If you could run things like a dictator to get Illinois out of debt what would you do? (Chicago: apartment, credit card)

[Luke9686]

Dissolve the Illinois government.

[EffortPoaster]

Originally Posted by chet everett

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/up...marijuana.html




Will the big game save gaming in Atlantic City? - CBS News

You need to transition it to online mechanisms affiliated with casinos in order to scale-up well (but obv government is always the last one to innovate, hence the reason we're in this mess in the first place). If people can simply tap a few buttons on their smart phone to place money on the game, well they will. Simply look at the insane boom of something like daily fantasy sports (went from practically nothing to a market of $5B in like 2 years, while continually stalled and roadblocked by government), which is a small small subset of total sports betting.

People are lazy and we're in the smart phone age, so utilizing that technology is key.

[NealIRC]

Surprised nobody said tax the billionaires and also, start a prostitution thing, where the money generated goes straight to the debt.

[almost3am]

Originally Posted by Fighting Fungus

1. Legalize Marijuana

2. Get a Sports book in all Illinois Casinos and tax the hell out of it.

3. Freeze the pay off all pensions for city/state workers who are retired.

4. Get All new city/state employees enrolled in a 401k and health plan similar to private sector.

5. Raise the Illinois income tax from 3.75 to 5.0 for next 5 years and at the same time freeze property taxes for seniors.

This would definitely improve our economic situation.

Any more suggestions?

-I'd modify 3 as someone else suggested to put a cap of like $75K on it.
-I'd be cool with #4, but there would need to be a lump sum payment to pay off current pension obligations. -It would be a hit to the pay package of Fed Employees, so there would probably be a lump sum payment, say 3% of annual pay, into each 401K to make up a portion of it.
-Also, if you retire you cannot contract back to the government and receive a pension
-Pensions should start paying at something like 67 years old, no earlier
-I'd only do 5 if the other things were done. I've been F'ed enough, now they want me to pay for getting f'ed

[Avondalist]

Originally Posted by King Harold

I would create a Macau like gambling zone instead of the Lucas Museum. Go all out with betting on everything. sports, E-sports, boxing, MMA, kierin bike racing, maybe even tie it in with horse tracks downstate

Create a techno club zone with clubs like Berghain in Berlin with 24/7 clubs and festivals every summer weekend

market both of the above internationally including provide incentive for both a bargain international airline for european club tourists from and a mega lux airline for the gamblers from asia and russia

create a startup zone with fab labs, food labs, office space, small industrial space, large industrial space, bio / chemical / health /energy spaces. provide incentives in the form of space and infrastructure rather than tax breaks

encourage re-development of the media industry. ATLANTA should not be the 3rd most important city in the USA for making movies and tv content

genetically modify corn to produce THC and legalize it bro

All this time and all we needed is some EDM festivals to pay off the city's debts. Who knew?

[King Harold]

Originally Posted by Avondalist

All this time and all we needed is some EDM festivals to pay off the city's debts. Who knew?

I just was trying to think of something way out there. I don't think Chicago can actually solve its problems.

[Liledgy]

We have a Governor that's doing his best to run it like a dictatorship, how do you like it?

[Liledgy]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Fire everyone and make them reapply for their jobs with reasonable market salaries and 401k's. Tell the unions if they don't like it their members can have fun in the private sector. Make sure it is possible in the future for govts to say no to unions if their demands are unreasonable including possibly firing and banning everyone like Reagan did. It is ok to have collective bargaining/negotiation but when one side can't say no it isn't a negotiation, it is holding the people hostage and making govt and the law into a vehicle to armed rob the citizens.

Settle current pensions for a reasonable level. I wouldn't just pull the rug out from people but they aren't getting million dollar pensions either.

Abolish, consolidate, and rebuild all the governing units in a more efficient structure (can it get any less efficient than it is now).

Limit the ability of local govts to increase property taxes without voter referendums. Put an amendment in the constitution like CA or IN so seniors or people and businesses in general aren't taxed out of their homes.

Make it possible for the state or voters to just abolish units of govt when they go out of control and easier for areas to secede from one county to another (I'm talking about the large sections of N Cook that wished they could just join Dupage rather than deal with the craphole corrupt patronage Chicago based Cook Co govt).

Term limits and recall on all state and local officials.

12,13% of the population is the problem, this is HILARIOUS. You need to get a better job, it very easy. Get some skills that that not a lot of people can or will do, learn it well and you will have a nice career.

[Fighting Fungus]

Originally Posted by Liledgy

We have a Governor that's doing his best to run it like a dictatorship, how do you like it?

A dictator doesn't have to answer to any one, he is out numbered and can't do what he wants to do. If he got what he wanted, Illinois would be in much better shape financially.

[Fighting Fungus]

Originally Posted by Liledgy

We have a Governor that's doing his best to run it like a dictatorship, how do you like it?

What would you do, raise taxes and kick the can down the road. Your buddy Madigan is not good for the state.