Divide Illinois in 2 (Chicago, Peoria, Champaign: income, work, health care)

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Income taxes (both individual and corporate); highway tolls, airport expansion costs, university systems both public and private, water and electric. Did I miss any? Oh, yes -- major sports teams.

Ok, here we go.....

1. Income taxes, errr....everyone pays those so you will need to be more specific.
2. Highway tolls....the tolls are supposed to pay for the roads around there. Additionally, everyone uses the roads so proportion to population and all that. (Plus a lot of that money goes back into the Chicago-land economy)
3. Airport? Again, proportional to population...heck...most of souther IL would fly out of St. Louis anyway.
4. University? Um, I went to the U of I....it was PACKED with kids from Chicagoland.
5. Sports Teams generate local revenue how is this a "burden" the city is carrying for the rest of the state?

Basically, if 90% of the people that use the item are from area A and they contribute 90% towards it's costs....um, how are they bailing out the other 10%?

I've lived in Chicago, the burbs, Champaign and a small town so believe me I've heard the arguments.

How about Chicago using other parts of the state for Prisons, Food growth and garbage dumps?

[Jons99]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

How about Chicago using other parts of the state for Prisons, Food growth and garbage dumps?

All 3 are big money makers for areas that are struggling...

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

How about Chicago using other parts of the state for Prisons, Food growth and garbage dumps?

Do you believe that the folks south of I-80 pay more taxes than they get back in benefits? I don't think so. Plus, the northerners sure pay for the food they eat -- aren't you glad there is a market? Prisons? Southerners compete for them to be situated in their communities for the jobs so that can't be much of a burden for those communities.

What's the second largest industry in IL? Insurance. Now, where are those companies paying corporate taxes to the state located? Not just in Bloomington!

[2beamissourian]

Originally Posted by kkh

Is anyone out there who can help me get a resolution on the ballot to divide our state into North Illinois above I-80 and South Illinois? All the decisions about our state are coming from Cook County. We in the downstate area need our voices heard!!

Yep and as a home daycare provider ya should see where our $ goes!

I think Illinois is like this -

Cook County and then there is everyone else!

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Do you believe that the folks south of I-80 pay more taxes than they get back in benefits? I don't think so. Plus, the northerners sure pay for the food they eat -- aren't you glad there is a market? Prisons? Southerners compete for them to be situated in their communities for the jobs so that can't be much of a burden for those communities.

What's the second largest industry in IL? Insurance. Now, where are those companies paying corporate taxes to the state located? Not just in Bloomington!

I'm not the one claiming this, I merely asked for facts that the chicago part pays more than their share for what they get and no one seems to be able to back up their claim with anything approaching a solid economic analysis.

P.S. The prison example is just the flip side of many arguments you were making....like the pro-sports teams...I'm glad you are thinking along these lines and can perhaps look back at your list?

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Jons99

All 3 are big money makers for areas that are struggling...

Really, so it's all about money transfer then?

So, if I built a big smelly garbage dump on an empty lot in licoln park they should be thanking me for the money I'd be putting into the community? Certainly, I'd be creating jobs and pumping money into thier community forget about the smell, possible groundwater contamination, loss of land usage and a bunch of other things....it's just a boon to thier local economy?

I would absolutely NOT be surprised if the Chicagoland area did help carry the rest of the state....then again, Iowa which is much like the rest of IL seems to do just fine too. All I'm pointing out is the difficulty of correctly analyzing this and I'm asking someone to back up their claim or admit that it's just a gut feel or something they'd heard on sports talk radio etc.

[Jons99]

I read a report a few years ago, their glaim was that money tended to flow from the suburbs and downstate areas like Bloomington, Champaign, Peoria etc to Chicago and southern Illinois..

[Gettindirty]

Originally Posted by Jons99

Check out the ISBE website, look at the percentages of school district revenue that comes from state dollars..Most of the suburban districts get between 10%-30% of their revenue, most of the southern schools are between 50%-80%..

If you were to read the State tax code schools are suppose to be 100% funded by the State. I do not know where or when it started but local school taxes are a community choice that is way out of control! The school boards use the school district to "attract new residents" to justify the rates. What a bunch of Bull! If they had a clue as to how to maintain fiscal responcibility and put the extra saved from taxes into the communities (pools, community centers, parks) I feel that your communities in IL would be much better off.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by M TYPE X

Newsflash! Much of downstate loves the St Louis Cardinals. If there are Indianapolis Colts fans, they're in hiding.

Let them become part of Misery Missouri then. Id rather have Iowa on my side anyway. They have more Cub and Bear fans than Illinois south of 80.

[Avengerfire]

Like I have said in other places, take out the Chicago area from Illinois and Illinois is Iowa.