When are things going to turn around for Southern Illinois? (Chicago: real estate, credit)

[dumpstermcnuggets]

Whenever I hear about Southern Illinois and decline, I sadly can't help but think about Cairo. It's sad how much that city has declined for over 5 decades, peaked in population in the 1920s, and at least likely remained stagnant(but not fast declining, like today) from the 20s through the mid-1950s. From another source I read somewhere(but can't remember what), much of its former population has moved east to Paducah, which hardly surprises me at all. I'm sure Cape Girardeau and Carbondale have gained some of that former population, too.

Some links on Cairo:
Cairo Illinois
Cairo, Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1337***...7594563325927/
Cairo, Illinois 2009 - a set on Flickr
Flickr: The Cairo, Illinois Pool

[doll lady]

Since I live south of I-80 so I feel like I can comment with so called experience and knowledge.

We have a number of posters on this Illinois forum who post regularly and I do not see those posters complaining that Southern Illinois is impoverished and has NO jobs, I mean NONE. There is no such thing as there are absolutely no jobs, I mean NONE. A job at a McDonalds or a Hardees or even working for a lawn service is a job. People deliver papers for a living. A job is a job and because it doesn't earn a $30.00 per hour wage, doesn't mean it's not classified as a job.

You used south of I-80 as your measuring point. I wonder that this statement is anything but fluff. Central Illinois has enjoyed many opportunities of growth and I can guarantee you it is not shutting down. I decided to call three different relatives of mine who live in Southern Illinois and in different areas of Southern Illinois. Each reported their area is doing fine and their areas are definitely not shutting down nor are their towns dying. Sure the job market is stagnant like every other state in our Union but there are jobs of various types. Computer and medical related open jobs are abundant. And so are jobs in restaurants, such as hometown cafes, McDonalds, and Cracker Barrels. And trucking companies are always hiring. Seems the papers are full of jobs. Perhaps in the OP field's of employment there are very few opportunities, but there are jobs for anyone who wants to pick up a hamburger spatula, so the statement relative to jobs as there are NONE in southern Illinois or south of I-80 is definitely false.

Relative to the IDOT jobs moving to Harrisburg and then that moved was curtailed. Anyone who read the papers knows that the promise to move the jobs to Harrisburg was a political move by Blagojevich in which he promised the Harrisburg area Congressional people to move the jobs there to get back at the Congressional people in the Springfield area. The move would have cost millions to accomplish which would have been state tax payers dollars as well as a significant 9 Million dollar loss in Springfield area.....all to accomplish a whim of a political move by a governor who will be going on trial for his antics. I seriously doubt that 140 jobs which were going to be moved to Harrisburg and the 130 ancilliary jobs which was projected would have made much difference if Southern Illinois is in as bad a shape as described.

Yes, this state is in financial trouble. There are plenty of websites which indicate that almost every state in the United States is in financial trouble. All suffering from loss of jobs, loss of taxes/revenue and huge unemployment roles. We are in a recession. That's what happens. Many of us have been through a loss of a good job. It doesn't mean the end of the world. You learn to adjust your lifestyle and quit spending money on unnecessary items and if it means doing without, it means doing without.

I like that the OP cares about the historical side of things and restoring buildings and preserving of a time otherwise lost to history. But the question of when is that going to happen is rather telling. Things like this are considered Pork Barrel things. Why should tax payer dollars be spent in your area for these things when kids are going without certain things in the education atmosphere and mentally disabled persons are doing without care and medicine due to funding cuts or that food pantries are closing because the state tax revenues have been lost. Without food, people starve. Doesn't make sense to even ask when a building is going to be restored.

I suggest that if there are no jobs in your area in your field, then consider enrolling in a class to be able to take a job in a different field. Call up a local community college and find out about a truck driving class. Or call a trucking company with an ad in the paper where they say there will help you get your license....this means they will pay. Or, go cut some lawns or fling some hamburgers until jobs open up. But don't misstate the way things are if you really don't know. Too many of us posters on here are older or wiser and/or more savvy about things going on in life in this state.

Just my two cents worth.

[Johnbear]

I live south of the metro, so that's why I said that. but technically this is a larger problem on a larger scale. And no this is NOT a national problem, this is a State of Illinois problem.

[Drover]

Again, this is not just a state of Illinois problem. Rural depopulation is happening in several other states in other parts of the country and even in other parts of the world.

[tigernike23]

Well, Decatur is probably the worst in terms of unemployment in central Illinois, maybe even higher than Metro St. Louis/East St. Louis. July had Decatur at 11.3 percent, the closest was Fayette County at 9.8 percent.

In terms of Chicago getting all the publicity over in Springfield, well, join the club.

[AJohnston_STL]

Originally Posted by bhj867

Name one city not connected Suburban-wise to Chicago that's not suffering. Kankakee, Champaign and anything in Chicagoland doesn't count.

Ok then....

O'Fallon
Edwardsville
Fairview Heights
Belleville
Collinsville

or can I not mention St Louis suburbia either??


Funny though, I don't know anyone who has lost their job since the economic downturn. And I mean no one...and all of the mreside in Franklin County. Moms a realtor, dad works at a VA hospital, sister works at a medical practice, other sister works as a teacher, one brother works as a teacher, one brother works at a bank. Friend works for a company that does work in coal mines. I donno, that's just 7 off the top of my head though.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by AJohnston_STL

Funny though, I don't know anyone who has lost their job since the economic downturn. And I mean no one...and all of the mreside in Franklin County. Moms a realtor, dad works at a VA hospital, sister works at a medical practice, other sister works as a teacher, one brother works as a teacher, one brother works at a bank. Friend works for a company that does work in coal mines. I donno, that's just 7 off the top of my head though.

Most of the jobs that you mentioned are very recession proof People working in other fields are not as lucky

[Scio42]

Originally Posted by bhj867

Name one city not connected Suburban-wise to Chicago that's not suffering. Kankakee, Champaign and anything in Chicagoland doesn't count.

Bloomington-Normal, Springfield & Champaign-Urbana (CU). I seriously disagree (as will anyone south of I-80) that Champaign-Urbana is part of "Chicagoland". The 100 miles of corn & soybean fields you have to drive through from the outer southern suburbs of Chicago to get to CU are case in point.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Most of the jobs that you mentioned are very recession proof People working in other fields are not as lucky

Realtor is recession proof?

Seriously?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

Realtor is recession proof?

Seriously?

I said "most" of the jobs he mentioned are stable. In terms of the local real estate market, I would assume the STL suburbs would be more stable compared to other markets.