Does Chicagoland's huge population kill democracy for downstate IL? (Peoria: where to live, shop)

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

At least Buffalo have around 1 million people in the metro. I admit, Illinois is one of the most centralized states in the union. Out of 12.9 million in the state, Cook County by itself counts 41% and Chicago proper with 22%. For such a large state(5th largest in the US), Illinois is very centralized towards one big city and metro/county. I wish Illinois was more balanced out like Ohio.

NY still has the same situation as IL, though. Despite the fact that Buffalo has ~ 1 million people in the metro area, over 68% of people in NY state live in the NYC metro area. Also, you get ~ 1 million people (maybe a little more) if you combined the metro areas in central IL together. My point is that NY is just as polarized as IL, but certainly not as "balanced," as far as metro areas are concerned, as maybe OH.

[Grandata]

Originally Posted by edsg25

I'm not looking for the "bad guy" in the question I'm going to pose here. It is not about evil, but about raw numbers, how they are distributed, and the implications of the distribution.

So I ask the following not in an effort to point a finger at anyone:

Is the population of the state of Illinois, more so perhaps than any state in the union, so tipped in the direction of Chicago and its suburbs to make downstate Illinois's true voice in state politics and government negligible at best.

For the record, I've lived in Chicagoland my whole life...born in the city but spent most of my life in the suburbs. So I'm not part of the injurred party here.

Illinois is less about north, central, and south and a lot more about Chicago, suburban Chicago, and downstate Illinois. And the first two where the bulk of the state's population is located are linked together in an economic unit that makes them not only neighbors, but having the same concerns.

They are part of a major global and high powered metropolitan area that not only drowns out downstate's political power through sheer numbers but is such a region that is so out reaching that it doesn't really relate to the more rural and smaller city concerns of that different world that is downstate Illinois.

It's almost like Chicago adds insult (too big and too national an global in reach to even know that downstate IL exists) to injury (the population disparity that makes Chicago call the shots in a very blue state where the vast majority of the land is quite red indeed).

I'm not suggesting the impossible or even to see it as the desirable: Chicago splitting away from Illinois into its own Chicagoland state, perhaps with the inclusion of the Chicagoland portions of IN and WI.

What I am asking is this:

• would you agree with me that downstate Illinois is poorly served by the unusual state demographics, something never envisioned when the state came into existence and Chicago was literally looked at as a backwater in state whose powers were more related to the shores of the Ohio River than to Lake Michigan?

• Does Chicagoland need to become more aware and more sensitive to the concerns and the culture of downstate IL (I would venture to guess Chicagolanders know more about Wisconsin than about Downstate IL). Conversely, do downstaters need to feel more comfortable with Chicago, often seen as an alien presence in the state?

• and if you agree, what can and should we do about it?

*****************

and let me here throw in one suggestion (by no means one of the better ones...just one that comes to mind as a example):

UIUC is the greatest site for bringing downstaters and Chicago area college kids together in a state unifying setting (although the university is dominated by its Chicago area enrollment).

Wouldn't it make sense to encourage more downstate kids to attend UIC, increasing their understanding of Chicago and building a better relationship between the huge metro area and the rest of the state? Seems UIC offers downstate kids something very few state's could offer: a chance to go to college in a global city with instate tuition.

Read up on Glen Poshard's election defeat.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Markxxx

There are a lot more divisons than Chicago / Downstate.

It kind of boils down to Chicago, Chicago Suburbs and rest of state.

Even then you have issues, like Chicago versus Cook County. I don't know why the rest of the cities in Cook County don't leave it or at least try to. There have been a few proposals in the past to partition parts of Cook County to their own county.

Because in order to form your own county, a majority of voters in the existing county have to agree to let you go. So unless it's a very poor section seperating from wealthier section..it ain't gonna happen! No county will want to lose the tax revenue of a prosperous section leaving. This is why the NW suburbs will never be sucessful in seperating from Cook Co. The State Constitution governing this would have to be changed.

[cubssoxfan]

For perspective: NW suburbs to Carbondale, IL is 350 miles. NW suburbs to Minneapolis, MN is 375 miles.

[Chicago60614]

It's definitely an interesting state.

