DuPage County ranks as the most affluent in Illinois, ranked as the 23rd most affluent in the country.
One in six residents now are classed as working poor, or live in poverty.
Barbara Rose takes an in-depth look at Poverty In DuPage as part of Elmhurst College’s year-long investigation into the subject (and victims) of a hidden malaise.
As one who was forced into retirement, I understand and empathize with this report. When my company moved, my commute lengthened from 66 to 95 miles per day. It was to much for me at my then age of 64. I looked for a job but there were none. Jobs that I used to work are now being done by a Chinaman, or Indian, or southeast Asian. I was a victim of outsourcing. Retirement was the only available option. Then the meltdown came. Engineering was my game. Back in the old days, the Trib would list 2 to 4 pages of ads for engineers. Nowadays, it is about 4 inches of column. Now we survive on SS, government subsidy. We are fortunate to have it. How long it will be there is anyone’s guess.
Our street seems to be recession proof. No one is complaining. One neighbor, who works for DG is on 2 day/week furlough. Everyone else is smiling. Recession? What recession? The lack of comments on this topic speaks volumes to me.
‘Chinaman’???
I wonder where the anointed one(aka Obama)is now? Hope you liked your hopey, changey deal he promised! LOL Remember all you DuPage voters who voted with Obama last time, you live in a well known Republican strong hold. The help goes into Cook County. Maybe you would want to move there for Cook Counties free ride.
I do not currently live in DuPage, but one day I intend too, again. I think President Obama is doing a wonderful for the most part. I do not have to keep my current job and now change my field of work and do not have to worry about “pre-existing condition” on my families’ health insurance. Thank you President Obama and Madame Speaker Pelosi I am “free at last.” I don’t have to be an indenture slave for my current employer for the rest of my life.
Earl,
Please check your facts. Health Care doesnt become active until 2013 if it doesnt get repealed first. You are paying for it now though. Ya, he is doing a bang up job!
You are a slave Earl. Wake up pal. The more they can get you hooked on government programs the more you are enslaved. Sad, that some people need so much help. How can you even hold your head up high each day? I couldn’t, I don’t want anyone giving my anything. I can do it all on my own.
And since we are getting political here peep this EARL…
Mayor Daley is looking at getting the city out of the festival business and handing off curbside recycling to a private company as he scrambles to fill a big budget hole without raising taxes before February’s election.
The nearly $655 million record shortfall is so severe, the mayor is even willing to consider tapping into a previously untouchable pool of development money to make ends meet.
“People don’t want to see government growing. They don’t want to see their taxes growing,” Daley said Thursday at a City Hall news conference. “This is very, very difficult economic times.”
Das Mayor sounds like a Republican this fine election year!! Sorry, you can be everything to everyone people.
Seems to me our village government made the right call about many things. THey are ahead of the curve!!
“Here, I go again…”. (I hate sounding like a White Snake song lyric, that’s what happens when your a child of the 1980′s). The working people understand what exactly I mean about “pre-existing conditions” when it comes to providing health care for their children. You got my vote Mr. President, thank you voters of Illinois.
Again, that doesnt start until 2013 and you have to be on the government plan. Sorry Earl.
The last time I heard “Chinaman” was from an antagonist character on the “Kung Fu” tv show!
To the surprise of CNNMoney.com’s Tami Luhby, the market is doing something more efficiently than a government program. While this isn’t news to many, at CNN, it’s a revelation.
It seems “banks are doing nearly twice as many modifications under their own foreclosure prevention initiatives than under the Obama administration’s signature Home Affordable Modification Program, known as HAMP,” Luhbi wrote in her Aug. 30 article. Banks made 644,000 “proprietary permanent modifications” in the first half of 2010, almost twice the 332,000 under HAMP.
Very interesting…hmmm.
So the same people who Bankrupted the Dupage Water Commission, i.e. Republicans, now want the keys back and do their brilliant 2001-2008 run as an encore performance. No Thanks.
DuPage Water Commision. Please. That is the pipsqueak of politicians. They are lower than school board members. Nice try Foster. Just look at how well the Dems are doing in Crook County! 10.25% sales tax! Ya let them run things another 50 yrs! No Thanks!
Amen Foster!
You go Doc!
