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Westmont, like other suburbs, depends on Chicago to remain in existence. If you picked up Westmont and plopped it down in the middle of Iowa, it'd wither and die. If that wasn't te case, why even mention the Metra station? Where are people going if Westmont's got it all? It's a bedroom community. I see no reason for anyone living in Westmont or any other suburb to dump on the central city on which they all depend for, at the very least, the paychecks that keep the burbs going.
Avoid Chicago if you want. Pretend the city needs you more than you need it. However, know that the rest of us know better.
No offense but that statement about suburbs depending on Chicago? Delusional at best. Beyond the scope of reality in general. Chicago depends on the entire state of Illinois to stop its perpetual financial bleeding and continually raises taxes to bail out their annual ritual of budget woes, while expecting the rest of the counties to help finance it's illegal alien sanctuary status and the self imposed financial rewards of being one of it's corrupt politicians. Additionally, those who attend the failing CPS system are amongst some of the poorest educated children in the country. If not for the suburbanites commuting into downtown Chicago, you wouldn't have enough bodies or brain cells qualified to fill up one corporation. The majority of those who OWN, OR RUN the corporations and law firms commute from the SUBURBS.
In terms of your PERSONAL assessment of Westmont, please provide a link or form of proof other than your personal assumptions and opinion.
I don't know anything about property taxes, as I rent, but a point about sales taxes....
Yeah, Chicago's are a bit high. But, according to a prior post, sales tax in DuPage County is 7.25%, in comparison to Chicago's 10.25%. So if you spend $100 on something, you will get hit with an extra three bucks of taxes in Chicago. Woah! Three bucks!
Now, if you spend $1,000, you'll have to pay an extra $30 in Chicago, which is noticeable. And if you're buying a car or something, then, yeah, the difference is at the point where it matters. But how often do you do that? Unless you are buying some really big ticket stuff, a three-percent difference in sales tax is not exactly going kill your pocketbook.
There are good reasons for people to live in the 'burbs - schools, space. But sales taxes! Come on! You'd spend more money paying movers to get your stuff from the city to DuPage County than you would save in sales taxes in one year, unless you're some kind of shopping addict, in which case you've got far bigger fish to fry.
That's quite the assumption and exaggeration on your part. I left Chicago 2 decades ago and guess what? All of the reasons I left back then still exist today. Those reasons? Soaring crime rates, gang infestation, abundant poverty, corrupt politicians who hate each other; patronage, ethnocentric enclaves, poor schools, exhorbitant tax rates, perpetual overspending and never being able to balance the budget. . . I could go on but you get where I'm coming from.
That being said: I love the overall better quality of life that I have. I love having a nice large lot, beautiful home and low to non-existent crime rate. I love my neighbors, the multi racial harmony, the peace and tranquility and beautiful surroundings. I love feeling safe taking a walk at night without having to worry if I will be robbed or shot to death. The 7.25 sales tax and low property taxes are all bonuses.
Oh did I mention: no council wars or Beirut by the Lake reputation, our politicians are civil and they get things done promptly and within the budget.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion, and while I am a native of Chicago, I have no love for it, nor respect for those who generationally (insert Daley family here), perpetually rape the taxpayers and continue for decades with business as usual.
No offense but that statement about suburbs depending on Chicago? Delusional at best. Beyond the scope of reality in general. Chicago depends on the entire state of Illinois to stop its perpetual financial bleeding and continually raises taxes to bail out their annual ritual of budget woes, while expecting the rest of the counties to help finance it's illegal alien sanctuary status and the self imposed financial rewards of being one of it's corrupt politicians. Additionally, those who attend the failing CPS system are amongst some of the poorest educated children in the country. If not for the suburbanites commuting into downtown Chicago, you wouldn't have enough bodies or brain cells qualified to fill up one corporation. The majority of those who OWN, OR RUN the corporations and law firms commute from the SUBURBS.
In terms of your PERSONAL assessment of Westmont, please provide a link or form of proof other than your personal assumptions and opinion.
Thank you in advance.
This entire forum is built around opinions. I never claimed to deliver anything but mine. Claws in, please.
The truth is that suburbs and cities are interrelated and interdependent in many ways, but it is a fallacy to assume that the all the brains and ability come from the suburbs into the city.
Corporations pick a city like Chicago because of its concentration of talent, regionally and locally. There are resources concentrated in this area because of Chicago. Westmont, population 25k, could never provide this draw in isolation. The city of Westmont depends on the income derived from people working in Chicago much more than Chicago depends on the brains and talent provided by Westmont. Many of those people moved to places like Westmont because they could live in a nice community, but were also a train ride away from Chicago. Not because it's just that darned nice.
Ask yourself this: If the city of Chicago disappeared tomorrow, how long would it take Westmont to recover? Likewise, if Westmont were to disappear, how long would it take Chicago to recover?
I have nothing against Westmont! Or any suburb! But believe me: I'm not the one being delusional.
That's quite the assumption and exaggeration on your part. I left Chicago 2 decades ago and guess what? All of the reasons I left back then still exist today. Those reasons? Soaring crime rates, gang infestation, abundant poverty, corrupt politicians who hate each other; patronage, ethnocentric enclaves, poor schools, exhorbitant tax rates, perpetual overspending and never being able to balance the budget. . . I could go on but you get where I'm coming from.
