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A complaint looking for a problem

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Illinois

* Scott Reeder wonders aloud…

When I was a kid, I showed cattle and hogs at the fair.

In fact, the purple champion ribbon I received more than 30 years ago for my Charolais heifer dangles in the bedroom where my 6-year-old daughter sleeps.

She finds it odd that cows have beauty contests.

As an adult, I’m more perplexed that government subsidizes the activity by giving public dollars for prize money to adults who participate in such activities.

Is giving cash awards for the best flower arrangements, prettiest peck of potatoes or finest calf really a core government function?

Well, maybe not. But it’s no longer a “government function” anyway. The State Fair gives out lots of cash prizes for various activities, like horse shows. That prize money comes from the State Fair’s own gate receipts.

* I asked a friend of mine at the fairgrounds yesterday what he thought of this notion that the Fair shouldn’t be awarding prizes. He was flustered at Reeder’s attack on the Fair and asked why the government shouldn’t reward hard work and ingenuity for a change.

I agree.

Not to mention that having these contests drives attendance. It’s not all about the big concerts, the carnival rides or the silly food on a stick. The Fair is, traditionally, about highlighting Illinois agriculture. And when Mrs. Smith brings her flower arrangements to the State Fair, then her whole family may go see her ribbon, and maybe her neighbors and her friends as well.

* Monday night, I went to the Fair to see a horse show. It’s one of my favorite things to do at the Fair. I went with a friend and we had dinner before the show at Ethnic Village and then rode the sky tram. Without paying premiums, you can forget about attracting horses to those shows. The shows will die. Maybe you don’t care. Some of us do. It’s about history and tradition and agriculture. And if those horse shows die, then the Fair will lose a bunch of revenue - all because of silly objections to relatively modest premiums.

* I was asked over the weekend whether I thought the State Fair ought to make money. It should, but it probably can’t unless it’s moved to the Chicago area, near all the people and big money. And if it’s moved to the city or to DuPage or whatever, I doubt it will be an agriculture fair. It’ll be all about the concerts and the rides and the money.

Don’t get me wrong. I like the concerts and the rides. And I surely don’t hate money.

But agriculture is a huge aspect of this state’s economy and too many people just dismiss it out of hand. The State Fair is one of the only places we can showcase this industry. The Fair has endured years of budget cuts and even occasional open hostility from people like Rod Blagojevich. The people who run the Fair have done a pretty good job at economizing over the years in the face of those cuts.

You don’t like the State Fair? Well, OK, maybe I don’t like some state program in your area, either. Hey, that’s life.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:59 am

Comments

the city of chicago didn’t make lollapalooza pay taxes, the cubs are trying to get a big government handout while their owners spend 10s of millions on political ads and fancy new wilmette mansions, I think the bears got one from the government for the soldier field renovation, and it goes on. There are lots of sports teams, be it universities, pro teams that didn’t get government help with their projects.

The State Fair is a big deal to people down there, it would be nice if it could self fund, but I don’t have a problem with them getting aid.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:03 am
Factoid: The Wisconsin State Fair is in a suburb of Milwaukee.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:07 am
I would hate to take anything away from Springfield,we have helped Chicago sports
teams .Why not give a little to the folks
downstate.

Comment by mokenavince Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:14 am
the city of chicago didn’t make lollapalooza pay taxes, the cubs are trying to get a big government handout while their owners spend 10s of millions on political ads and fancy new wilmette mansions, I think the bears got one from the government for the soldier field renovation, and it goes on. There are lots of sports teams, be it universities, pro teams that didn’t get government help with their projects.

Don’t forget the White Sox subsidies. All in all the State Fair seems like a bargain, but it should continue to strive for self funding.

Comment by downstate hack Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:14 am
Well, I had a couple of textile entries in the fair this year, so I’m a supporter of the fair. And I have to say that for most of the contests the cash prizes aren’t all that big. Under $20 bucks for most of the textile contests plus maybe a donated pair of scissors from a fair sponser. Mr. Crafty Girl won about $5 or something last year for his blue ribbon antique. Not exactly breaking the bank and paid for by the very “users” of the fair if its coming out gate receipts. So what’s the problem? It’s not as if participation is limited only to downstaters? Any guy in Elgin with tomatos in his backyard can enter his produce. And why shouldn’t the citizens of the State have a chance to show off their productivity?

Comment by Crafty Girl Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:24 am
“Tradition is the illusion of permanence.”

Mark Twain

Comment by Esteban Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:25 am
DuPage has a pretty traditionally formated county fair (it just finished up a couple weeks ago), with a fair agriculture component to it - fair bigger than the current agriculture presence in the county.
But I do think you’re right that moving the state fair to the NE IL area would dilute the significance of the agricultural component.

