Boone County Watchdog: 01/19/16

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Rating Illinois Cities

2016’s Best & Worst Cities for Illinois Families

4.7K

2016 Best & Worst Cities for Families in Illinois
Rubbing Abe Lincoln’s “lucky” nose might bring good fortune in Illinois, but the Prairie State already offers plenty of incentives for families or those looking to put down roots.

For starters, Illinois boasts the fifth-largest state economy by GDP. Even with the notably high outward migration rates among residents over the years, this Midwestern state continues to prove its economic resilience. Pair that with rising home values, one of the top 10 school systems in the U.S. and a prestigious roster of employers that includes 34 of the Fortune 500 companies, and the combination yields a gratifying quality of life.

Granted, the Land of Lincoln is no paradise by any stretch of the word. The winters can be harsh — really harsh. But if your New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with family anyway, you can bet on ample indoor opportunities with the kids. Hopefully the additional cash you’ll be able to play with will compensate for the lack of outdoor fun. The state’s median family income stands at $71,796, which is nearly $6,000 more than the median family income in the U.S.

To identify the Illinois cities that hold the most promise for your clan, WalletHub’s analysts compared 162 cities in the state across 21 key indicators of ideal family conditions. Our data set ranges from the percentage of families with young children to median family income to housing affordability. Scroll down for the results, additional expert commentary and a detailed methodology.

1 Main Findings 2 Ask the Experts

3 Methodology

Main Findings

<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = "[default] http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" NS = "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" />11162162

