Friday, December 18, 2009

Wal-Mart items



Video courtesy of Fox Chicago. Posted on the channel Vote4JobsChicago on YouTube.



Also from FoxChicago, Ald. Anthony Beale of the 9th Ward discussing the Wal-Mart issue. He seems more interested in compromise than outright saying Wal-Mart can never open another store.

Finally a Tribune editorial that was forwarded to the blog:

So watch for a Wal-Mart vote in the Finance Committee on Jan. 11. And watch for Burke to push a compromise in the so-far-thwarted union efforts to impose a living-wage ordinance on Chicago employers. That's what caused the "bitter showdown" three years ago. The council approved a living-wage ordinance, but Daley wisely vetoed it.

Burke is likely to propose an ordinance that would require only employers who seek city assistance, such as tax increment financing money, to pay a city-established living wage. It apparently would not apply to the Wal-Mart project in the Chatham area.

For their part, Chicago residents are firmly behind the idea of the City Council getting the heck out of the way and letting Wal-Mart put Chicagoans to work.

A Tribune/WGN poll in September found that 68 percent of residents wanted a new Wal-Mart in town and 73 percent thought it would be good for the community. The numbers were even higher among African-Americans, who would benefit most from the South Side store.

While aldermen have stalled, those residents have been schlepping to Niles or Orland Hills or Evergreen Park to shop at Wal-Mart. While they're in the neighborhood, they're having lunch at a local restaurant, taking a Starbucks break or two, maybe stopping on the way home to grab a bag of groceries. Chicago isn't just missing out on jobs -- it's missing the additional retail traffic, the sales taxes, the parking fees.

Daley has renewed his push for Wal-Mart because he knows Chicago can't afford to turn up its nose at 500 new jobs. "People are getting laid off," he said. "There's no future jobs."
Your thoughts on the Wal-Mart issue is very much welcome as always.

1 comment:

  1. wallmart soldiers wallmart lemmings
    please listen to the report.
    grocery desert?
    let us use george bush tactics -FEAR-
    Jewel and Food For Less are 1 block away, food Desert? i am going to shoot myself.
    union leaders are the problem
    Wallmart provide opportunity for people to make living.
    80% of what walmart merchandize are made in China. Ok----OK----i am moving to China

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/

    http://wakeupwalmart.com/

    ReplyDelete

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