Downtowns across the river from St. Louis

[STLCityMike]

Columbia IL might be an option - but its hardly across the river from downtown STL, or Waterloo?

[FrankMiller]

Millstadt's downtown has unmet potential. I wouldn't be surprised if it pops off sometime in the next few decades.

[Nomad1320]

From an outside perspective, why would one want to move to Illinois and be an over taxed slave to the whims of Chicago and it's associated political machine?

Isn't this why that side of the river is relatively sparse compared to the Missouri side?

Blue or Red it would seem you want a voice and your taxes to help your own city. Or is there some local loophole that gives Southern IL some autonomy?

[SunGrins]

It would be more developed but there is a big river in the way. It is kind of a hit and miss small town cluster of communities because of that.

[Nomad1320]

Originally Posted by SunGrins

It would be more developed but there is a big river in the way. It is kind of a hit and miss small town cluster of communities because of that.

Sorry, something else at work. I get the river thing but raise you, NYC tristate, Pittsburgh, Boston, DC, etc. All metro areas with rivers running through. Does the east bank flood easier?

[RisingAurvandil]

Originally Posted by Nomad1320

From an outside perspective, why would one want to move to Illinois and be an over taxed slave to the whims of Chicago and it's associated political machine?

Isn't this why that side of the river is relatively sparse compared to the Missouri side?

Blue or Red it would seem you want a voice and your taxes to help your own city. Or is there some local loophole that gives Southern IL some autonomy?

The Metro East has at least 600k residents. Not exactly sparse, but not nearly as dense and packed-in as the MO side. I own property on both sides. There are pros/cons to both. It boils down to priorities and lifestyle. The Metro East bears no resemblance to Chicago though, that's for sure.

As for the population differences, I don't believe it is related to taxes or state-level politics. In fact, the MO side has always been denser, even way back when IL didn't have an income tax and property taxes were nil. I think it boils down to a massive river and massive floodplain, which encouraged industrial development on the IL side and residential development on the MO side. Of course, the floodplain is now protected and several new bridges were built by the 70s. But the entire STL metro population has stagnated since then, in both IL and MO.

[Nomad1320]

Originally Posted by RisingAurvandil

The Metro East has at least 600k residents. Not exactly sparse, but not nearly as dense and packed-in as the MO side. I own property on both sides. There are pros/cons to both. It boils down to priorities and lifestyle. The Metro East bears no resemblance to Chicago though, that's for sure.

As for the population differences, I don't believe it is related to taxes or state-level politics. In fact, the MO side has always been denser, even way back when IL didn't have an income tax and property taxes were nil. I think it boils down to a massive river and massive floodplain, which encouraged industrial development on the IL side and residential development on the MO side. Of course, the floodplain is now protected and several new bridges were built by the 70s. But the entire STL metro population has stagnated since then, in both IL and MO.

Yeah I was thinking the floodplain issue was there. From what I can tell Illinois total tax burden is about 2% higher still have to think So IL doesn't see much of that come back their way. I've spent some time in the area and it all seems a bit forgotten.

Not sure what you are referring to lifestyle but I find it hard to decide on the east metro area when coming from out of state. Maybe just need to be enlightened.

[Sassybluesy]

Originally Posted by Hazel W

Sauget? Just a week ago, I promised myself that, if I ran across your query again, I would mention this. I have not idea what Sauget is like. I did not even know there was such a town. I was ordering something from a company called Medline and it came from Sauget. I asked where that is and the man said "right across the river from St. Louis". And, last confession: I've not gotten out a map to check it. Nor looked it up online. Been busy at other things. Seems odd I'd never heard of it. It might be no more than a shipping area where trucks pull in to load and unload.



Maybe someone here knows more about it. If not, you are on your own. I just wanted to pass it on. I'd be interested in hearing more about it.

Sauget, as far as a place to live, is a nothing burger. It's mostly industrial, and the most swinging thing happening there is Monsanto. I used to live in Cahokia, and you have to drive past Sauget to get to Cahokia. Way back when (I don't remember exactly when, and I'd have to look it up) Sauget was declared a superfund sight, from all the chemicals dumped by Monsanto.


Back in the day, when I was dating my first husband, I was driving past Monsanto, and I noticed a smell that smelled like flat Cocoa Cola. I asked my future BIL what was that smell? He said it was Benzene release from Monsanto.

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by Nomad1320

Sorry, something else at work. I get the river thing but raise you, NYC tristate, Pittsburgh, Boston, DC, etc. All metro areas with rivers running through. Does the east bank flood easier?

Seems to me it does because the day we went over there, it was partially flooded while the west bank was not flooded at all. Someone else know?


And, by the way, the town I was trying to remember is Sauget - the town that accepts waste dumping.