162

Embed on your website

Overall Rank

City

Total Score

‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank

‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank

‘Affordability’ Rank

‘Socioeconomic Environment’ Rank

1
Morton, IL
72.67
12
7
9
9

2
Deerfield, IL
72.08
7
40
1
6

3
Washington, IL
69.88
8
25
12
12

4
Libertyville, IL
69.76
47
27
3
4

5
O'Fallon, IL
69.25
39
29
2
69

6
Hinsdale, IL
69.04
41
19
4
33

7
Cary, IL
68.51
97
9
5
17

8
Lake in the Hills, IL
68.01
21
4
44
52

9
Frankfort, IL
67.23
19
47
21
5

10
Naperville, IL
66.94
53
53
11
8

11
Yorkville, IL
66.55
11
35
31
51

12
Edwardsville, IL
66.50
54
44
6
54

13
Elmhurst, IL
66.24
13
50
40
21

14
Oswego, IL
65.87
45
80
22
25

15
Lake Zurich, IL
65.54
70
76
10
14

16
Batavia, IL
65.34
78
77
8
47

17
Lake Forest, IL
65.30
85
10
14
30

18
Glen Ellyn, IL
64.65
50
58
20
46

19
Normal, IL
64.56
52
39
15
71

20
Grayslake, IL
64.53
44
48
23
45

21
La Grange, IL
64.48
20
51
35
44

22
Algonquin, IL
64.31
129
43
7
26

23
Bartlett, IL
64.24
98
49
43
11

24
Shorewood, IL
64.21
99
22
28
29

25
Montgomery, IL
64.07
3
23
63
86

26
Wilmette, IL
64.03
93
78
27
18

27
Vernon Hills, IL
64.02
26
62
54
27

28
St. Charles, IL
64.00
113
59
16
39

29
New Lenox, IL
63.97
67
68
29
22

30
Wheaton, IL
63.97
74
31
45
23

31
Buffalo Grove, IL
63.77
120
26
17
31

32
Crystal Lake, IL
63.58
64
63
34
60

33
Plainfield, IL
63.48
65
82
13
49

34
Northbrook, IL
63.14
119
38
32
19

35
South Elgin, IL
63.11
46
61
24
63

36
Glenview, IL
63.05
75
34
67
10

37
Geneva, IL
62.97
94
32
36
13

38
Bloomington, IL
62.91
48
70
19
77

39
Lockport, IL
62.59
88
88
29
41

40
Woodridge, IL
62.34
83
30
46
36

41
Mokena, IL
62.19
140
79
25
7

42
Oak Park, IL
61.96
5
99
51
72

43
Carol Stream, IL
61.70
111
15
68
55

44
Highland Park, IL
61.60
135
66
18
32

45
Lemont, IL
61.59
118
57
69
3

46
Huntley, IL
61.42
156
6
52
2

47
Gurnee, IL
60.68
27
120
41
68

48
Homer Glen, IL
60.63
157
5
73
1

49
Bourbonnais, IL
60.55
38
56
78
84

50
Mundelein, IL
60.40
106
12
82
43

51
Downers Grove, IL
60.25
138
75
39
24

52
Round Lake, IL
59.94
43
74
65
81

53
Oak Forest, IL
59.81
130
41
57
73

54
Macomb, IL
59.79
16
1
61
149

55
Quincy, IL
59.75
56
24
71
103

56
Arlington Heights, IL
59.74
134
42
76
16

57
Godfrey, IL
59.52
153
73
42
59

58
Jacksonville, IL
59.51
55
33
55
124

T-59
Palatine, IL
59.49
60
71
98
66

T-59
Bradley, IL
59.49
28
87
84
75

61
Roselle, IL
59.33
96
8
100
35

62
Park Ridge, IL
59.31
107
72
87
20

63
Hanover Park, IL
59.23
6
28
118
108

64
North Aurora, IL
59.07
68
94
66
62

65
Hoffman Estates, IL
58.99
121
60
77
37

66
McHenry, IL
58.76
89
55
72
53

67
Woodstock, IL
58.67
49
36
108
102

68
Mount Prospect, IL
58.48
90
21
126
15

69
Sterling, IL
58.33
33
69
79
115

70
Brookfield, IL
58.26
105
18
85
87

71
Pekin, IL
58.00
63
37
83
120

72
West Chicago, IL
57.68
4
110
122
79

73
Orland Park, IL
57.67
158
96
53
28

74
Sycamore, IL
57.40
109
84
58
97

75
Round Lake Beach, IL
57.31
10
108
110
80

76
Charleston, IL
57.30
51
2
132
127

77
Schaumburg, IL
57.10
132
90
96
50

78
Springfield, IL
56.95
14
138
38
121

79
Ottawa, IL
56.80
84
16
101
118

80
Machesney Park, IL
56.78
136
3
89
116

81
East Peoria, IL
56.77
115
81
49
88

82
Streamwood, IL
56.77
126
64
97
76

83
Bolingbrook, IL
56.74
66
109
75
82

84
Darien, IL
56.59
151
67
86
38

85
Rolling Meadows, IL
56.46
86
13
124
85

86
Marion, IL
56.38
104
89
48
114

87
Evanston, IL
56.32
77
102
81
83

88
Champaign, IL
56.32
59
114
56
109

89
Tinley Park, IL
56.27
144
100
50
58

90
Moline, IL
56.24
32
137
62
104

91
Homewood, IL
56.05
124
107
33
113

92
Villa Park, IL
55.90
91
65
117
61

93
Lombard, IL
55.79
133
95
99
42

94
Elk Grove Village, IL
55.68
116
86
103
65

95
Mattoon, IL
55.63
34
11
93
146

96
Loves Park, IL
55.55
79
97
74
93

97
Lisle, IL
55.00
101
139
60
40

98
Romeoville, IL
54.96
25
140
95
98

99
Aurora, IL
54.73
35
118
109
99

100
Carpentersville, IL
54.72
9
91
144
101

101
Joliet, IL
54.31
22
125
104
111

102
Freeport, IL
54.07
103
52
91
132

103
Fairview Heights, IL
54.05
154
133
37
95

104
Westmont, IL
53.83
142
46
138
