Illinois Concerns from a Newb - Opinions? (Chicago, Naperville: sales, apartment complexes)

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by linicx

I don't remember that the population of the City of Chicago has ever been greater than 3M.

The city of Chicago was 3.62 million people per the 1950 census.

[Vasily]

I don't think the OP's post was about whether Chicago and/or Illinois are great places to live ... it was primarily about the economic viability of Illinois as a state, and not Chicago in particular (the job offer was not in Chicago). It was a question not just about the current economic and employment climate, but also about future potential for problems.

The burden of proof is I think on those who say Illinois is in great shape financially. You'll need for starters to explain why Moody's is wrong for rating Illinois the least credit-worthy of all the states, or at least why this shouldn't be a concern for those who are thinking of a move to Illinois. If you can demonstrate why this holds no potential future negatives for the future job seeker or retiree in Illinois, please enlighten us.

I understand that there are people who love Illinois and/or Chicago, and that's fine. But that affection has nothing to do with the future economic viability of the state. I certainly don't feel good about Illinois' future, and neither do a lot of my friends.

[linicx]

Moody and its doom and gloom aside, I would say if you feel insecure you should move. People who do not live in Illinois do not understand the long endured and frustrating political connect between Chicago and Springfield or the hatred that exists between Chicago and the rest of the state because of it. Chicago gets the lion's share of everything possible from the state. Chicagoans pay dearly for the privilege in higher real estate tax, higher city tax, and in privilege tax. This generally leaves the rest of the people in the state to fend for ourselves. Some areas do better than others. The Peoria area which generally includes B-N in most things does it rather well.

Why do I think this? Construction. Peoria airport expanded its gates and runway, added flights and added a new gate in the B-N airport. Construction continues on The Block, the new museum in Peoria. The ISU 'Circle' was recently voted one of the best in America. The Civic Center expanded some 12,000 square feet.

Several new businesses came to the Peoria area last year - including a grocer from North Carolina. Target and Costco are opening new stores this year. The only hospital that treats more children in the state than in Peoria is in Chicago. And while the lights did go out on an opera and ballet company our Performing Art community is still strong. We still offer many opportunities to learn: Our medical school, nursing schools, universities, colleges and community colleges, and trade schools are still strong and expanding. We're still building new homes and we still offer the largest park district in the state- and it is free.

The old waterfront where the port was located before it was moved to a better location in the county is being renovated and new businesses are moving in. The Riverfront Plaza iin Peoria s one of the busiest venues. One of the our best kept secrets is a Chicago business that expanded downstate to Peoria.

CAT makes a lot of noise but the fact is it pulled out of the CBOT but its global headquarters is still in Peoria and it is still manufacturing here and throughout the state. Our unemployment numbers continue to drop. In fact there is position open for engineer at one of our TV stations right now. Jobs are available.

It's not paradise. I do not believe the housing mess is over by a long shot. I do believe we will emerge into an economy that looks more like the sixties or even earlier but we are not going to roll over and play dead yet and it will take years for the average Joe to dig out from under the economic collapse. Not so for big businesses that continue to post billion dollar quarters. We're all going to learn how to hitch up our get-along again if we intend to survive.

Even if you force the Chicago Machine out of power it will not change the state economy, state pension mess, or Chicago politics because politicians are liars and they like the vig as well as any other. It just a question of whose palm we will grease tomorrow. As far as I am concerned PACs are the problem.

The root of all evel is not money. It is the love of money. Our politicians pray at the alter of the might God Dollar all too often.

Moody looks at compiled data. Most of the writer's who opine on it have never been in Central Illinois and probably not in Chicago either. Keep the faith bro, we're going to get out of this mess alive.

[-Focused-]

Originally Posted by Vasily

I don't think the OP's post was about whether Chicago and/or Illinois are great places to live ... it was primarily about the economic viability of Illinois as a state, and not Chicago in particular (the job offer was not in Chicago). It was a question not just about the current economic and employment climate, but also about future potential for problems.

The burden of proof is I think on those who say Illinois is in great shape financially. You'll need for starters to explain why Moody's is wrong for rating Illinois the least credit-worthy of all the states, or at least why this shouldn't be a concern for those who are thinking of a move to Illinois. If you can demonstrate why this holds no potential future negatives for the future job seeker or retiree in Illinois, please enlighten us.

