Question of the day
Thursday, Mar 26, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
IMPACT and the Heartland Alliance Policy and Advocacy team have released two sets of fact sheets for each Illinois legislative district. The fact sheets, which focus on poverty and human services in each district, provide a local-level picture of the current state of, and demonstrate the effect that Governor Rauner’s proposed budget cuts would have on Illinois communities.
* The Question: What new thing(s) did you learn by clicking those above links and looking up your district info? You could also discuss other districts you are familiar with or curious about, and even compare some. Thanks!
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
I learned that there are 62 Senate and 112 House districts.
- Downstate Illinois - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:33 pm:
Yeah, I noticed we’re missing districts 113-118.
- Ann - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
I learned that I don’t know the numbers of my House and Senate districts (though I know who my reps are) and that crazy map the website links to sure doesn’t help.
- Downstate Illinois - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:38 pm:
Down in the 118th I learned that the Saline County Stockmen’s Association is listed as a human services provider.
- Old Shepherd - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
I learned that the majority of the social service agencies listed for my district don’t serve my district. Seeing glaringly false information puts the entire project in doubt for me.
- Union Man - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
It’s always amazed me that our state and country find money for those in other countries and yet we have big issues right in our own back yard. Sad!
- Honeybear - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
Okay that’s glaring. No 114th district? No poverty statistics for East St. Louis, IL? REALLY?Maybe it breaks the 1 page format. I can tell you working for the State of Illinois here in a social services office, it’s bad here. I’d put our poverty up against any 3rd world country. And it’s changing. I get more and more folks who lost their jobs and now need assistance. These are people with mortgages. Systems are failing fast and what Rauner is doing WILL cause a death spiral in this area. Mark my words, East St. Louis will make Ferguson look like candyland. These folks have nothing to lose. At some point “3 hots and a cot” look like a good deal.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
It would seem that there could be some significant consolidation of service providers offering duplicitous services. The savings on administration of all of these would sure help a lot of people.
- papa2008 - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 1:45 pm:
When I’m provided with the number of able bodied people, without a job, who refuse to leave the house before noon, and cannot pass an employer mandated drug test, who receive public assistance, that are about to be removed from said assistance, I will seriously entertain congressional requests to raise my taxes to provide services for those truly in need.
- Heartland Alliance - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 1:48 pm:
Thanks for pointing out the mistake- the missing fact sheets have been added!
Old shepard, what district are you in?
- the Other Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:01 pm:
First, mistakes noted above aside, these are great.
In the 10th House District, I wasn’t so surprised by the poverty and social service needs — a lot of the district consists of West Side communities that are not doing well. The big surprise to me was the number of survivors of domestic violence (7,165) and sexual violence (5,154). Those are pretty big numbers.
- UIC Guy - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:21 pm:
@A Guy: ‘duplicitous’? Perhaps you mean ‘duplicate’? Best not to use those long words if you’re shaky on their meaning.
- Belle - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 3:28 pm:
My neighborhood has recently been added to District 5. I am certain that all of these numbers would have looked very different when my address was in the old district. Thanks MJM! Now my fellow-districtees are rich people and Luis is only a bad memory!
District 5 is about what I would have thought from a poverty-standpoint.
I couldn’t get the Human Services Fact Sheet open
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 3:31 pm:
UIC, was actually pounding multiplicative in my mind and between spellcheck and the distance between mind, fingers and phone got all caught up in the game.
Thank you for sharing your marvelous intellect in such a kind and humble way. I bet you’re really well liked on campus. What your post points out is that you got the point. There’s hope.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 3:36 pm:
Thanks Heartland for quickly correcting! Impressive! I am attending an Urban League event tonight and these sheets will be in my pocket. Very helpful!
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 4:03 pm:
Even Donald Trump is turned off by how much of a look at me, know it all A guy is. Tell us more about the administration of local nonprofits Guy.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 4:12 pm:
PC, I’m calling Donald to verify your claim.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 4:13 pm:
BTW, it’s a question of the day. Discussion was encouraged, no?
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 6:19 pm:
Please, discuss your knowledge of the administration of local nonprofits. Share with us your infinite wisdom. What “significant consolidation” could take place in the 25th Senate or the 18th or 44th?
- Sunshine - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 6:34 pm:
Didn’t realize how ‘poor’ poor really is. All of this points to the need for a good, strong education system. But then we are confronted with incredibly poor parenting.
Still, the figures were eye opening as to how many really poor folks and below poverty folks there are in just the 13th. Can only imaging the larger communities/cities.
- Dr. Teeth - Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 7:38 pm:
I appreciate the reminder that every district, regardless of how “rich” it is, has people in it who at some point need the rest of us to hold on to the corners of the safety net and keep them up.
I’m struck by the number of my neighbors in extreme poverty (and how poor that is), paying more than half their incomes to house themselves, and grappling with substance abuse.
I’m reminded how fortunate I am.