Fuck Michigan. Smart Money from Chicago goes to Florida, California, or any other of the beautiful, warm states all across the nation. Especially in the winter time. The way these Michigan folks speak you'd think that Michigan is the only place with natural beauty and lakes. Newsflash, Michigan is not special in the scenic beauty department.
Again, I have no idea why affluent people move/live there. Get the fuck out and pay less in taxes anywhere else plus dont have the stigma of havibg to say youre from Michigan. I think it may have to do by the governments artifically proping up the big 3 (aka the tiny 3 circa 2008).
I have no problem stating I was born and raised in MI. I was smart enough to bolt when I turned 21 for I had seen the BS coming down the pipeline. I wouldn't go out on the extreme edge of saying Chicago/Illinois is that much better off. I know people from my childhood that moved to Chicago to work and still live there and they don't have much better to say about living there than MI. I am sure you can find faults with almost all areas.
You bring up an excellent point about Chicago. It is highly taxes and one has to look no further than Blagojevich to see that the state's politicans are fuck heads. The difference is that Illinois has Chicago, one of the greatest cities in the world. Same deal with New York state, high taxes with plenty of downside but it's offset with New York City which is just fucking amazing. IMHO, Michigan has nothing to offset its shittinest. One of the states I'm really impressed with is Texas. Austin and San Antonio are amazing. Plus taxes are so low! Very little bullshit with very few rights being infringed upon. It's also warm with very little threat of natural disasters outside the occasional hurricane along the coast. If I had to pick a number one state, it would be Texas. It's cities are no where near Chicago but they're decent and safe for the single young urban professional or if you want to raise a family. I'm also a fan of Louisville, KY. Great town!
I am with you on Texas! Yes, MI does not have a one big great city, but there are a few medium sized cities. (GR for one) New York is a nice city, but when it comes to bankruptcy it kinda compares to MI. (On the money factor!)
Oakland county in one of the wealthiest in the country - still. There are 2 billion USD worth of paychecks issued in the detroit-metro area every two weeks as of the 4Q08. It's not likely to happen - not impossible, but not likely.