70

105
Morton Grove, IL
53.46
160
14
131
34

106
Collinsville, IL
53.37
123
127
80
117

107
Evergreen Park, IL
53.37
137
116
64
105

108
Westchester, IL
53.19
159
45
112
56

109
Elgin, IL
53.18
42
122
121
100

110
Des Plaines, IL
53.09
148
92
115
48

111
Prospect Heights, IL
53.04
108
20
153
64

112
Galesburg, IL
53.00
73
119
92
131

113
Rock Island, IL
52.25
29
115
107
143

114
Wheeling, IL
51.71
122
104
134
74

115
Glendale Heights, IL
51.68
114
101
129
91

116
Urbana, IL
51.64
92
85
114
125

117
Belvidere, IL
51.37
82
134
111
110

118
East Moline, IL
51.33
58
111
120
128

119
Peoria, IL
51.17
40
136
90
138

120
Burbank, IL
51.07
143
83
142
90

121
Bloomingdale, IL
50.80
162
106
106
67

122
Belleville, IL
50.65
69
153
59
139

123
Oak Lawn, IL
50.48
155
113
116
94

124
DeKalb, IL
50.30
17
131
135
130

125
Palos Hills, IL
50.24
161
17
140
92

126
Decatur, IL
50.05
95
126
88
136

127
Addison, IL
49.93
71
112
154
96

128
Skokie, IL
49.90
152
93
137
78

129
Matteson, IL
49.36
147
149
26
141

130
Crest Hill, IL
49.20
131
103
125
112

131
Alsip, IL
49.09
102
105
130
126

132
Elmwood Park, IL
48.97
146
98
145
89

133
Zion, IL
48.47
18
146
123
135

134
Park Forest, IL
48.25
100
124
70
155

135
Mount Vernon, IL
48.07
30
148
94
144

136
Niles, IL
47.87
149
117
151
57

137
South Holland, IL
47.70
150
128
102
137

138
Berwyn, IL
47.37
76
129
147
123

139
Granite City, IL
47.32
141
155
47
142

140
Melrose Park, IL
47.25
24
123
161
122

141
Waukegan, IL
47.09
23
135
150
134

142
Franklin Park, IL
46.33
110
147
133
107

143
Carbondale, IL
46.27
2
54
156
159

144
Alton, IL
45.68
62
132
136
151

145
Cicero, IL
45.60
31
130
158
133

146
Bensenville, IL
44.83
80
154
143
106

147
Bellwood, IL
44.81
112
121
127
153

148
Danville, IL
44.71
36
152
105
152

149
Rockford, IL
44.17
81
141
128
148

150
Lansing, IL
43.77
139
156
113
129

151
North Chicago, IL
43.43
1
159
157
145

152
Chicago Heights, IL
42.77
57
144
139
154

153
Country Club Hills, IL
42.67
128
145
119
150

154
Chicago, IL
41.49
61
143
160
140

155
Kankakee, IL
41.14
15
142
155
156

156
Calumet City, IL
40.14
37
150
146
158

157
Bridgeview, IL
38.09
125
161
148
119

158
Blue Island, IL
37.18
87
158
149
147

159
Maywood, IL
36.80
127
151
152
157

160
Dolton, IL
30.11
145
162
141
160

161
Harvey, IL
26.05
117
157
159
161

162
East St. Louis, IL
20.84
72
160
162
162

Artwork Best & Worst Cities for Families in Illinois

Above city scorings are from: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-families-in-illinois/18426/

Driving isn’t cool any more.

Once upon a time, getting your driver’s license was the best thing that could happen to a teenager: It meant freedom, fun and escape. These days, however, apps, videogames and virtual reality seem to be more appealing.

The percentage of young people with a driver’s license has plunged during the last several years, according to a new study by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. In 2008, for instance, 65.4% of 18-year-olds had a driver’s license. Now, 60.1% do. The trend has been underway for decades but seems to have intensified since the recession that began at the end of 2007.

In all age groups from 16 to 69, the percentage of Americans with a license has fallen since 2008. Above 70, it has inched up from 78.4% to 79%. This table shows all the changes:

View photo

Souce: University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

Auto sales have been strong during the last few years, hitting record levels in 2015. Analysts expect a slight increase in sales for 2016, for another record year. But that may be largely due to pent-up demand among consumers who put off buying a car when the economy was weak and are only now catching up.

Fewer licensed drivers, meanwhile, portends fewer car buyers in the future -- a problem General Motors (GM), Ford (F) and the other big automakers are all aware of. Technology is part of the reason: Smartphones and social networks now provide a sense of connectivity that the automobile provided before the digital revolution. And they’re way cheaper.