Since you mention Cook County, I will share a little true story, I heard recently from someone I grew up with in Downers. Who now lives in Cook County; because it is closer to his work. He says both him and his wife work full-time and his wife’s paycheck goes to Cook County Taxes (Not that most of you already know about the high-cost-of-living in Cook County). I thought for me, it was interesting to hear about that in the first person. I am not exactly sure how that old expression goes something like “…death and taxes are the only guarantees in life.” Don’t worry folks! “Hope” is on the way in the form of the Tea Party; yep, they will save us all from the big bad federal and state governements. Yea, those (sexual term used in derogatory manner deleted) will end taxes as we know it. I know,I am going against the current, but my prediction this fall is the Tea Party Express will run out of stream before election day (I understand the odds are against my prediction, probably 100 to 1). And Governor-Elect Brady will lead Illinois to the promise land of cut everthing to the bone and then cut the the bone in half. Governor Brady has the answer for it all, maybe he can start with his personal taxes.
Editor’s note: This comment has been edited.
The bone shouldn’t have gotten so meaty in the first place. And Earl…I graduated high school in the early 90′s and I never had to want for anything. Ask your grandparents or parents even, if they remember the depression or the late 1970′s under Carter. They know how bad it got…What ever happened to “what you can do for your country”? Many Dems forget the words of one of the greatest politicians our country has ever seen. I may not agree with everything JFK did or stood for, but he was a man of conviction and stuck to his guns.
You know what though Earl, you and I will never see eye to eye on politics. I really don’t care to agree with you. I just hope you have a good enough job to pay your fair share of taxes. Or better yet just quit your job like a good portion of the Democrat base and wait in line for your flood food stamp card even if your house didn’t flood. The Democrat party has people like you in the palm of their hands. You listen to their propaganda hook line and sinker.
Editor’s note: This comment has been edited.
I made a mistake. I just did a internet search and see that State Senator Bill Brady did relase his personal tax return informaton last April 22, 2010. A cheap shot that was more than a day late and a dollar short towards candidate Brady. Off topic from the theme of this thread, but this fall’s Illinois Governor’s election this two major differences in what direction Illinois should be run.
I afraid the one in six working poor in DuPage are going to hurting even more after this fall’s election. On the positive recent past history indictaes that one government has a split party leadership in the legistive or excutive branches of government more positive outcomes seem to get accomplished; examples: President Reagan and the Dem control House and Senate, President Clinton and the contract with America crowd both economics grew in those time periods.
I am confused by Earl’s comment
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100902/us_time/08599201562900
Good article from a liberal source.
Clinton had a Republican controled house and senate from 1994 on…FYI Earl.
One can only scan the horizon standing at the Main st. station and see the results of the usual GOP cronyism:
Empty condos built with TIF subsidies on land bought with TIF subsidies. A parking garage located to provide easy access to taverns.
Treatment clinics for unknown druggies and a vacant bank with weeds o’ poppin’.
Mr. Foster fails to read the first paragraph of this topic where it says: “DuPage County ranks as the most affluent in Illinois, ranked as the 23rd most affluent in the country.” Perhaps that has to do with the fact that Republicans have always been in control of DuPage.
Furthermore, Mr. Foster must be new to the area, or he seems to have forgoten what the CBD was like prior to 2002? I guess he would prefer a tacky realty sign greeting commuters as our gateway to downtown. Those “taverns” have made the downtown area a destination for a good meal and some quality entertainment. What he doesn’t realize is those “taverns” have to follow stricter liquor ordinances than anything seen in any Democrat controlled area.
Although, there are some empty condos (btw, only one of the three buildings is partially empty). The condos have brought in businesses. I am sure we have had a net increase in businesses to the CBD. How many municipalities can make that claim?
Doc – Don’t most republicans believe that almost all media sources are “liberal”.?
Not the Wall Street Journal! LOL
That is beside the point though Not Sure. It is a good article. I am giving credit where credit is due.
Point taken.
My bad for making one of many rumbling political rants that I have posted not clear here. My point was that when both poitical parities have one majority either in the House or Senate recent history has indicated that more seems or appears to be accomplished. I am just trying to make the best out of/or in the event that State Senator Bill Brady gets elected Governor this fall. Not that my opinion matters, but a Governor Brady Administration would not be good for the working poor of DuPage. Off topic, Gatto’s Restaurant & Bar rocks in Downers Grove!!! The service there is awesome, second to none. I can not wait to take my wife and kids there, now I have reason to love Downers Grove even more! Bone in Ribeye very delicious!!!
Our affluent and urban looking Washington Park opened today! It was packed most of the day. Our CBD is fuller than Hinsdale’s, Western Springs and Claredon Hills. I believe the condo dwellers have a lot to do with that. The farmers Market also seems to be fuller than ever. Our eyesore’s are many, most being out of the CBD, some of the taverns being on the minor end of troubling.
