But why would this matter less to you? I think we have more day to day interaction with what happens at the local level than the looney bin 900 miles east of us in DC and even 90 miles away in Springfield.
I've consistently said that Madigan needs to go and that Illinois Democrats have become too comfortable. However, the Republicans waiting in the wings are no Jim Edgar, Pate Phillip, or Big Jim Thompson type of Republicans. We have dangerous idiots like Darren Bailey running around ..
Still, in this case, Illinois has more layers of government than any other state in the union.
I'm all for infrastructure and not skimping on human services, but at too many junctures, there has to be another department with another 'executive director'.
Basically, other states are showing us that more efficient government is possible. Louisville, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Jacksonville FL have all done the City/County consolidation and are doing quite well, though not devoid of their problem moments.
A lot of this cancer also needs to be undone in Missouri.
It really does matter if St. Louis City/County could become a unit of government. The more people governed in that unit, the more clout that unit has.
Granite City, believe it or not - and I thought this would have changed by now....is the second largest south of Springfield...only behind Belleville.
The Metro East has no clout, because most big units of government have about 20,000 - 40,000 people. Most people in other parts of the state are not even aware that the Metro East is the second largest grouping of people in the State. Some don't even think it exists.. "You came from a rural area, what's it like?" Yeah, they have no idea that Granite City could be very similar to a South Suburb of Chicago.
I think Madison County could do its own consolidation..... Alton super city could have 70,000, Granite super city could have 60,000, Edwardsville super city could have 60,000 (and would include the rural towns already in its district), Collinsville super city could have 50,000, and Triad/Highland could have 30,000.
Now you have some leaner units of government, and larger voices that could be more influential in state politics, in attracting business and in working together to make big plans.
Louisville has an interesting system with Jefferson County where there are 83 communities, but all unincorporated areas are governed by Louisville/Jefferson unit..
I'm intrigued by all this and think that Madison County could really turn things around if its government structures were streamlined.
The Nameoki drama is almost a clannish type of warfare -- and at times pops its head...
I'm living in a dream world, like you I need to take the realist approach and not expect it to happen any time soon. Too many people want their 70,000 salaries.
It's too bad, because little burghs have to compete with each other and the weakest of them just continue to get more blighted. If somehow Madison County had a coordinated government -- then there could be plans to highlight the feasibility of attracting development in Venice and Madison. I doubt on its own, Venice has the resources to do much of anything but barely survive.
There are pitfalls to this collaboration, such as passing the blame...but also, a feeling of lost local control. I think if Madison County had five Bourough type municipalities...but yet had something that held them together...you have the clout of 260,000 people... and suddenly the largest unit outside of Chicagoland.
It's all a pipe dream....and no City employees are PMing me offering me my 70,000 for this plan that I'm giving them for free....but that's okay... They're going to do it their way, and continue to keep that inefficient dinosaur we call Illinois afloat.
When you ban books before you ban guns, you've admitted that you're more afraid of children learning than you are of children dying.
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