More people these days live in cities, where cars are often more hassle than they’re worth. Many millennials lack the cash for such a big purchase anyway, since the job market for twentysomethings is still soft and the average student-debt burden is near a record high. And many millennials who do drive prefer leasing over buying, since there’s no down payment and you can upgrade your ride more often.

More than 90% of people between 45 and 69 drive, which means car sales probably aren’t about to fall off a cliff. Cheap financing and easing credit help. But automakers are also racing to get ahead of demographic trends by investing in businesses that provide an alternative to car ownership.

GM has invested $500 million in ride-share company Lyft, and it just purchased the remnants of a bankrupt competitor, Sidecar, for an undisclosed sum that's less than the $39 million investors plowed into the startup. Ford is experimenting with a Zipcar-style car-renting program in a handful of cities and is reportedly teaming with Google on a self-driving car project. And most automakers are partnering with tech titans such as Google (GOOGL), Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) on new software that syncs the car’s entertainment system with smartphones, allowing drivers to bring many of their favorite apps into the cabin and use them straight from the dashboard.

Automakers, nonetheless, are still dogged by worries that Peak Auto is upon us and it’s all downhill from here. Shares in GM and Ford have flatlined during the last two years—despite record sales and strong profits—with investors concerned there’s no growth ahead for car companies. It doesn’t help that emerging markets such as China and Brazil are wobbling, too. There's no shortage of young people in the world, but there may be a shortage of young drivers.

Rick Newman’s latest book is Liberty for All: A Manifesto for Reclaiming Financial and Political Freedom. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.

Above is from: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/these-numbers-terrify-gm--ford-and-the-other-automakers-160157091.html#

Jim Edgar pats Davis' head, backhands Governor Rauner in op-ed

SPRINGFIELD - Former Governor Jim Edgar wrote in the Springfield Journal Register Monday that he's very pleased that Congressman Rodney Davis voted to pass U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan's negotiated compromise budget before the Christmas break.

Illinois is into its seventh month without a functioning budget, and that is bugging Edgar.

“I learned I couldn’t get everything I wanted at one time,” Edgar said on WGN 720 in October. “My sense is (Rauner) thinks other things are just as important, and that’s probably where he and I probably have a different point of view. I just think the budget, particularly with the state’s history of the last decade of some real serious financial problems, we need to concentrate first on that.”

Edgar's op-ed Monday was especially interesting because its content could be interpreted as serving two purposes: publicly patting Congressman Davis on the head for playing nice in D.C. and privately back-handing Governor Bruce Rauner for being so stubborn and uncooperative.

Ridiculous? Read carefully Edgar's words:

In my experience, you don’t always get everything you want. But it is important to keep making progress and stay focused on solving problems. Davis voted to lead, to govern and to make progress. He did the right thing.

Governing is challenging. Negotiating with divided branches is difficult and success comes slowly. When I was governor, for all but two years, we had a divided government and I often faced situations where I didn’t always get the reform I wanted. But even in divided government, we were able to work together to eliminate a massive backlog of state bill payments, build historic state budget surpluses and reduce the size of government.

We made progress together because we were disciplined, kept lines of communication open between the divided branches of government and recognized the need to compromise for the good of the people.

Think the enjoying-retirement governor wasn't sending a message to Bruce Rauner, whose determination to "Turnaround Illinois" has run him into AFSCME's brick wall and House Speaker Mike Madigan's non-negotiable mine field?

Here's Edgar's public conclusion:

In this time of polarizing politics, our country needs to make progress. I appreciate true leaders who will make the tough decisions to strengthen America and tackle problems. And I count Rodney Davis as one of them.

"Bruce Rauner" wasn't mentioned.

Above is from: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2016/01/jim-edgar-pats-davis-head-backhands-governor-rauner-in-op-ed.html

Below is Governor Edgar’s op ed. From: http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160112/former-gov-jim-edgar-rodney-davis-vote-on-federal-budget-was-responsible

Former Gov. Jim Edgar: Rodney Davis' vote on federal budget was responsible

10:06 PM

Former Gov. Jim Edgar
Posted Jan. 12, 2016 at 10:06 PM
Elected officials carry the significant responsibility to address problems, meet challenges and make progress for the people they represent. That responsibility includes making tough decisions.

