Sobering statistics about IL property tax (Chicago, Peoria: middle-class, renters, limousine)

[CatsDogsSun]

I do not see a date on this article but the figures make me wonder why the exodus from IL is not even larger than it is. https://www.illinoispolicy.org/story...-middle-class/

[JonhE]

I think the exodus is happening. The strange thing (and probably the only thing helping right now) is that employers pay more to workers in Chicago compared to the many many lower tax areas with better weather than Illinois. I don't understand it. But yes, I think the smarter productive people in Illinois are aware and are looking. If you are on the dole, Illinois provides a largess of benefits. In the end its the people in the middle that are hit the hardest. Chicago has sanctuary city status and all that entails.



From what I hear, Allstate is in the process of vacating Illinois. I'm sure there are many other large corps that will leave also. I think we are largely a state of limousine liberals. I worked in the nice parts of Chicago near Wrigley field. The city of Chicago keeps that area nice. If you live on the south or west sides, tiny dancer Rahm Emmanuel and former Daley family had nothing for you. No fancy boulevard construction or school improvements for you.


We are at the precipice of maximum taxation. When the suburban homeowner is paying $10k+ per year prop tax and 5% income tax we are taxed out. Even a liberal minded person must be feeling it. Remember, you voted for this mess. Ask yourself what a progressive tax will do to your home value? How about another 30 cents in gas tax? City of Chicago fuel price is $4.00 per gallon, $4.99 for premium.


If we could somehow subtract out illegal immigration, the exodus numbers would be way higher. Sad

[CatsDogsSun]

It is a shame that over-taxation and corruption have negatively impacted the Chicagoland area.

[wase4711]

yet, the residents keep voting the same moron politicians in over and over and over again....go figure..

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by JonhE

I think the exodus is happening. The strange thing (and probably the only thing helping right now) is that employers pay more to workers in Chicago compared to the many many lower tax areas with better weather than Illinois. I don't understand it. But yes, I think the smarter productive people in Illinois are aware and are looking. If you are on the dole, Illinois provides a largess of benefits. In the end its the people in the middle that are hit the hardest. Chicago has sanctuary city status and all that entails.

While I think the desirability of Illinois and the Midwest has deteriorated over the past few decades, Chicago remains an important magnet for talent. I realize that I grew up and live in what is prime Illinois, but I think even in more average areas the city has a lot to offer.

Originally Posted by JonhE

From what I hear, Allstate is in the process of vacating Illinois. I'm sure there are many other large corps that will leave also.

Nonsense, and I don't see any major corporations leaving Illinois. As I stated above, it is still an important magnet for talent, and most wealthy Illinoisans (the executives making those decisions) are heavily invested in the state. There are family and social ties, business and real property interests along with many other things that keep one tied here.

While Illinois ranks unfavorably in college graduate retention, they are often replaced by college graduates from elsewhere, particularly people from other parts of the Midwest. I see many older people, white people, African-Americans, and unskilled workers leaving in the largest numbers.

Originally Posted by JonhE

I think we are largely a state of limousine liberals. I worked in the nice parts of Chicago near Wrigley field. The city of Chicago keeps that area nice. If you live on the south or west sides, tiny dancer Rahm Emmanuel and former Daley family had nothing for you. No fancy boulevard construction or school improvements for you.

Most people do not have the amount of wealth or education to be considered "limousine liberals." I think there is a strong coalition of downscale voters, minority voters, and bourgeois progressives (aka limousine liberals) that form a solid majority in most elections.

Chicago and the entire state are definitely characterized by striking inequality. However, the wealthier states in the U.S. with a handful of exceptions tend to be more unequal and Democratic.

Originally Posted by JonhE

We are at the precipice of maximum taxation. When the suburban homeowner is paying $10k+ per year prop tax and 5% income tax we are taxed out. Even a liberal minded person must be feeling it.

More than 30% of housing units in Illinois are renter-occupied. Even in more upscale locations like Evanston, the percentage of renter-occupied housing units has skyrocketed amidst rising property taxes. Renters don't pay attention to property taxes, even though they are paying them indirectly. With approximately 1/3rd of Illinois housing units being renter-occupied, that translates into a lot of voters who don't pay that most burdensome tax.

