs country music where I grew up. Rap was virtually unknown until the 90s.
Does anyone on here apart from Allen believe that the south suburbs are getting better or even stabilizing?
I think in a few years you will be able to purchase sfh in area like homewood/flossmor that went for 500k 10 years before for less than 200k (2015 vs 2005).
Imagine what that will do to the schools as the affordability increase in the formerly affluent south suburbs.
It was rock vs country music where I grew up. Rap was virtually unknown until the 90s.
Does anyone on here apart from Allen believe that the south suburbs are getting better or even stabilizing?
I think in a few years you will be able to purchase sfh in area like homewood/flossmor that went for 500k 10 years before for less than 200k (2015 vs 2005).
Imagine what that will do to the schools as the affordability increase in the formerly affluent south suburbs.
I am not saying there is no chance of that because you can pretty much see that now. Prices are so low in the southern suburbs that many buyers are paying all cash and purchasing without a mortgage. Recent median home sales prices in middle and upper middle income southern suburbs such as flossmoor, homewood, olympia fields, matteson, south holland, richton park, country club hills, crete, etc. are already below 2 times median household income. Very affordable for the current buyers in the area.
If prices go any lower you will just see even more mostly all cash buyers not even bothering with mortgages in these kind of areas. You are already starting to see alot of that out here with the cheap foreclosures. At this point, the property taxes are more of a financial consideration then the home prices. But, the property taxes won't be coming down anytime soon. If home values go down I am sure the villages will just vote to raise the tax rate.
Not a huge inventory of unsold homes in areas like flossmoor or olympia fields either. The cheap foreclosures seem to have no problem selling at these rock bottom prices. Which is why Quite frankly, I think banks dumped alot of foreclosures in the area for way too cheap. They could have gotten more for alot of the properties and buyers are getting great deals. And I think the prices also reflect a shift away from low down payment financing and the difficulty of getting financing overall. Current buyers in the area are bringing more cash to the table. And in many cases all cash. My friend bought a nice foreclosed home in country club hills to live in last year with all cash.
Last edited by allen2323; 05-10-2011 at 09:23 PM..
I need to say in all fairness, there have been many times I wished we had moved to Homewood. The elementary schools and parks programs are excellent. Wolcott School has struggled for the past 5 years or more with budget cuts, and questionable administration.
Humboldt1 gets it!!
Quote:
Does anyone on here apart from Allen believe that the south suburbs are getting better or even stabilizing?
I think in a few years you will be able to purchase sfh in area like homewood/flossmor that went for 500k 10 years before for less than 200k (2015 vs 2005).
Imagine what that will do to the schools as the affordability increase in the formerly affluent south suburbs.
It doesn't mean allen is wrong about the AYP score results, those are facts that are captured in time. I just don't like some of the trends I see. If this forum represents any real percentage of potential buyers, there won't be a boatload of young, professional leaders with vision snapping up newly " affordable homes".
"Affordability increase" is just being coy, houses here will be given away, as whites go fleeing.
I need to say in all fairness, there have been many times I wished we had moved to Homewood. The elementary schools and parks programs are excellent. Wolcott School has struggled for the past 5 years or more with budget cuts, and questionable administration.
Humboldt1 gets it!!
It doesn't mean allen is wrong about the AYP score results, those are facts that are captured in time. I just don't like some of the trends I see. If this forum represents any real percentage of potential buyers, there won't be a boatload of young, professional leaders with vision snapping up newly " affordable homes".
"Affordability increase" is just being coy, houses here will be given away, as whites go fleeing.
The funny thing is most homebuyers who are buying currently at these rock bottom prices are financially more affluent than most of the buyers 5 plus years ago who were buying with 100 percent financing and over extending themselves with debt on an over valued home. The more recent buyers are bringing real cash to the table. In many cases all cash.
urza~Yes I must be older than you, I have listened to rock music ever since I was in the fourth grade! Some country music too, but mostly just at home (like Johnny Cash) or opera. I still like all kinds of music, including rap. Love the blues. I have been listening to WXRT for a few decades.
It would not be shocking to me if you grew up without racial tension, it kind of disappoints me that it still happens. What suburb are you from?
The schools I mentioned were in Markham, I can't remember the exact name of the public school, McClory? I have no idea where it was (street), I only went there for a month or two, then it was summer. Which I spent on the prairie in Markham, I loved that summer! Then I went to a private Catholic school. I think now that maybe I just blew the other kid's minds because I didn't think like them, lol. I "fit in" much better when I was a little older with the kids I went to high school with.
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