I learned early in my public service career that most people simply want their elected officials to get the job done. The challenges are hard enough to solve when people work together, so consider how difficult it is when they don’t.

Regrettably, sometimes in politics, people focus on posturing rather than progress.

We deserve better.

That’s why I have a lot of respect for U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis and his recent vote on the federal budget. When faced with the choice to fund the government or face another government shutdown, he voted for progress. It was the responsible vote to cast. The economic losses from a government shutdown would have been astronomical. Continuing dysfunctional government in Washington is not governing and it is not leadership. Unfortunately, some in politics allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good.

In my experience, you don’t always get everything you want. But it is important to keep making progress and stay focused on solving problems. Davis voted to lead, to govern and to make progress. He did the right thing.

Governing is challenging. Negotiating with divided branches is difficult and success comes slowly. When I was governor, for all but two years, we had a divided government and I often faced situations where I didn’t always get the reform I wanted. But even in divided government, we were able to work together to eliminate a massive backlog of state bill payments, build historic state budget surpluses and reduce the size of government.

We made progress together because we were disciplined, kept lines of communication open between the divided branches of government and recognized the need to compromise for the good of the people.

The process in Washington is far from perfect. But leadership from members like Davis allowed Congress to pass a balanced budget for the first time in nearly a decade, save taxpayers $176 billion, and address one of the true drivers of our nation’s long-term debt by tackling Medicare reform.

Davis and I don’t agree on everything, but I certainly respect his leadership. He has helped Illinois by helping pass a much-needed transportation bill and he is a strong voice for veterans.

In this time of polarizing politics, our country needs to make progress. I appreciate true leaders who will make the tough decisions to strengthen America and tackle problems. And I count Rodney Davis as one of them.

— Jim Edgar served as Illinois governor from 1991-1999. He resides in Springfield.

Some lawmakers speculate Rauner may propose 2-year budget

By Marty Hobe
The Register-Mail
- Posted Jan. 19, 2016 at 7:30 AM
GALESBURG — In the next few weeks, Gov. Bruce Rauner will give two of his most important speeches of the year, likely delivering both without a state budget.
On Jan. 27, Rauner will deliver the State of the State Address and on Feb. 17 he will issue his Budget Address. In those speeches he is expected to lay out the road map for the spring session while presenting his proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
What Rauner’s budget plan for FY17 will look like is cause for question, as the state enters its seventh month without a budget for FY16.
“Therein lies the irony in all of that,” said state Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb. “We keep going from one unprecedented moment to the next.”
Some lawmakers have suggested a two-year budget, as many of the items left to be paid for still need legislative authorization. State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, said the budget address would be the appropriate opportunity to propose a two-year spending plan, though he’s not sure it’s constitutional.
The Illinois Constitution of 1970 reads, “The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the state. Appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year.”
Moffitt thinks there could be a problem because in the language "fiscal year" isn’t plural. He also thinks, under this same clause, the budget approved by the Legislature was unconstitutional as well, as it was underfunded by $3 billion to $4 billion.
Still, if it’s legal Moffitt and Hammond feel the two-year budget is the appropriate solution.
“I would think that would be the real opportunity to say here’s where we are and work out of it and work on a 24-month budget,” Moffitt said.
“We should all consider a two-year budget, if at the very least a plan for where to go,” Hammond said.
However, state Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, opposes a two-year budget, and doesn’t think it’s something the Democratically controlled Legislature would pass. Instead he thinks a make-shift spending plan put together in the spring would be the right course of action, much like the one passed last year to cover a deficit in that budget.
“I personally think we could do some sort of supplemental budget for this year to take care of some of the more urgent funding issues,” Sullivan said.
Still, the governor will have to present a budget, which is also spelled out in the Constitution. However, Rauner could push the budget address date back. In 2014, former Gov. Pat Quinn moved his address to the end of March after the primary elections.

