Who says Chicago doesn't rule the state? (Springfield, Joliet: city hall, buy)

[radiojunkie2006]

Owe City Hall? Chicago may take it out of state tax refund - chicagotribune.com

[MannheimMadman]

Well, the federal government does this, to some extent. I suppose it only seems fitting that local governments would do this, too.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by radiojunkie2006

Owe City Hall? Chicago may take it out of state tax refund - chicagotribune.com

Personally, I'd call this Good Government.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by radiojunkie2006

Owe City Hall? Chicago may take it out of state tax refund - chicagotribune.com

Every municipality in Illinois has the authority to do this. Chicago isn't even the first -- Joliet and Springfield already do it. So what's your point?

[Chi-town Native]

I'd love to actually hear a reason why Chicago shouldn't rule the state.

I have long theorized that most of Illinois' state govt problems stem from Springfield being in the middle of nowhere.

Look at Wisconsin for a better example of how citizens can rally when the capital is in a thriving metropolitan area.

[chet everett]

Are you seriously suggesting the physical location of the actual capital has any meaningful effect on how the laws are made?

I might remind you that the decision of numerous Democrats from the Wisconsin state legislature choose to skip town when faced with their Governors's demand to face up to problems of their states budget had NOTHING to do "physical location" and everything to do with cowardice. Rather the try to debate for their untenable position of never ending increases for public employees the legislators ran from the glare that they caused by inviting their cronies in the public employee unions to resort to thuggery. Despite this lunacy the majority of the Wisconsin lawmakers Di the right thing and divorced the public employee unions from their illegitimate grip on funding the same legislators that should be watching the purse of the state.

Sadly the odds of any such reforms in Illinois are just about nil as the Madigan controlled "combine" of corrupt politicians, their craven lobbyists, and the ignorantly misguided voters who've been carved into districts of lifetime security will continue to increase the burden on tax payers until there is no blood left in the turnips...

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I'd love to actually hear a reason why
Chicago shouldn't rule the state.

I have long theorized that most of Illinois' state govt problems stem from Springfield being in the middle of nowhere.

Look at Wisconsin for a better example of how citizens can rally when the capital is in a thriving metropolitan area.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I'd love to actually hear a reason why Chicago shouldn't rule the state.

I have long theorized that most of Illinois' state govt problems stem from Springfield being in the middle of nowhere.

Look at Wisconsin for a better example of how citizens can rally when the capital is in a thriving metropolitan area.

Or of a state that is better balanced between liberal and conservative instead of IL being dominated by Chicago Democratic Machine politics

Does that mean it's OK for me to withhold part of my state income tax when the state is over a year behind in paying our local schools? So that I have the money needed to pay the increased property tax multiplier or increased tax levy necessary to make up the shortfall?

[SJaye]

1. This is one of many good reasons to claim high, have less money withheld every paycheck and not receive a refund. The refund money that everyone gets excited about every spring is really your money that the Government got to control for an extra several months, and this is a prime example of them exercising that control.

2. The problem is that the City and the State are supposed to be two different entities, and if you have unpaid parking tickets, that is the business of the City of Chicago- not the State of Illinois. An unpaid State ticket (say, speeding on the interstate), I'd be more understanding of them withholding State tax refunds.

3. Most Chicago tickets (parking, red light cameras, etc.) are pretty much nothing more than revenue generators because the City cannot keep spending under control.

[Chi-town Native]

I'm not taking the bait and getting sucked into Chet's anti-union diatribes.

my point is WI citizens are far more educated and looped in to their state government.

a little history:

Progressivism and the Wisconsin Idea - Wisconsin Historical Society

I don't buy this Democrat vs Republican hype. GOP governors were every bit as corrupt and as free-spending as Democrats have been, Kass does get this right, we have a bi-party system of corruption that has pulled the wool successfully over many Illinoisan's eyes.

[jwaiter]

I like this measure.