[MSchemist80]

Renters tend to have less property value/person. As a result the property tax/person is diluted.

[CCrest182]

Originally Posted by JonhE

I think the exodus is happening. The strange thing (and probably the only thing helping right now) is that employers pay more to workers in Chicago compared to the many many lower tax areas with better weather than Illinois. I don't understand it. But yes, I think the smarter productive people in Illinois are aware and are looking. If you are on the dole, Illinois provides a largess of benefits. In the end its the people in the middle that are hit the hardest. Chicago has sanctuary city status and all that entails.



From what I hear, Allstate is in the process of vacating Illinois. I'm sure there are many other large corps that will leave also. I think we are largely a state of limousine liberals. I worked in the nice parts of Chicago near Wrigley field. The city of Chicago keeps that area nice. If you live on the south or west sides, tiny dancer Rahm Emmanuel and former Daley family had nothing for you. No fancy boulevard construction or school improvements for you.


We are at the precipice of maximum taxation. When the suburban homeowner is paying $10k+ per year prop tax and 5% income tax we are taxed out. Even a liberal minded person must be feeling it. Remember, you voted for this mess. Ask yourself what a progressive tax will do to your home value? How about another 30 cents in gas tax? City of Chicago fuel price is $4.00 per gallon, $4.99 for premium.


If we could somehow subtract out illegal immigration, the exodus numbers would be way higher. Sad

Brother/Sister, the exodus has been happening for years now.

That exodus though is mostly poor blacks and Hispanics leaving the south and west sides, as they really should. It's also surely some of the middle class.

Low paying jobs are fleeing, but high paying jobs keep coming on in.

It was rumored a while back that Walgreens was going to leave Illinois, but it turned out to just be an empty threat. I haven't heard anything serious about Allstate actually planning on leaving Illinois. I'd probably be more concerned about State Farm leaving Bloomington-Normal though.

McDonald's just built a huge new headquarters in Chicago, so they're not leaving. Boeing and United have no place to escape to as they need the amenities Chicago has to offer, which 98% of other U.S. cities do not even come close to having. Caterpillar is moving jobs from Peoria to Deerfield, which is still in Illinois, so they're not leaving. Plenty of smaller companies are based and are moving here to take advantage of the state of the art transit system and educated/diverse workforce this city has, which again can't be found in most other U.S. cities outside of NYC, LA, and SF.

Remember, it's still cheaper to live in and do business in Chicago than it is in New York City and San Francisco. When people on the coasts look for a similar city with lower housing prices, they look to Chicago.

[nana053]

OTOH, Tech companies are moving in:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...oosing-chicago

We didn't get Amazon, but we are getting lots of other businesses.

Chicago had 14,014 tech businesses in 2017, 46 more than in 2016. The city also had 341,600 tech workers across all industries in 2017, an increase of 4,000 from the year before, according to Downers Grove-based CompTIA, a global trade association for technology professionals.

[CCrest182]

Jimmy John's also threatened to move to Indiana a while back, but they're still in Champaign. Many companies/organizations threaten to move all the time; most of the time it's so the state/city will cough up a better deal for them. The White Sox did the same thing of threatening to move to Tampa Bay in the 80's.

[JonhE]

This is good to hear. I am looking to move to one of the north shore suburbs this summer mainly due to the great high schools (Lake Forest, Wilmette, etc). There seems to be a ton of inventory. Prices seem to be at 2001-2004 levels in a lot of cases. Wilmette in particular has a really large inventory of nice homes. I'm somewhat worried about catching a falling knife. Our plan is to stay for 4-5 years while kids finish high school. I like the idea of buying over renting.



Yesterday, another article popped up about our new fat limousine liberal governor willing to sign on to the progressive income tax amendment which I'm sure the voters will pass. Currently the state constitution mandates a flat tax. The dems are selling the big change as "only affecting the rich who make more than $250k". My guess is that these folks leave and then to fill the gap, it moves down to people who make $100k. No plan to reduce spending though.


liberal or conservative, the mess needs fixing and we are still kicking the can down the road. No attempts at addressing the pension and spending issues. Only more taxes. Good to hear that somehow this is not affecting tech or other high paying jobs.