I moved from Iowa, where the eastern section of the state had a majority of the population. Still though, even with 60% of the state contained in the Des Moines - Ames - Waterloo - Dubuque - Cedar Rapids - Iowa City - Davenport circle, the voice of the state was still really heard, allowed to be heard, and more importantly respected. I think it also helped that the largest city was also the capital of the state and in the middle of the state, yet only has 20% of the overall population. Go back 20 years ago and Des Moines was only 13%.


The fact of the matter is that the Chicago metro contains around 70% of the states population. Throw in Rockford and Kankakee which are less than an hour from the suburbs, and you get another 400,000 people.

I think the biggest impact of the situation is that Chicago is literally smashed into the extreme northeastern corner of this very long state. I think it would be different if Chicago was smack in the middle of the state, only a few hours from all, compared to being 6-7 hours from people "down south".

I'll admit that I know FAR more about Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan than I do about southern Illinois. I've traveled dozens of times since moving here, but for whatever reason it's always to the states mentioned above - and not ONCE have I ever had a friend bring up traveling to the southern part of the state. I know a lot of that just has to do with distance, but at the end of the day you could live in Chicago for 50 year and have no solid knowledge about downstate.

As much as people get frustrated with Chicago getting all the attention, there's also the fact that downstate gets more $ compared to their contribution, and that Illinois' overall population makes it easier for the state to get on the radar nationally. Iowa didn't have that luxury. I looked at a map of Illinois growing up, and for whatever reason the first thing I noticed was the huge amounts of interstates and highways running through downstate comparative to its population. Iowa basically has 29, 380, 80 and 35 running through the state. Illinois south of Chicago has 39, 57, 55, 74, 70, 64, 24, 155, and 72 for a comparable population. It's also been able to be better served by Amtrak.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

For perspective: NW suburbs to Carbondale, IL is 350 miles. NW suburbs to Minneapolis, MN is 375 miles.

Just made me realize how big Illinois really is. Going all the way South will lead you to Kentucky.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

Just made me realize how big Illinois really is. Going all the way South will lead you to Kentucky.

You just realized that?

[Avengerfire]

wow

[Durian Beach]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

I looked at a map of Illinois growing up, and for whatever reason the first thing I noticed was the huge amounts of interstates and highways running through downstate comparative to its population. Iowa basically has 29, 380, 80 and 35 running through the state. Illinois south of Chicago has 39, 57, 55, 74, 70, 64, 24, 155, and 72 for a comparable population. It's also been able to be better served by Amtrak.

Those interstates are mostly for cross country travel transiting Illinois and a lot of them like 74 and 39 are good ways to for truckers to bypass Chicago traffic on long haul routes.

[linicx]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

Just made me realize how big Illinois really is. Going all the way South will lead you to Kentucky.

Going all the way South will take you to the the Illinois Ozarks, 200,000 acres managed and/or owned by The Nature Conservancy. Going all the way South will also take you to the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Visible Earth: Confluence of Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at Cairo, IL . The most direct route is 1-80 to IL 39 S to Cairo, IL A more scenic route that is parallel to 1-39 is 1-80 to Princeton, IL and from there take IL 29 S to US 136. At this junction turn East (left) a few short miles to join IL 39 where you will turn south again (right) and continue to Cairo.

You route follows the course of the Illinois River Valley esfor 50 miles and passes through heavily forested areas, farmland and the towns of Lacon*, Chiliecothe, Peoria and Pekin.

If you turn west at the junction of IL 29 and US 136 you will be approximately 20 miles from 12.000 acres of wetlands called Chatauqua and Emiquon that is managed jointly by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy. You will also have the opportunity to visit Dickson Mounds, a state museum that is one of the few active Native American archaeological digs in the midwest. The Havana, IL Tockwell Park is a 3.000 year old Native American indian mound.

What I described is Central Illinois. The area has many lakes and as many opportunities to hunt, fish, boat, camp and relax. You may discover the Heartland of Illinois is not nearly as primitive or as boring as some believe. This particular area is steeped in history beginning in the 17th Century when the first European building was erected on East side of the Illinois River not far from the present day City of Peoria.

Not to beat a horse, but Peoria is the oldest settlement on Lake Peoria, and the third largest MSA in Illinois. A US President graduated from college with a double major here, and this area was the normal route a young circuit rider named Abraham Lincoln, rode once a month. The Lincoln - Douglas debates were here, too, and so was his 'other' office.

*Lacon, Illinois has the unusual distinction of being only one of a few towns in the United states that is divided by a river. Half of the city is in the eastern Stark County while the western half is in Marshall County.