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Conducted by Ogden & Fry on behalf of the Illinois Opportunity Project, pollsters found 36 percent of respondents favor bankruptcy, compared to 21 percent of those in favor of raising taxes as a way of trying to tackle the deficit. Of the 534 respondents that were randomly selected from a pool of 2020 general election voters earlier this month, 42.7 percent were undecided on the issue.
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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When you use highly controversial, loaded phrases like pension “crisis” in the question, and imply that bankruptcy is an easy way out of having to raise taxes, you are essentially biasing the poll results and making them meaningless drivel. With this kind of partisan methodology you can get any result you want. The only thing that surprises me, given the how the question was phrased, is that they didn’t get more than 36% in favor of bankruptcy. Combine that with the results of the recent mayoral election, in which candidates advocating radical solutions like changing the constitution and/or bankruptcy lost,… Read more »
It’s an interesting question, and perhaps you are right about the way the question was worded, but I’m not sure. I do think there is now massive cognitive dissonance on this and similar questions. Reality shock is starting to set it. If you asked them, for example, if they support more money for education they’d say hell yes. If you asked if they want their taxes raised to pay for education they’d say hell no. It’s property owners, especially, who seem to be about to flip against our political establishment. From all I hear most people are getting extremely upset.
Funny though that the people around me are only interested in the “abortion issue” and then point to the Democrat party as being their great savior. They could care less a bout Illinois and I wouldn’t doubt have no idea what their real estate taxes are beyond saying “well everyone has to pay taxes.”
Advocates such as lobbyists are not under oath. Problems such as climate change and gun control and nicotine dangers have not been addressed adequately because of spokespersons who omit material information from the discussion. Neither voters nor legislators have a clear understanding of the pension issues. Legislators, moreover, have the “reelection incentive” to act upon whatever information serves their short-term self-interest. I don’t know that there is any solution to this, particularly in the current era where there is no truth except “your truth” or “my truth.” We live in a society that has cast off from its moorings. That… Read more »
Andrew – perhaps you are correct about the phrasing of the polling questions. I think the concern is a bit misplaced, howevr. I live in a state with no public sector unions and balanced budgets. It wouldn’t occur to anyone to ask the bankruptcy question. Just the fact that this question is being asked is frightening. And polls won’t decide this question- dismal numbers will.
It is good that there is currently no provision in Illinois for a municipality to declare bankruptcy. Taxes will soar but after all, haven’t the Chicago people voted for it to happen?
Speaking about votes elections are all about votes and the Chicago citizenry has a lot of votes that have contributed to the mess assorted downstate taxing districts have to deal with. Let the Chicagoians swim in the stew they concocted on past election days…they deserve it.
Glad the people of Chicago are starting to wake the fuck up. Just wait until the second installment of the real estate tax bills start arriving next summer. That percentage is gonna go waaaaay up.
42% (the majority) are undecided. I’m assuming they are sheep and the media hasn’t shepherded them in any direction yet. It’s the biggest $%^* problem in Chicago history (since the great fire) and the local media fails every day to cover it, or explain it with the extreme daily urgency it deserves, probably because they don’t want to criticize their liberal masters. How many Chicago households know they owe over $100,000 for services already rendered? That’s two years of income for many households. Suppose Chicago sent out a bill for $100,000 to each household and included the option of either… Read more »