I would guess Chicago politics has moved on to Indiana. Rampant Fraud. Can you say Daley?
As the steel industry died in Gary and you saw essentiallly "white flight". The vaccuum created saw housing prices plummet and much of Chicago's South side move in. Crime and corruption prevail in Gary. It's their leading product.
What is really unfortunate is that the logistics of Gary could make it a winning location. You have quick access to Chicago via highway and the South Shore Line not to mention a very good airport.. Individuals and businesses could avoid the high Illinois state tax as well as the taxes of Cook County and the City of Chicago. And just a point of trivia...the second largest refinery in the US(BP's Whiting Refinery) is located in Lake County on the shores of Lake Michigan.