The Chicago Tribune has a letter from a Chicago resident who is moving to Indiana at the end of the month.
Why?
Long-time resident David Mansfield writes in part,
But the Democratic machine has changed all that. Fiscal mismanagement and runaway spending coupled with an unsustainable pension system and dirty politics have left us with a $100 billion pension deficit and a budget more than $7 billion in the red. Madigan and his goons say that Gov. Bruce Rauner refuses to compromise, even while Rauner has agreed to raise taxes.
But Democrats refuse to accept any of his badly needed pension and business reforms. Their solution to all of our problems are ever-increasing taxes on a citizenry finding it more and more difficult to make ends meet. Illinoisans are asked to tighten their belts while the government and public employees get more and more…
I’m taking my ample income and the taxes it generates with me.
I see no solution to the fiscal problems Illinois faces with those currently in power.
And so I give up, Illinois.
This reminds me of an article that Governor Jim Thompson’s demographer wrote after the 1980 U.S. Census.
His analysis convinced him that the ratio of tax dependents to taxpayers was too high in Chicago to save the city.
The real question, he concluded, was whether the rest of the State could be saved.
His article did not pass muster with Thompson Administration censors, so he revised it for publication.
With more and more of the top earners like David Mansfield leaving Illinois, however, the question of how long Illinois can remain a viable economic entity continues to be relevant.
This Chicago Tribune editorial leads off with the following quote from Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Business Economist Thomas Walstrom’s observation:
“Over the years, lawmakers used a variety of techniques to put off paying the bills…
“Such techniques can work for only so long, and Illinois is now coming to terms with over 20 years of poor fiscal performance.”
Another observation from the economist:
“Walstrum reports that while the typical U.S. state was spending an average of 5.7 percent more, year after year, than it had in revenue — a foolish habit, we think — Illinois governments together were spending 15.9 percent more than they had available.
“Imagine the compounded effect of overspending your income by 15.9 percent, year after year.
“Three-fourths of that overspending went to, yes, fat pension promises and other retirement costs.
“Another big expense: rising interest payments on all this rising debt.”
The Tribune concludes,
“Not only did the public officials spend other people’s money, they spent money that didn’t exist.”
Read the whole editorial.
= = = = =
I didn’t vote against every Illinois budget during my sixteen years in Springfield, but I’ll bet I voted against more than anyone else while I was there in the 1970’sanbd 1990’s.
Only one way to stop the Progressive madness in Illinois:
This will be a difficult battle against the ‘Green Army’ but it is a battle that must be fought.
Those with money who are leaving are, in my opinion, illustrative of the “pussy generation” – Clint Eastwood’s description.
In case you are not aware, the Democrats have the full support of public sector unions which includes AFSCME.
Ever hear of the Hatch Act?
You can read about the Hatch Act here:
https://osc.gov/Resources/HA%20Pamphlet%20Sept%202014.pdf
Now watch some video and tell me if AFSCME members (green army) did not violate the Hatch Act:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSgZ9cxRwiA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPON-IeRVsg
You can start by getting to work to elect Mike Walkup and get rid of Progressive Jack Franks as an elected politician in this County.
Shame on anyone who donates to the Franks campaign.
Insofar as violation of the Hatch Act, of course this goes along with much of the behavior of the current Administration in D.C.
AND the recent State Supreme Court ruling relative to the re-districting referendum.
All roads lead back to Mike Madigan and his DEMOCRAT ilk
perpetrating decades of waste, fraud and abuse upon the
residents and businesses of this once great state.
Yet there are people on this blog who believe that Illinois
can be saved, or is worth saving. To the DEMOCRATS you are
nothing but useful idiots, sacrificial lambs and the enablers
of DEMOCRAT tyranny.
To those people I say, the Illinois death spiral is real
and it’s time those who have been living in their delusional world
wake up and come to terms with the situation as unpleasant
as it may be.
Sooner or later you will have no choice, but by then it will
be too late to extricate you and your families from this
unsustainable DEMOCRAT tax and spend hellhole.
What’s in your future ?
Absolutely, Honest Abe.
A once beautiful state is turning into Detroit because of the Democrats.
They have ruined it for everyone.
If everyone leaves who is left to fight?
I’d rather fight than flight.
Cindy are you living under a mushroom?
You most pressing loss of revenue are your property taxes.
That is not Springfield but the GOP who control McHenry County and your taxing entities.
Stop pointing your fingers at Springfield and look in your own backyard.
DMAC57: You must be a politician!
Only politicians can lie that well!
RE: ” the GOP who control McHenry County and your taxing entities.
That is one of the biggest tall tales I have heard in a long time.
The only government unit under the control of the elephant is County Government and they have in fact reduced your property tax!!
