^ That reminds me of Wisconsin's (Scott Walker's WEDC) campaign to poach Chicagoans last year, where they tried to throw shade on the CTA and pretty much everyone in the city clapped back.
I mean seriously, it's a major advantage and not one that often comes up when outsiders discuss Chicago.
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Originally Posted by rgolch
Not that we can't multitask; but dealing with rampant corruption, massive debt, and crime in minority neighborhoods should take precedence over a rebranding campaign. If we get those in order, my feeling is that success will follow. And sends a message far better than marketing. Unfortunately, I think things are going to get worse before they get better.
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How do you tackle those issues with extremely limited resources? If you raise taxes without luring more jobs in or creating a growth narrative, then you're just asking Texas, Georgia, and Indiana to poach our residents and businesses. A rising tide floats all boats, especially in Chicago where we have ample land to add housing and ample unused capacity on our transit system so we can make sure growth isn't zero-sum. At least if you invest in growth and are successful, you can take some of the returns and invest in the community. I love the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund.
Also not clear that our crime issue is because we have more (or more violent) criminals than NY, LA, etc and not just because our criminals have laughably easy access to guns from Indiana. That's not a problem Chicago can solve on its own. For corruption, the best remedy is a healthy economy. Have you seen failing cities like Gary or (for awhile) Detroit? When resources are scarce, the folks with power will use that power to enrich their friends at the expense of everyone else. As for the debt problem, good luck filling that hole with declining tax revenues from a sagging economy.
Our city and state leaders have to walk and chew gum. They can't stop chasing factories and corporate expansions just because the city has other pressing issues.
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