MADNESS: Illinois Democrats DOUBLE tolls on roads but make no cuts to union payouts or wasteful projects
Illinois is going to DOUBLE it’s road tolls statewide.
Way to hamper the economy even further.
Instead of raising fees, why not cut the pork barrel, union-rewarding projects that are not needed.
Even better: how about eliminating some of the “supervisors” on road crews?
Have you observed this in your state? It’s endemic to Illinois: one man, usually very young, works on a road, using a machine of some kind. Another man stands, watching him. A third man watches the second man. From inside a truck parked adjacent to all of this, an older man watches the first three. Another guy stands outside the truck, leaning against it. Sometimes, there’s another guy in the bed of the truck, weighing it down so it does not float away. Unless, of course, that guy is on break.
How much money is wasted a year through union jobs like this, or on roads that are purposefully built to fall apart in three or five years so the unions can rebuild them again?
Instead of raising tolls, why not trim some fat?
I know…I know…it’s Illinois, so that concept is ridiculous.
So better question: why does the public at large stand for this?
© 2011, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
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Way to go Illinois! I drive from Wisconsin to Indiana pretty often, and can't avoid the whole Chicago corridor. There are 3 ways to do it, and I almost always go the way I can avoid the toll roads (staying on 41 to Waukegan and joining the Edens and then 80 through Gary. The other day I had to take the Skyway, which I love, because it never has traffic (wonder why), and one way was $5.60. I don't even know what the other toll road is these days, but I wouldn't pay. In fact, I would move if I lived there and couldn't avoid it.
My son lives in Chicago so I'm well aware of the Illinois Way, which is really the Chicago Way. I've been there many times and trust me, there really is a Chicago bubble. It's a different reality there.
If the fools in Illinois haven't wised up yet, I doubt they ever will. They'll just go on voting Democrat.
What's orange and sleeps six? A Caltrans truck! ( you may insert any state)
No you may not, many in the south are not union.
I am very upset by this as the tollway is something I have to use. I will make it a point that by January 1, 2012, I will utilize alternative routes. I cannot believe that at this very difficult time for everyone, they raised the rates without cutting costs elsewhere. If this were private industry, the board of directors would have been ousted by the shareholders because they didn't consider all of the other ways to cut costs!!
Since 50% of the public doesn't pay taxes, and I am assuming it's probably higher in Illinois, why should the public as a whole care? They have no stake in how tax dollars are wasted.
I'm sure it's higher than 50%. I've got clients with $1 mill+ homes that pay their nominal bills with money orders. Anybody who has access to the cookie jar here, has their hands in it. If you know somebody that has access and "pay to play", you can have your hands in it too. I now have made it a practice to boycott the blatantly obvious overabundance of "cash only" businesses here as well.
There's already the battle of the have little and have not's in Illinois. It's gonna get worse as this underemployment situation rises, while these housing prices continue to fall dramatically.
Hmm….I was on the I-88 between Chicagoland and Dixon (Reagan's hometown) a couple of weeks ago. When do these rates go into effect?
Over in Massachusetts, instead of raising tolls, the Mass Pike actually elimiated tolls between the NY State line and the Springfield area 15 years ago (You still are supposed to pick up a ticket- there's just no charge for the first six or seven exits). This predates Romney- it was a compromise from then Gov. Weld when Western Mass residents protested that their money from Mass Pike tolls were going towards the Big Dig- the costly black hole that most of them would never use.
But the million dollar question is have any Illinois Tollway executives been busted for DUI like their Bay State counterparts? http://shrt.st/15jx
Why does the public t large stand for this? Because in the days of our grandparents we actually had some politicians who stood up for the people and did their jobs. I guess we naively think that is still the case. BaaBaaBaaaaa!!!
..and this is surprising because…? After watching what happened in the neighboring state of Wisconsin I'm not too very surprised anymore by much of anything that the D's do that is pro-union and anti-economic growth. I've wondered for some time now if they truly believe all this is GOOD for us, or if they fully understand what they are doing to destroy America and are laughing at us behind our backs. If they truly believe all this is good for us, then… I wonder how differently their brain must be wired than mine to look at the same things and see things so totally opposite.
