Illinois Concerns from a Newb - Opinions? (Chicago, Naperville: home, employment)

[sunnyandcloudydays]

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. .

Well in my opinion I value not living in a church controlled state and definatley would like to have access to superior medical care.

I like to vacation in the South but when about 5 days are up I am ready to come back North ...

There is a difference in mind sets

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

Well in my opinion I value not living in a church controlled state and definatley would like to have access to superior medical care.

I like to vacation in the South but when about 5 days are up I am ready to come back North ...

There is a difference in mind sets

Not all is gloom and doom in Illinois mfg is up , small business lending is up.
houses are starting to appreciate.

Naysayers are naysayers....

Illinois will bounce out of the recession along with the rest of the country.

[Maintainschaos]

This thread has really devolved. The point was there are both pluses and minuses to living in Illinois, especially if you are moving from out of state. The OP should consider both the good and the bad, of which there is plenty of both. Enough said.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Vasily

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?

No that was not my intent.
But yes I do like the state I live in and certainly will defend it from negative comments.
Not saying your comment was as negative as others I have seen.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

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.

The advice I gave to the OP was hardly that Illinois was a "crummy state": I said that for the young, it's worth the risk and that I hope that things will improve in Illinois in a few years. From my original reply:

If you're young and are willing to take the risk, I'd say go for it. Worst case scenario, you'll have to get back in the job market in a few years, and hopefully by then Illinois will be in better shape financially.

When I lived in North Carolina and Virginia, I made a lot of money there (I was a research computer scientist at a think tank in Research Triangle Park). High paid technology workers are paid well in North Carolina and Virginia, too. I didn't need to move to Illinois to make enough money to retire in a southern state.

Why are all of you taking this so personally, as though I were attacking your families or something rather than giving my opinion about the financial state of Illinois? Again, I never said Illinois was a "crummy" state. And why are you assuming my desire to move back south and my living in Naperville means I have a lot of money? I live in one of the cheaper apartment complexes with a mix of blue-collar and white-collar people. There *are* lower-middle class people in Naperville, you know ... and people without a lot of money choose to move, too.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Okay ,
You have made your point clear.
Maintainchaos was right the thread has been degraded.

He does bring some order- The state like every other state has its pluses and minuses.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

Okay ,
You have made your point clear.
Maintainchaos was right the thread has been degraded.

He does bring some order- The state like every other state has its pluses and minuses.

Peace, then ... and I wouldn't have spent 50 some years of my life in Illinois if I found living here loathsome.

[rfr69]

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

Okay, I think I need to chime in with a few comments here.

First, most large companies won't be leaving Illinois because they will still get their tax breaks and incentives from the state. While IL has a high corporate tax rate, it is still lower than a number of other states, including the highest corporate tax brackets in nearby Iowa and the flat rate in Minnesota. IL still panders to big business; when they threaten to leave the state, IL cuts them breaks. While it is a risky game to play, it is the same game that almost every state plays in order to lure or keep big business.

like you say its a risky game, businesses like to plan for the future and last minute caving by the state so they dont lose a business is not something a business likes.

Second, for some large corporations, there isn't enough incentive to leave Illinois because, being the 5th-most populous state in the U.S. and having the 3rd-largest city in the U.S., IL has the largest labor pool in the Midwest and attracts some of the brightest students and people.

people need jobs everywhere thy dont need the city of chicago to hire people.

Third, 5% income tax may seem high by Texas standards, but compare that rate to the highest in Iowa (8.98%) or Wisconsin (7.75%) or Ohio (5.93%) or Minnesota (lowest! bracket 5.35% and highest 7.85%), it is pretty comparable. I mean, the overall tax burden in IL is high, but it is certainly not the highest in the country by any stretch of the imagination. Also, there is no getting around taxes--if it doesn't come from income, then it comes from property tax or some other type of tax. If not, then there are probably very few social services available.

who cares how high a few other states are. thats like saying im going to live in pullman instead of edgelawn because there's only 300 murdres instead of 500 they both suck. also those other states minnesota for example doesn't have sales tax on many items and doesnt have all the riduclous fees il and chicago does so we still have a higher tax burden.

Fourth, normally jobs at universities are considered pretty safe bets. Universities tend to do well overall (despite lower funding) in economic hardships, because people tend to view education as a safe haven for a better job. It is not to say that the university doesn't also have to tighten its belt, but it is generally considered a more recession-proof job than, say, banking or housing or tech.

Now don't get me wrong: Illinois has plenty of troubles, most notably the severely underfunded pension problem, low credit rating, and its budget deficit. These problems are certainly things you should consider before deciding to move. However, I think some of the threats of big business leaving are not new and are a bit over exaggerated.

its not just tht il has a problem, illinois refuses to address its problems. NOTHING is being done about pensions or anything else for that matter, just raise taxes so we find ourself in an even worse position two years down the road.

[linicx]

There is age discrimination in every field; it's no excuse. I've had a home in Illinois for 69.5 years. Yes you can move at 65 because Ameicans are mobile. What I do not understand is why anyone who lives a state they hate would endure it for 52-years.

Chances are there are more unemployed in Cook County - which included the City of Chicago - than in Central Illinois. Realestate and retail taxes are higher. Chicagoans are nickeled to death with city stickers, parking stickers, outrageous parking fees because parking is limited, your grocery tax is higher plus you pay for tollways because it is quicker, and perhaps a wheel tax and parking fees at the airports, and the e frigid winters thanks to lake effect.weather. But Chicagoans live there for the convenience of having everything within reach and no reason to own a car.

We don't need instant gratification in Central Illinois. And because we have a lower COL most of us have a lifestyle we enjoy and can support on lower incomes. .

Originally Posted by Vasily

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?

[trailerguy]

Parts of it are very true. The pension situation is dire, because Blagojevich balanced the budget by not paying the state's portion of the contribution. Now the fund is billions in arrears and the state does not have the income to pay back the deficit. Unfortunately, the result is mass denial, blaming the employees and unions, inflamed by news stories about a few clever elected employees who managed to work the system to get themselves six figure pensions. There is a bill in the General Assembly to slash retiree benefits. This is a concern if you are going into a public position.

The income tax is 5%, which I don't consider high, considering I came from California, where it is really high, but it is high by Midwest standards. Property taxes are also very high, because of the cost of schools which get almost no state funding.

Even worse, they doubled the corporate tax, which is driving businesses to other states. Sears recently got a massive rebate by threatening to move. Caterpillar is trying the same thing, because it works. I don't believe Cat will move, they have a lot invested here.

On the plus side, there is good transportation and energy infrastructure, The quality of education is very good, and Chicago is loaded with cultural attractions and amenities among the best in the world.

With the departure of Blago, Illinoisans now actually care about competence and integrity in government. When the national economy comes back, Illinois is well positioned to collect our share of the prosperity.

I would encourage you to come, but keep your eyes open.