Comment by titan Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:35 am
@Yellow Dog - Making my first trip to the Wisky Fair this year I was surprised at how it paled in comparison. It seemed like they took half of the exhibits and replaced them with more food and rides, and compressed everything to make it harder to get around. I enjoyed it, but wasn’t impressed. Crowds were thick, though.

Comment by Peter Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:38 am
The Kentucky State Fair is in Louisville. I was born and raised in Louisville, and many of my fondest summer memories are of the State Fair - the animals, the crafts, the pies, cakes, canned goods, crafts all competing for ribbons. So it’s certainly possible for a fair to thrive in a “city” area.

That said, I have no problem with the Illinois State Fair receiving some money from the state, as long as a citizen of the state I can see where that money is being spent. As long as the Fair records are public, and shows where the money came from and where it goes, more power to them. Is that the case?

Comment by ChicagoGirl Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:40 am
And someone should point out to Mr. Reeder that it’s clearly stated in the General Premium Book, that the premiums are only paid if there is funding. So no money, no prize other than that pretty ribbon and maybe a mention in your local paper.

Comment by Crafty Girl Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:47 am
If you never have - please go look under the Illinois State Fair Grandstand (North end) and check out the long history of the fair in Springfield. Plus, there is some some interesting architecture at the fair grounds - some place new would probably construct row-after-row of boring metal buildings.

Just cannot imagine the Illinois State Fair being anywhere near Chicago.

Comment by Anonymoose Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:48 am
I enjoy the fair too. Both in Springfield and DuQuoin. And I appreciate the economizing both are doing.

But I dislike your “That’s life” statement. By your logic, the state should subsidize or finance every little special interest more than a few people can agree upon. Oh, wait. That’s what we are doing now. A civic center here, a fire station there, a gay-lesbian center elsewhere. Get enough of these (which we have)and you are talking millions and millions of dollars. Pretty soon we might have to quit making pension payments so that everyone can get their project.

Oh, wait. Nevermind.

Comment by Dwight Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:49 am
I have no interest whatsoever in going to anyone’s state fair, but I don’t see any reason to not have one. And yes, it should be near where people farm.

Comment by Cheryl Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:09 am
Maybe Reeder should think about taking a journalism class. In any case, agriculture is the only real reason to have a state fair. Otherwise, it’s just a carnival.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:16 am
@Anonymoose -

The largest 4-H chapter in the state is in Chicago.

I’m not for moving the state fair, but I don’t think a proposal to do so should be dismissed out-of-hand.

YDD

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:15 pm
I never understand why people get so down on the fair. This is Illinois, we’re an agricultural state, we feed the world.

That’s a cause for celebration. The state fair is like the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. Do they have to make a profit, too?

Having said that, the fair needs to do some advertising and promotion. They work.

The fair is virtually unknown in the Chicago media market as far as I can tell. Wisconsin and Michigan are on the air all the time. All we get are general “Illinois ads” that seem to imply that you can spend the afternoon shopping on North Michigan Avenue and the evening sipping local wine at a southern Illinois B&B.

How about promotions with Amtrak, the Lincoln Museum, hotels, etc., for the northern market? Quinn likes a bully pulpit. Make it happen.

Big sponsorships seem to be up this year, so that’s good, but there are some conspicuous absences. Whole categories are missing: soft drinks, fast food (McDonald’s Corp. is headquartered here, for crying out loud), banks.

Geico can sponsor the fair but homegrown Allstate and State Farm can’t find their wallets? Disgrace.

Where are these Illinois giants:

John Deere?

Corn Products?

WGN (or Tribune Co.)

Walgreens?

How about the rest of you concerned Civic Committee leaders?

But the most appalling absences are those who put their hands out for Illinois tax breaks and handouts and give nothing back.

Yes, I’m looking at you CME, world’s largest agricultural futures exchange. What’s the matter — Springfield wasn’t good enough to you?

That goes for you, too, Sears, Navistar and Chrysler.

We’re talking chump change for the deals you got.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:26 pm
For the record, I believe the Springfield fair actually turned a profit last year while DuQuoin pretty much broke even.

Comment by TCB Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:52 pm
Your friend is right.

I agree with the principle that the government should reward hard work and ingenuity. Too often, I think, our government sends a different message.

Comment by Regular Reader Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:55 pm
Wordslinger,

Excellent rant. The travel channels man v food has done more to highlight Springfield than any tourism agency. My kids actually got me to stop at the Coney dog place because they saw it on tv.

Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 1:01 pm
So, Reeder has jumped (or was shoved) to Illinois Policy Institute? A great fit for him.

Comment by Coach Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 1:06 pm
Scott Reeder’s on about his third or fourth journalism experience in the last few years. Rather than lecture the state, perhaps he should find a career he’s good at, because it aint’ this one.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:47 pm
I wish blog posts could have a “Like” button because if they did I would have clicked it for this column and Wordslinger’s post!

Comment by Both Sides Now Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 3:15 pm