BWAH HAHAHHAHAHA! you have totally described construction season in MI. i kid you not. my brother and i loooooove to come across the "men working" sign while seeing them sitting around it drinking water for however long. we point and laugh.
This is slightly O.T., but… what do y'all think of Trumka's statement about the unions not supporting D's in 2012? Do you believe him? IMHO I think it's a "smoke screen". I think the unions have lost money (in part because of things like what happened in Wisconsin and some other states) and they are trying to cover up the loss by putting it all in one large "pot" (the PAC they created), which they will then filter to the D's for 2012.
Don't buy it for a microsecond. They know the Dems are in trouble in 2012 so Trumka is just letting them know if they want union support or some union thug action during the upcoming elections, there's a price to pay. They sure as hell aren't going to support a Republican. It's all about playing on the Dems' fears so they can get more pro-union / anti-american citizen laws and regulations passed. That's IF We The People don't clear the Democrats out in 11/2012. Get out and VOTE!
I think the D's are "between a rock and a hard place" so to speak. Isn't that GREAT? If they don't come out strong in favor of the unions they will be afraid they won't get all that lovely union $; but if they DO come out strong in favor of the unions they know that more and more of "we, the people" are going to be furious. So… it will be interesting to see which choose the door with the $ (the unions) and which pick the door with what their voters want. Hmm… betcha most of them will pick the door with the $.
Higher road tolls will certainly be a big boost sure to send more business & cross country traffic out of Illinois. The democorrupts are economically clueless & certainly suicidal. Asa sixty year resident of Californi, a state ruined by 53 years of democrap control of the legislature I believed no state controlled by the democorrupt left could behave more stupidly I now understand Illinois libs are even more stupid.
I think you will see even more businesses and residents leave the state. That is if they can. I tell ya, the state of Illinois is crazy. But hey, California is crazy too….and their economy is in the tank as well.
Earlier this week or late last week (it has all blurred together), WLS AM 890 reported that the then-proposed toll increase would be to construct a new tollway or tollways around O'Hare. Perhaps that was just a gimmick that will never come to fruition. What struck me was this: Why build another tollway when mass transit is so damned popular because it is "green"? Where are the Lefty-Commie values? Eh, guv?
I don't think the public is nearly as interested in public transport as the government says. And the government is interested in "green" only when it generates cash for THE GOVERNMENT. It isn't about principle really.
As others say, this move is just a way to give union buddies more favors and launder money back to the Illinois Dem Party! Crooked as a century is long!
Try a millenia!
The exit of business in California long ago turned into a stampede out. the area of California The democorrupt destruction crew here in Lalaland has had a 50 year headstart on Illinois. I Ihve resided for the entire 45 years of my adult life in an area of Southern California (now relocating to Nevada) long a magnet for high tech & knowledge content businesses with an adult popuation wiith a preponderace of university grads The area has a 50% vacancy rate in its office & business parks that only five years ago enjoyed 100% occupancy as the young, educated & skillrd flee the economic hell that is liberal deimated California.
My husband just got a job as a supervisor with I Dot here in Illinois. His take is they have done so many quick fixes on projects instead of addressing the problems because of not enough funding. It has been done so many years that our bridges are crumbling underneath. Salt is a major problem as it rust away the beams. They have to be fixed from the bottom up now. Also the Chicago area gets much of our funding. Of course we argue constantly about union pay and perks. He gets about $50,000 a year. His motel and $30.00 for food a day. They pay his insurance and contribute to his retirement. He pays in much more in his retirement than they contribute. Also remember he is gone all week to make this money. Working on the interstate is very dangerous and when you have between 3 and 12 workers to keep safe it is a very stressful job. As for waste he says it will boggle your mind. As for them leaning on the shovels that is true. Unions have specific people to do certain jobs. That is why they do a lot of leaning. Even some of it makes him mad. Fix the unions and most of the waste will go away. Also union scale up north is flippin crazy. It is a seasonal job so they also get unemployment with no job search. I find that right in line with the teachers union, who for some reason can not figure out that what they get payed must last all year. Rant over….
Illinois tollways are one of many reasons we take time to completely avoid the state in addition to their atrocious laws and politicians when we make trips from Kansas City to Wisconsin to visit the families. The best part- it only adds extra half hour! Don't get me started on the endless construction on the roads there!