The friggin Teachers Union controls the school districts and most of your municipal governments, including Townships are controlled by Progressives!!
I agree, look in your own backyard but let’s be a little honest about it.
DMAC57 : Feel free to stay and watch Madigan & Co. play rope – a – dope with
Rauner while your property values continue to plummet and your property taxes
continue skyrocket.
What’s the matter, Satan?
Don’t have the cahonies to attack Honest Abe?
Instead try to belittle a frail old woman?
Nice touch.
Get behind me, Satan!
There are townships controlled by Republicans, e.g., Algonquin, Nunda, McHenry and Dorr.
**Get behind me, Satan!**
LOL
**A once beautiful state is turning into Detroit because of the Democrats.**
1) No, it is turning into anything close to Detroit. Good try though.
2) The highest property taxes in the state are all or almost all in Republican controlled municipalities. McHenry County is almost completely represented by Republicans. But sure – its ALL THE DEMOCRATS FAULT!
Republicans and Democrats are to blame for high property taxes.
++++++
A big reason for high property taxes are unfunded mandate bills passed by State Representatives and State Senators that become Public Acts (state law).
These unfunded mandates result in tax hikes, service cuts, government becoming more efficient, creating unfunded pension and retiree healthcare liabilities etc. (depends on the mandate; the money to implement the mandate must be found somewhere).
McHenry County Board Chair candidate Demcorat Jack Franks was on the Task Force on Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates whom submitted their final report on December 17, 2015 titled, Delivering Efficient, Effective, and Streamlined Government to Illinois Taxpayers.
http://www.illinois.gov/ltg/issues/localgovernments/Documents/Local%20Government%20Consolidation%20and%20Unfunded%20Mandates%20Task%20Force%20Final%20Report.pdf
http://www.illinois.gov/ltg
+++++++
Why is Jack Franks is not talking about unfunded mandates in the campaign.
Perhaps because unfunded mandates have resulted in tax hikes.
State legislators and Governors historically have not wanted to draw attention to that issue.
But Mayors, city councils, local taxing districts, their lobbyists, and associations to whom they belong, such as the Illinois Municipal League, have complained about unfunded state mandates over the years.
It is a hot topic for many of them.
++++++
The Illinois Municipal League has a list of unfunded mandates that became state law.
+++++++++
Illinois Municipal League
Report to the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force
Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti was Chair of the task force
March 4, 2015
http://legislative.iml.org > Mandate Reports > Report to the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force
++++++
This last report lists unfunded mandates by Public Act.
The first two digits of the Public Act are the General Assembly.
General Assemblies cover a two year period.
Jack Franks has been in office for the following General Assemblies.
90: 1999 – 2000
91: 2001 – 2002
92: 2003 – 2004
93: 2005 – 2006
95: 2007 – 2008
96: 2009 – 2010
97: 2011 – 2012
98: 2013 – 2014
99: 2015 – 2016
++++++++
So Jack Franks is claiming none of the unfunded mandates for the 90th – 99th General Assemblies have resulted in a tax hike?
For pension unfunded mandates alone (their are other categories of unfunded mandates), 81 line items are listed covering the various pension systems.
Some Public Acts effect more than one pension system.
Let’s narrow down the list to the number of Public Acts for pensions only.
40 pension unfunded mandates alone were passed in the 90th – 99th General Assemblies.
Apparently Jack Franks claim is none of those 40 pension unfunded mandate state laws resulted in tax hikes.
You can compare what residential neighborhoods look like in Detroit with Chicago’s neighborhoods thanks to Marathon Pundit.
Neighborhoods in Detroit:
Near Telegraph Road – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2015/08/photos-abandoned-homes-near-detroits.html
Hawthorne Street – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2015/07/photos-sign-on-detroit-home-warns-of.html
Grixdale Farms Part 1 – – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2015/07/photos-sign-on-detroit-home-warns-of.html
Grixdale Farms Part 2 – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2015/07/photos-sign-on-detroit-home-warns-of.html
Here’s Chicago looking like Detroit:
Roseland – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/search?q=roseland
Austin – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/04/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos.html
West Garfield Park – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/01/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos-most.html
East Garfield Park – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/02/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos_22.html
Englewood – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/01/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos-most.html
North Lawndale – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/02/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos.html
Auburn Gresham – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/04/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos_25.html
Back of the Yards – https://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2016/02/photos-abandoned-homes-in-chicagos_22.html
Thank you, Cal.
Nothing like the truth to shut up Satan.
Truth? Random pics aren’t facts.
I covered this in Cal’s full post on this:
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2016/08/28/comparing-chicagos-deteriorating-neighborhoods-to-detroits/
What you tried to cover alabama, was your cognitive dissonance.