IIRC someone's from Illinois...

[Kuato]

I recall seeing a few posts by people from Illinois. I'm considering a relocation to the St Louis area, and have the option of either side of the river. Wanted to get some input about the tax situation, living conditions, etc within about an hour of St Louis Airport.

Thanks in advance for whatever you can supply, it's a very open question on purpose...

 

[anonobomber]

You forgot a period in "etc." so here's an extra ".". Also, your last sentence has a comma splice.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: anonobomber
You forgot a period in "etc." so here's an extra ".". Also, your last sentence has a comma splice.




Thanks! Punctuation on the phone is a pain. Second sentence could be in the English manner, where the additional comma is acceptable, and sometimes required. (I don't pretend to know the rules but know OF them)

Guessing you're not from IL.

 

[javacontour]

I live in the IL area near STL.

If you work in MO and live in IL you'll be filing income taxes in both states. You get credit in IL for income taxes paid in MO.

MO has personal property taxes on items such as cars, boats, motorcycles, etc. IL does not.

MO has vehicle inspections/emissions inspections. Depending on where you are in IL you may or may not have those in certain parts of Madison and St Clair county.

Property taxes and gas taxes are higher in IL than MO. You can avoid the gas taxes buy purchasing your fuel in MO where it's about 6% cheaper give or take. The state sales tax, 6.25% IIRC is added on top of the excise tax to fuels purchased in IL.

Localities can add their own taxes on top of that.

All in all, now that the 5% income tax rate is "down" to 3.75% it's really nearly a wash compared to MO, when all taxes are considered.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Illinois is broke. Plan on higher taxes, politicians here only care about Chicago. I would live in MO. East St. Louis is a slum.

 

[beanoil]

java says it all..
vern has heartburn, but is close.
I live across the river from STL, 35 minutes from airport.
There are some nice areas here, good people, lots of recent development. Edwardsville comes to mind. The same can be said for the MO. side, with Saint Charles having everything you could want or need to live, and enjoy. Illinois did just lower the state tax as java said. Surprising, because it pretty much common knowledge the state is bankrupt, in more ways than one. And if the state ever gets the big bag enema it needs, EastSTL is where the tube will be inserted.
But you'll find bad areas no matter where you go, and there will be riff-raff in every town. I've lived in IL my whole life, and have had opportunities to live elsewhere. This area is OK, and either side of the river is good, just some places have a little nicer window dressings.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

I went to school at Wash U in StL (actually Clayton). The area around the university is mostly nice if you can stand having tons of young people around. A friend from school ended up living in the far West suburbs and told me that lots of people are leaving as they tend to be a very conservative bunch and they are very upset about the whole Ferguson thing.
I did not spend much time on the IL side (except driving through to go home near Chicago), but I thought the traffic across the bridges could be really bad during rush hour...maybe somebody in the area now could comment on that.
There are areas on the IL side that are known for being "adult entertainment" meccas and I had buddies around Chicago who would take road trips down there frequently (and refuse to talk when they got back, would just smirk and giggle a lot). Whether you would be inclined to visit such places or not, I don't think many people like living near them. Sauget was the most notorious town.

 

[opus1]

I'm on the other end of the state so I can't tell you specifics to the area, but the state is swirling the bowl and I plan on getting out of here ASAP. I actually have a family situation that would be easier to handle if I moved, but I'd been thinking about moving for a while now. Taxes are insane and are only going to get worse. And the "tax cut" that's been mentioned was really an actual expiration of a temporary tax enacted under the previous governor, and even at that it didn't roll all the way back to where they were before the hike.

Best thing I can suggest is to live on the same side of the river that you plan to work.

 

[javacontour]

Yep, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, O'Fallon, Shiloh, and a few other areas further east are nice. Good schools, good neighborhoods. As you go west in IL towards the city, things go downhill.

Columbia, IL is not bad either.

 

[Kuato]

Thanks all! I'll take whatever anyone can think of....much appreciated.

