Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Woke up this morning...

1% less affluent. The Cook County sales tax went up at midnight making Chicago the highest sales tax in the nation. Chicago; 10.25%.

We're #1, Hey, We're #1!

(My little burg is a relative bargain at 8.25%)

Richie Daley's dad and Todd Stroger's dad are rolling in their graves. Not from anger of betrayal, but for not seeing the diabolical wonderfulness of this strategy. Both scions see this as another opportunity for gentrification and urban renewal. More of the riff-raff will leave the vicinity leaving more space to erect Yuppie shitholes for clear thinking urban pioneers; more than willing to pay. At the same time lessening demand from aforementioned riff-raff for nagging stuff like service and resources. Win-win?

It's good for the long-term economy to replace needy, demanding po' folks with self-contained, self-reliant types. A 1% surcharge for increased, continuing gentrification? Bupkis!
Replacing a 60-100 mile round trip from sprawlurbia with a upscale, trendy, city address? Gaining access to world class cuisine, a world class lakefront, a vibrant arts scene, open-enrollment to acceptable and improving schools... Priceless.

The older trendy, "Youboughtdafarm" subdivisions in Farflung land are showing their age. The allure of "country living" and the reality of gas prices have collided. Da Mayor and Duh Erkel are modern day Pied Pipers. This is urban-flight in reverse. Shorter commutes, walkable neighborhoods, no more excursions to the mega-malls and SuperCenters. In short, all of the reasons for which people fled have been magically stood on their heads.

They've been setting the table for the transfer for at least a decade now and the pieces are all starting to fall into place. What's truly brilliant about this scheme is how they've managed to avoid detection. Even now, the outrage over this latest insult is spurring churn. Folks are actively looking to relocate in both directions.

When the Olympics hit town in 2016, the turnover will be complete.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Interesting shit, hoss . . .

VEWY interesting.

So, the grand plan means outing the urban misery's and it's occupants, and then redeveloping what's left for UPPER SCALE 1%'er's who are RICH, and tired of slumming on freeways to work.

Not to mention, the OUTERSURBURBIA's are wearing down as people of COLOR move in, and diminish the pure race experiences of those in those climes.

I gotta admit, yer the first I'VE read, to discuss this.

And man, in Sacto, I can see it, too . .

Stay 20 years ANYWHERE, I guess you'll see a lot, huh . . *G*

Great read, hoss . . . thanks for sharing . . . yet another piece of the middle class dream upgraded beyond our reach . . . .

Back to the cities, and move the rabble to the outskirts. Cities can be walled, as in the old days.

Outside the walls, The BadLands . . .

The 1% are entrenching, already (those who can't GET to Paraguay) . . . gee, I WONDER what they see coming . . . besides profits . . . that is. *G*