I understand that there are people who love Illinois and/or Chicago, and that's fine. But that affection has nothing to do with the future economic viability of the state. I certainly don't feel good about Illinois' future, and neither do a lot of my friends.

I couldn't have said it better myself. To act like Illinois is in good shape is insane. Also, as you said, the OP didn't say anything about moving to Chicago (in fact, OP said the opposite), so I'm not sure why it was brought into the discussion as a focal point. Illinois is not in good shape. Anyone who lives here knows that. I'm not trying to be all 'doom and gloom.' I am simply being realistic. I have seen how things go in Illinois. It isn't pretty. Maybe if I was an elitist from Chicago, I would feel differently, but I am simply a working-class person down where the "po' folks" reside.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Believe linicx makes a very valid point and one which I have not really seen or remember being posted on CD.

The PAC drives our laws both and state and federal level.
Which IS controlled by the businesses in a particular state.

Seems to me you have to take the rating agencies with a grain of salt.

After all they are influenced by outside sources.

If you do not like Illinois MOVE>

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Vasily

I don't think the OP's post was about whether Chicago and/or Illinois are great places to live ... it was primarily about the economic viability of Illinois as a state, and not Chicago in particular (the job offer was not in Chicago). It was a question not just about the current economic and employment climate, but also about future potential for problems.

The burden of proof is I think on those who say Illinois is in great shape financially. You'll need for starters to explain why Moody's is wrong for rating Illinois the least credit-worthy of all the states, or at least why this shouldn't be a concern for those who are thinking of a move to Illinois. If you can demonstrate why this holds no potential future negatives for the future job seeker or retiree in Illinois, please enlighten us.

I understand that there are people who love Illinois and/or Chicago, and that's fine. But that affection has nothing to do with the future economic viability of the state. I certainly don't feel good about Illinois' future, and neither do a lot of my friends.

Then move.... from what i recall you were considering a move south.
Sometimes the wages you earn in the south are much lower then you would have in Illinois.

Looking thru your previous posts you have been considering a move for a while.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

Then move.... from what i recall you were considering a move south.
Sometimes the wages you earn in the south are much lower then you would have in Illinois.

Looking thru your previous posts you have been considering a move for a while.

I am moving south ... in five years, when I reach 70 years old and am ready to semi-retire and can depend on my entrepreneurial income and a small pension rather than a 9 to 5 job. It's not as easy to "just move" when you're 65 years old because there is tacit age discrimination, particularly in the high-tech field. This isn't something I really understood until I was laid off past the age of 60 (if you're my age and have been through this, you know what I'm talking about). And by saying "just move" it comes across to me as "don't post here any more unless you're a real Illinois lover and by the way leave our beloved state" ... surely that's not your intent?

I'm in these boards primarily because I'm researching areas in the Carolinas where I intend to move. I'm very familiar with the Carolinas and Virginia, having lived there for ten years in the 70s and 80s ... including the economics of life in the south. I'm here because I've lived 47 years of my life in Illinois (probably longer than some of those participating in this thread have been on the planet), and am trying to give back to the forums by answering questions in the Illinois forums.

Note the title of this thread: the OP was asking for *opinions* and I gave mine. If someone doesn't like what I've said, well, that's what opinions are about, right?

[linicx]

Sunny, from my experience from living there, and many many visits, the southern states are by and large church controlled red states with jow wages. high income and personal taxes, with not very good medical care or K-12 education. .

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by linicx

Sunny, from my experience from living there, and many many visits, the southern states are by and large church controlled red states with jow wages. high income and personal taxes, with not very good medical care or K-12 education. .

This stereotype applies fairly well to most rural areas of the south, but not to the typical large metropolitan areas and many smaller university towns: Atlanta, Charleston, Charlottesville, the Research Triangle, the Greenville-Spartanburg area in SC, many others. Which are the sort of areas I'm looking at for retirement. Yes, many southern states have relatively high state income taxes ... but there are a lot of other costs and taxes that figure into the picture.

(now this thread has morphed from the OP's asking for opinions about the financial state of Illinois to a discussion of the quality of living in the New South ... how about that )

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Well the conversations have always gravitated into different discussions.
That is what happens all the time.

You can have your opinion , however the state of Illinois appears to have provided you fine.

So the advice you give is its a crummy state at the same time.
It provided you enough income to live in Naperville and enough money to retire in a southern state!
GO FIGURE.