How many people are from the Chicago area? (Phoenix: renting, crime)

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

He has a minor point.

Why is it so much easier to get a Chicago dog instead of a Sonoran Dog? One originated in the area and one is the result of assimilation refusing Chicagoans.

There are no good Chicago dogs here, except for Portillos. The rest are imposters. Just sayin.

And I dont understand your point. Im sure ex-Chicagoans didnt refuse to assimilate, they just wanted comfort food Im sure. Same goes for all the New Yorkers here (and their various restaurants). It also applies to all the Asians here... And all the Indians here. You should be thankful that people are bringing their cuisine here from all over the states and/or world. If they didnt, you wouldnt have your precious Mexican food.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

There are no good Chicago dogs here, except for Portillos. The rest are imposters. Just sayin.

And I dont understand your point. People didnt refuse assimilation, they just want comfort food. Same goes for all the New Yorkers here. And all the Asians here. And all the Indians here. You should be thankful that people are bringing their cuisine here from all over the states and/or world. If they didnt, you wouldnt have your precious Mexican food.

I guess the point is the Chicago South or LA East reputation instead of our own unique marque or brand. As a result of a huge flux of transplants. Nothing wrong with it, I like Taverns, but the rest of the state is pretty different from Phoenix.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

I guess the point is the Chicago South or LA East reputation instead of our own unique marque or brand. As a result of a huge flux of transplants. Nothing wrong with it, I like Taverns, but the rest of the state is pretty different from Phoenix.

I think those terms only refer to the amount of transplants, not how similar the two areas are. PHX and LA are kinda sorta similar, but CHI and PHX? Night and day. Most Chicagoans, myself included, wouldnt have moved here if PHX was like Chicago, and we dont try to make it like Chicago in any sort of way, minus having a few restaurants around. If AZ started to turn into CHI-lite, I would leave and head to NM. I wanted the SW culture and lifestyle, and here I found it. I wouldve preferred ABQ, but its too cold for my wife's arthritis and fibromyalgia, so we settled on PHX.

[sargeant79]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

I think those terms only refer to the amount of transplants, not how similar the two areas are. PHX and LA are kinda sorta similar, but CHI and PHX? Night and day. Most Chicagoans, myself included, wouldnt have moved here if PHX was like Chicago, and we dont try to make it like Chicago in any sort of way, minus having a few restaurants around. If AZ started to turn into CHI-lite, I would leave and head to NM. I wanted the SW culture and lifestyle, and here I found it. I wouldve preferred ABQ, but its too cold for my wife's arthritis and fibromyalgia, so we settled on PHX.

Agreed. I'm here because I want to be. I love Chicago and it will always be home, but there were plenty of reasons for me to leave. If Phoenix was exactly like Chicago I wouldn't be here.

[DougStark]

OP, hi. I lived in the Chicagoland area for 12 years (NW burbs and West burbs.)

I, like many others here from Chicago, hated the long, cold, gloomy winters. I used to work outside there, and the wind chill could be unbearable. On the other hand, I loved the fall season the most and the color changes of the trees. Phoenix climate is not perfect by any means, but I prefer it over Chicago's.

One thing no one has mentioned as a negative of Chicagoland is how Chicago and IL have such ridiculously high property taxes! Paying 8K/yr for your home's prop. taxes is insane! The debt crisis in Chicago and IL are very serious and there seems to be no solution in sight. They now have a republican Governor, but it's an uphill battle for him because the state is still heavily democratic and stuck in its ways. Many Chicagoland residents want out (read posts on C-D and you'll see.)

There is speculation that Chicago will become the next Detroit, having to declare bankruptcy. Income taxes in IL are higher than AZ, too. I also got very tired of Chicago politics. As a slightly right of center person politically, I didn't feel a democratic city and state like IL was a good fit for me. Chicago hasn't had a republican mayor since the '30s.

I don't specifically HATE snow, but it's all the road salt they use to keep the roads safe that I really hated. After a snow, your car gets coated in a thick film of white salt- shoes included. The salt ruins the roads, cars and the vegetation. It also contaminates the groundwater (although Chicago and some suburbs get their drinking water from Lake Michigan, so the drinking water was pretty good in general.)

Chicagoland is also too "pro-union" for my taste. IMO, unions wield too much power in Chicagoland. I'm more comfortable with Arizona's right to work stance. Seemed like every fall the Chicago teachers would threaten to strike (at the expense of the poor kids caught in the middle.)

Chicagoland has beautiful suburbs, diverse architecture, and tree lined streets. But many of the older suburbs have tiny lots and older homes like the City of Chicago does. I didn't go to downtown Chicago much (I often felt intimidated because it's so busy down there), but I wish I had visited downtown more to admire the beautiful architecture down there. I particularly like admiring the older high rises they have. Gorgeous.

I think Phoenix has a more "live and let live" mentality than Chicago does. I think there are positives when people live in/and move from different parts of the country (a very common trait you'll find in Phoenix.) Most of the Chicago people I knew had lived there their whole lives. I met some very nice, smart people there, but I also ran into my share of very rude, mean people too.

Finally, what I liked about Chicagoland the most is that is where all of our family lived at the time (decades ago.) I was able to see them every weekend. My parents would tell me stories of growing up in Chicago during the depression. Those memories I hold dear.

PS- OP, I'm sorry your simple inquiry morphed into so much bickering. I doubt that was your intent of your post.

[BIG CATS]

^ Great post, Doug! I couldnt agree with you more.

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

^ Great post, Doug! I couldnt agree with you more.

Thanks, pal!

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by DougStark

Thanks, pal!

Any time.

Your post is something I would have written myself, nearly word for word. My disdain for the voting public, high taxes, and corruption is one of the reasons we left. Crook County, er, I mean Cook County was horrid. We avoided the place like the plague, unless we were going downtown. We lived in Kane and DuPage Counties, too, but those were also super expensive, so we went out to Ogle County, which was a bit too far out for us, and then settled in DeKalb County, which was a nice mix of being relatively close to the burbs w/o having to pay outrageous property taxes. I wouldve loved to live in Geneva or Hinsdale or Wheaton, but who can afford it?!?!?! Not on my salary, thats for sure. hahaha

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Any time.

Your post is something I would have written myself, nearly word for word. My disdain for the voting public, high taxes, and corruption is one of the reasons we left. Crook County, er, I mean Cook County was horrid. We avoided the place like the plague, unless we were going downtown. We lived in Kane and DuPage Counties, too, but those were also super expensive, so we went out to Ogle County, which was a bit too far out for us, and then settled in DeKalb County, which was a nice mix of being relatively close to the burbs w/o having to pay outrageous property taxes. I wouldve loved to live in Geneva or Hinsdale or Wheaton, but who can afford it?!?!?! Not on my salary, thats for sure. hahaha

Yup, Geneva, St. Charles, Hinsdale and Wheaton are indeed nice suburbs. Out of my price range also. Prop. taxes alone would eat me up.

My brother was lucky enough to live in beautiful Park Ridge for a time. What a town!

[gbpakrfan]

Thank God, Phoenix is NOTHING like Chicago. We're originally from Wisconsin but were exiled to Lake County, Illinois for six years back in 2007. Outrageous property taxes, income tax hikes, toll roads, traffic...not to mention being surrounded by Bears fans...