Trouble in paradise?
Has the Democratic Presidential Primary of 2012 started already? Is Hillary Clinton beginning to position herself for a challenge to her boss? Yesterday, Hillary fired what may have been the first shot:
She said:
“I think that our rising debt level poses a national security threat and it poses a national security threat in two ways: it undermines our capacity to act in our own interests and it does constrain us where constraint may be undesirable. And it also sends a message of weakness, internationally.”
Madam Secretary sounds an awful lot like a Republican with that statement.
Another interesting read. Who really gives to charity. a 20/20 investigation from 2006 reports that conservatives give more than liberals and the rich and working poor give more than the middle class. Things that make you go hmmm.
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2682730&page=1
How about that press conference? Go! Prez! Go!
When all else fails…..blame the opposing party. What a solution. How bout taking responsibility for your failed stimulus package and governmental confiscation of the economy. Hell, Even Fidel Castro now knows that Government interference with business doesn’t work. Maybe the Prez can get some economic pointers from Fidel.
I thought the first $800 billion was suppose to go for rail, roads and infrastructure….now he wants to spend another $50B for the samethings….where did the first stimulus go??? waste, Pelosi ponds and Harry Reid BS. And you wonder why there might just be some push back. A desperate president, leading a desperate party of failed policies.
Oh yeah? Teh Boooooosh, teh Boooooosh…or the other staple comeback, oh yeah?
Didn’t spend all of the last round, but want more. Doesn’t that sound like a greedy spoiled child?
Doc-
Why in the world would it surprise you that the rich give more to charity than the middle class? They have more to give, and it is tax deductible. The rich people that I know would rather give their money to a charity or school than the US gov’t.
It also doesn’t surprise me that Conservatives give more money (for one they usually tend to have more money), and from what I have read is that while Conservatives give more, Liberals do more (volunteer time and effort, not necessarily money).
I think it makes rich Conservatives feel better when they give money, it alleviates some of the guilt some may feel for screwing over the poor and middle class everyday.
Throwing money at an idea or charity doesn’t necessarily help either. I am very weary of who and what I give money to. Here in DG we have seen that some people have no shame and will steal money from any organization.
Ok Not sure, I will call your bluff.(even though you have no facts to support your claims) Why aren’t certain programs being funded by the village anymore? Any idea? The money is not there. I don’t care how much someone volunteer’s their time. The money talks or Meals On Wheels talks a walk! No money no meals on wheels. No money, no social service’s. Wake up liberals, your way doesn’t work. Next argument please.
I do have facts, however whenever I try to copy and paste a link on here, my post does not go through…
Obviously some money is needed, but help is needed more. Ask people who volunteer a lot (peace corps and church volunteers), and most will say that volunteering for help, is in shorter supply than people who will donate money. Of course in a poor economy this may not be consistent, but overall it is true.
This “way” is not liberal or conservative. I am proud to be neither, but someone who sees advantages to either party.
How ironic that a local Park Board member would suggest people “brown bag” lunch in order to pay for the PD’s bond issue. A bond issue with no specified uses.
Oh, and the window to appeal the 2010 property assessments is now open. Don’t bother appearing in Wheaton because the outcome from the “appeals board” will be the usual. Just take that and then file a State appeal.
According to AP the Expiring tax cuts hit taxpayers at every level!
A typical family of four with a household income of $50,000 a year would have to pay $2,900 more in taxes in 2011, according to a new analysis by Deloitte Tax LLP, a tax consulting firm. The same family making $100,000 a year would see its taxes rise by $4,500.
President Obama you are lie like a rug! Hope you all liked your hopey changey deal.
The proposal as it stands is supposed to effect only single taxpayers with personal income above $200K, or married couple with personal income above $250K. That said, a complicated addition of selective carve-outs to the complicated tax decreases of the complicated tax system seems a little…what’s the word I’m looking for…complicated?
Doc-
Yes, the bush tax cuts expire this year, however congress seems to universally agree on extending these for all middle class and lower class Americans. They disagree on whether or not to extend these tax cuts for those making over 250,000 dollars a year, which is what would be the Obama tax cuts. We will see if they can come to an agreement for the good of most Americans.
Doc
Cable television offers hundreds of channels beyond Fox News, just use your remote control and press up or down on the button that says ‘change’. I like Cartoon network myself, Ren and Stimpy re-runs at night! Check it out!