 

[bowlofturtle]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
You can avoid the gas taxes buy purchasing your fuel in MO where it's about 6% cheaper give or take. The state sales tax, 6.25% IIRC is added on top of the excise tax to fuels purchased in IL.


Whats the deal with Indiana fuel cost then? I'm a city dweller and i remember in the past going to hammond/gary it was always cheaper gas. The last 2 years it seems as the citys near the border and up towards michigan are just about equal to suburb of IL fuel cost.



As a IL person, i would LOVE LOVE to leave the state for something lower on taxes and possible a slightly better climate. I just can't because all family ties are here. I've thought about moving to LA, TX, FL and even WI. But the cost savings on taxes, housing and etc might be a wash with travel back into the Chicagoland. Never been on the STL side.

I know people that live in Gary and work downtown chicago but they aren't help much because they dont know the % of stuff, just know "it cheaper"

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: bowlofturtle
...Whats the deal with Indiana fuel cost then? I'm a city dweller and i remember in the past going to hammond/gary it was always cheaper gas. The last 2 years it seems as the citys near the border and up towards michigan are just about equal to suburb of IL fuel cost.


Indiana raised its sales tax a few years ago and now it's pretty much 50/50 on whether it's cheaper to fill up in "Da Region" or when I get back to my suburb. Before that it was a given that I could save at least $0.05/gallon by timing my fill-up to happen in Indiana.

As for % savings, I don't have exact numbers either but I can tell you that the property tax that family that lives there pays for a year wouldn't even cover 3 months of property tax where I live -- and I'm not in one of the higher-class suburbs.

 

[javacontour]

Go Bears! I'm a 1987 BSEE and BSCS graduate.

The main campus and the med school are still inside the STL city limits, but yes, close to Clayton. There are a few facilities in Clayton and University City.

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
I went to school at Wash U in StL (actually Clayton). The area around the university is mostly nice if you can stand having tons of young people around. A friend from school ended up living in the far West suburbs and told me that lots of people are leaving as they tend to be a very conservative bunch and they are very upset about the whole Ferguson thing.
I did not spend much time on the IL side (except driving through to go home near Chicago), but I thought the traffic across the bridges could be really bad during rush hour...maybe somebody in the area now could comment on that.
There are areas on the IL side that are known for being "adult entertainment" meccas and I had buddies around Chicago who would take road trips down there frequently (and refuse to talk when they got back, would just smirk and giggle a lot). Whether you would be inclined to visit such places or not, I don't think many people like living near them. Sauget was the most notorious town.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Go Bears! I'm a 1987 BSEE and BSCS graduate.

The main campus and the med school are still inside the STL city limits, but yes, close to Clayton. There are a few facilities in Clayton and University City.


You are correct, of course, I just always felt like StL "should have" ended with Forest Park and that Wash U was more of a part of Clayton. Sure as heck felt more like a suburban than urban campus to me, maybe except for the lack of parking! Was not an issue because I could not afford a car then, anyway.

 

[javacontour]

I didn't even take a car until my Jr year. I used my bike quite a bit back then.

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Go Bears! I'm a 1987 BSEE and BSCS graduate.

The main campus and the med school are still inside the STL city limits, but yes, close to Clayton. There are a few facilities in Clayton and University City.


You are correct, of course, I just always felt like StL "should have" ended with Forest Park and that Wash U was more of a part of Clayton. Sure as heck felt more like a suburban than urban campus to me, maybe except for the lack of parking! Was not an issue because I could not afford a car then, anyway.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I didn't even take a car until my Jr year. I used my bike quite a bit back then.


Oh yeah, a bike was super handy then for me, too. Used to ride to Delmar all the time, although that was quite walkable, too. Was at DQ with the fam last week and told them I would treat myself for a good test grade in college by getting a triple cheeseburger with o-rings and a huge soda at the one on Delmar, followed by a large Blizzard (they were brand new then). I couldn't eat half that amount of food in one sitting now! Also loved the little bookstore near there.