That being said: I love the overall better quality of life that I have. I love having a nice large lot, beautiful home and low to non-existent crime rate. I love my neighbors, the multi racial harmony, the peace and tranquility and beautiful surroundings. I love feeling safe taking a walk at night without having to worry if I will be robbed or shot to death. The 7.25 sales tax and low property taxes are all bonuses.
Oh did I mention: no council wars or Beirut by the Lake reputation, our politicians are civil and they get things done promptly and within the budget.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion, and while I am a native of Chicago, I have no love for it, nor respect for those who generationally (insert Daley family here), perpetually rape the taxpayers and continue for decades with business as usual.
These city vs. suburbs arguments are tiring. I've lived in both the city and suburbs and believe that they have different attributes that appeal to different needs, none of which are better or more valuable than the other. It's a pet peeve of mine when city people reflexively look at the suburbs as bland and uninteresting and, correspondingly, suburban people automatically look at the city as dirty with crime - these are all juvenile perceptions whether you're an urban dweller or a suburbanite. We should be so lucky to live in a metropolitan area where there is a world class city with a great downtown and walkable urban neighborhoods along with many suburbs that have fantastic public schools systems and beautiful homes. People in areas that aren't too far away from us, such as Detroit, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and St. Louis, would kill to have such a strong urban and suburban balance. The city isn't perfect and suburban life isn't perfect, but at least in Chicagoland, we've got it a whole lot better than arguably every other place in the country on both fronts.
This entire forum is built around opinions. I never claimed to deliver anything but mine. Claws in, please.
The truth is that suburbs and cities are interrelated and interdependent in many ways, but it is a fallacy to assume that the all the brains and ability come from the suburbs into the city.
Originally you made it appear as if the suburbs would die without Chicago, thank you for the clarification. I do agree. Oh and by the way, I don't have any claws.
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Corporations pick a city like Chicago because of its concentration of talent, regionally and locally. There are resources concentrated in this area because of Chicago. Westmont, population 25k, could never provide this draw in isolation. The city of Westmont depends on the income derived from people working in Chicago much more than Chicago depends on the brains and talent provided by Westmont. Many of those people moved to places like Westmont because they could live in a nice community, but were also a train ride away from Chicago. Not because it's just that darned nice.
I moved there for both reasons. While I can only speak for myself many of my neighbors moved there because they are scientists at Argonne Labs which is 15 minutes away and Oakbrook which is heavily populated with corporate headquarters of large companies.
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Ask yourself this: If the city of Chicago disappeared tomorrow, how long would it take Westmont to recover? Likewise, if Westmont were to disappear, how long would it take Chicago to recover?
I have nothing against Westmont! Or any suburb! But believe me: I'm not the one being delusional.
Westmont is in very close proximity to Argonne Labs in Lemont, Oakbrook and Naperville all of which employ a great number of people who live in the surrounding area. Contrary to popular belief, not everybody loves working downtown. Personally, I can't stand it and despite the longevity with my current employer I am looking elsewhere for that reason alone.
I'm not delusional in the least different strokes for different folks.
These city vs. suburbs arguments are tiring. I've lived in both the city and suburbs and believe that they have different attributes that appeal to different needs, none of which are better or more valuable than the other. It's a pet peeve of mine when city people reflexively look at the suburbs as bland and uninteresting and, correspondingly, suburban people automatically look at the city as dirty with crime - these are all juvenile perceptions whether you're an urban dweller or a suburbanite. We should be so lucky to live in a metropolitan area where there is a world class city with a great downtown and walkable urban neighborhoods along with many suburbs that have fantastic public schools systems and beautiful homes. People in areas that aren't too far away from us, such as Detroit, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and St. Louis, would kill to have such a strong urban and suburban balance. The city isn't perfect and suburban life isn't perfect, but at least in Chicagoland, we've got it a whole lot better than arguably every other place in the country on both fronts.
Excellent points. Nothing is perfect, it's all about personal choices and preferences. I am honored to rep you!
Originally you made it appear as if the suburbs would die without Chicago, thank you for the clarification. I do agree. Oh and by the way, I don't have any claws.
Ah. NO claws. Clearly I was misinformed.
I guess we were both being a touch defensive.
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I moved there for both reasons. While I can only speak for myself many of my neighbors moved there because they are scientists at Argonne Labs which is 15 minutes away and Oakbrook which is heavily populated with corporate headquarters of large companies.
Westmont is in very close proximity to Argonne Labs in Lemont, Oakbrook and Naperville all of which employ a great number of people who live in the surrounding area. Contrary to popular belief, not everybody loves working downtown. Personally, I can't stand it and despite the longevity with my current employer I am looking elsewhere for that reason alone.
I know that many companies have suburban HQs. I guess my point is that without Chicago as a nucleus for all of this other activity, the likelihood of such an economy developing is much slimmer. The infrastructure. The roads. The airports. The railroads. The ports and rivers and canals. This is all stuff that has caused Chicago to become a place of significance for the last century and a half. The surrounding area has enjoyed these benefits as well. Therefore, to poopoo the city seems a little strange. And it isn't like we're Detroit or something. The city continues to thrive and attract business. We're not hemorrhaging population or being consumed by blight. Parts of the city suck, sure. I don't know if I want to raise kids here. Then again, no disrespect to the Chicago Burbs, but if I'm not going to be in this city, which I find vibrant and fascinating, I'm going somewhere warmer and cheaper.
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I'm not delusional in the least different strokes for different folks.
Nor am I. Different strokes, indeed.
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