:Above is from: http://www.galesburg.com/news/20160119/some-lawmakers-speculate-rauner-may-propose-2-year-budget

Supreme Court to decide on Obama's immigration plan: Can he offer work permits to millions?

David G. SavageContact Reporter

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to decide the legal fate of President Obama's sweeping immigration program and rule on whether he has the power to offer "lawful presence" and a work permit to more than 4 million people living here illegally.

The justices voted to hear an appeal from Obama's lawyers, who are challenging decisions by a federal judge in Texas and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that blocked his immigration order from taking effect.

The announcement sets the stage for what promises to be one of the most significant and politically charged immigration decisions in the court's history, coming in the midst of the 2016 presidential race.

Three years ago, the justices dealt a defeat to conservative states that sought to crack down on illegal immigrants. They rejected the key provisions of an Arizona law that would have empowered its police to stop, question and arrest people who could not show they were citizens.

By a 5-3 vote, the justices said the president and his executive officers have "broad discretion" over immigration policy, including enforcement and deciding who should be arrested and deported.

Now, the question is whether the president may use that discretion to give several million otherwise law-abiding immigrants a temporary shield from deportation. In 2012, Obama gave this "deferred action" status to about 600,000 young people who were brought to this country illegally as children. This benefit for so-called dreamers went largely unchallenged.

In November of 2014, Obama went further and offered deportation deferral to more than 4 million parents who had a legal son or daughter in this country and who had lived here illegally since since 2010. They are "hard-working people who have become integrated members of American society," said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson in announcing the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, or DAPA. He said the government would rather focus on deporting criminals, gang members or terrorists.

Once eligible persons came forward and passed a background check, they would be offered a work permit and would become eligible for some federal benefits, including Social Security, Medicare and the earned income tax credit.

Several hundred thousand additional immigrants could qualify for deferral under a separate expansion of the program focused on the dreamers.

But Obama's order has not gone into effect and probably won't unless the Supreme Court rules in the president's favor.

Lawyers for Texas and 25 other Republican-led states sued in a federal court in the border town of Brownsville, Texas, and they successfully argued the president had overstepped his authority.

This "assertion of unilateral executive power" violates the Constitution's "separation of powers," said Texas Solicitor Gen. Scott A. Keller. If Obama can defy Congress and decide on his own not to enforce the laws against illegal immigration, future presidents could decide on their own not to enforce laws on the environment, taxes or civil rights, he said.

In his appeal on Obama's behalf, U.S. Solicitor Gen. Donald Verrilli said the Texas lawsuit should be thrown out because the 26 Republican states have no authority to interfere with immigration policy. The DAPA order "does not regulate states or require states to do (or not do) anything," he said.

Blocking Obama's plan from taking effect "will force millions of people--who are not removal priorities ... and who are parents of U.S citizens and permanent residents -- to continue to work off the books, without the option of lawful employment to provide for their families," he said.

The case could turn on a procedural issue of "standing." Verrilli said Texas has cited no "injury" in its lawsuit, except the state's cost of providing drivers' licenses to immigrants. But Verrilli said that since Texas chose on its own to partially subsidize the cost of issuing licenses rather than forcing applicants to bear the entire cost, the state cannot now use this policy as the basis for its complaint.

Separately, California, Illinois, New York and 12 other Democratic-led states joined the case on Obama's side. They say it will "further the public interest by allowing qualified undocumented immigrants to come out the shadows, work legally and better support their families."

The two sides in the legal fight disagree even on how to describe the orders at issue. Obama's lawyers say the DAPA order is mere "guidance" and "a general statement of policy," not an official regulation. Moreover, no immigrant would have any legal rights and their "lawful presence" would be determined on a "case-by-case basis."

By contrast, the Texas lawyers say Obama seeks "one of the largest changes in immigration policy in our nation's history" affecting potentially millions of people. They concede federal agents may spare these people from deportation, but giving them a "lawful presence" and a work permit amounts to changing the law. "There is no constitutional or statutory authority for such a change," they said.

The court will likely hear arguments in United States vs. Texas in April and hand down a ruling near the end of June.

Above is from: http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-supreme-court-deportation-review-20160119-story.html