We are entering Phase 4 in Illinois

From NBC Chicago:

Phase four of the "Restore Illinois" plan allows for the reopening or expansion of several industries, including indoor dining at restaurants, health and fitness, movies and theaters, museums and zoos and more. This next phase also increases the size of gatherings that are allowed from 10 people to a maximum of 50 people.

All four regions of Illinois are on track to enter phase four on Friday, Pritzker's office said, with the state's average 7-day case positivity rate falling to 2.5 percent as of Saturday.

"Over the last four months, Illinoisans have pulled together with the common mission of keeping each other safe. By staying home and practicing social distancing, the rate of new COVID-19 cases continues to drop and each region throughout the state is prepared to move to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan," Pritzker said in a statement. "Science and data are the overarching guardrails for how Illinois will keep moving forward. By continuing to wear face coverings and following the guidance from health experts we can continue to safely reopen our economy and move forward together."

Here's a tweet from Gov. Pritzker.

Over the last four months, Illinoisans have pulled together with the common mission of keeping each other safe.

By staying home and practicing social distancing, every region of the state is on track to move to Phase 4 this week.

Here's how we're going to do that safely: https://t.co/oXFL7up8m2

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 22, 2020

If you want to know about the city's move into Phase 4, I will share this Sun-Times link.

Southside Chicagoans deserve economic development solutions

You might have seen this in state Sen. Elgie Sims' latest e-mail blast referring to the future closure of Target stores in Chatham & Morgan Park.

I’m disheartened by the news that the Target Corporation has decided to close two stores in February 2019 on the city’s South Side, including one located in my neighborhood, Chatham. Not only is the store a source of income for more than 100 people, but many of my constituents rely on it for everyday essentials, including food and medication. This closure will make it harder for families who are already struggling, forcing them to find a way to travel farther to get the items they need.

It seems that the people of Chicago’s South Side, in predominantly African American neighborhoods, are always the first to be left out in the cold by big box stores. Members of the communities surrounding these stores supported them for 10 years, and now Target has decided to close their doors, giving explanations that do not seem to match with reality.

Recently, I joined with elected officials from the state, city and federal governments to speak about this ill-advised decision, which happens to involve closing the stores AFTER the lucrative holiday season, and I intend to find solutions to this problem. The people of the 17th District and all of the communities it includes deserve better.

Yes we do! Now how do our communities avoid being left out in the cold?

And also bear in mind Sims' constituent office is also near the Target at 87th & Cottage Grove.

Editorial: Will the next mayor get Chicago its cut of a booming economy?

If this economy is booming right now shouldn't Chicago have already gotten a piece of it? From a Tribune editiorial:

Under Emanuel, the city attracted major employers, experienced a building boom and boosted tourism. He bolstered O’Hare and Midway airports and kept a shine on downtown, the lakefront and many neighborhoods. He made little progress helping the underdeveloped South and West sides, besides recruiting the oft-mentioned Whole Foods to Englewood. Yes, he got the Barack Obama Presidential Center for Jackson Park, but that was a gimme — imagine the scandal if Obama had taken his library to New York. Will Emanuel cap his tenure by winning Amazon’s second headquarters? We’ll know soon.
What connects the mayor’s accomplishments as bond salesman and corporate recruitment cheerleader is his commitment to the cause and ability to speak the language of business and finance. Emanuel, who did a turn as an investment banker, made economic and urban development a priority and went hard at CEOs to convince them to locate in Chicago. With each of those HQs came good-paying jobs.

We’ve echoed the desire of Emanuel’s critics to see private-sector investment spread evenly across Chicago. But Emanuel understood that money invested in an already healthy downtown does a lot more for all Chicagoans than if that money went to Atlanta or Dallas.

So how about the next mayor? America’s economy is booming. Will Chicago get its share? Who among the candidates understands the city’s potential, and who can best balance competing needs to achieve the greater good?

The bond market people will have opinions. So will CEOs and developers. But voters, hiring a mayor who can win their trust is up to you.

CapitolFax: Does Illinois really have the highest black unemployment rate?

Upon reading this, I thought Rich Miller would look at the validity of a variety of local headlines on
this subject. It appears to be valid. As always what could we do about Black unemployment?

Does Illinois really have the highest black unemployment rate? https://t.co/qOQj2NVz1t

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) June 25, 2018

Capitol Fax: Plenty of blame to go around on minimum wage

Rich Miller's syndicated column posted to his blog this morning was regarding the push for a minimum wage hike in the state. Of course as well as know last week the Chicago City Council passed a minimum wage hike of their own and will be signed into law by Mayor Emanuel.

That being said locally 6th Ward Alderman Sawyer had been in favor of a hike and put out a statement in support of the minimum wage ordinance after its approval. He had also been out with the Fight for 15 crowd in support of a hike.

Regardless now that the city has supported a hike of their own and the state hasn't been able to pass one of their own what are you thoughts on this?

Do you think it will hurt small businesses? Do you think this will help out those low-wage employees at many of these corporate service-industry establishments? Do you think our young people who need work experience would be adversely impacted by this hike?

Mechanics: 10 Recent Takes on Chicago's Economy

Jason Pretchel offers 10 recent takes on the city's economy. Having scanned through the list is take isn't very positive. Do you think the economy of the Chicago area is in good shape?

Cook County sales-tax receipts plunge

Crain's:

Suburban Cook County experienced the biggest drop in sales tax revenue during the second quarter relative to the six collar counties, according to a study released Wednesday.

Sales tax revenue plummeted 14.4% during the April-June period from a year ago, based on a study conducted by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University. That followed a 12.1% drop in the first quarter and compares with a regional average of an 11.8% slump. Suburban Cook County excludes Chicago and Evanston.

The second-quarter drop marked the poorest quarterly performance in Cook County sales tax receipts since the unpopular tax increase took effect in July 2008. Retailers across the area also have contended with the worst recession in decades, which has led consumers to rein in their spending.
...
The city of Chicago fared better than the rest of Cook County, posting a 9.6% drop in sales tax revenue in the second quarter. That's after an 8.6% decline in the first quarter for the city vs. a 12.1% drop for the suburban county.

The report attributed the relative outperformance of Chicago, in part, to the addition of new big-box stores, which helped improve the quantity and price-competitiveness of the city’s retail sector and reduced the drain of retail dollars to neighboring communities.

Interesting news, suburban Cook County struggling with this sales tax, but the city is faring much better!

WAL-MART DEBATE: a post with CONCERNS about Wal-Mart

This e-mail was sent to us by frequent commenter Worlee Glover, elaborating a position of concrns regarding Wal-Mart (EDIT by Levois - you can also read that letter here!):

As Wal-Mart has renewed its interest in coming to 83rd & Stewart, we as concerned members of the community refuse to allow corporate giants to run roughshod over our people simply because the economic environment in which we exist is anemic. We want jobs for our people who direly, and sorely need them in these times of financial famine. However, we also want jobs with dignity. With this in mind, until these six questions are answered, we will reserve judgment on our support of this project or lack thereof:

1. How much will they pay employees per hour? Is this wage a livable wage?
• Workers should be able to earn a wage that affords them the ability to live, and not require further government or state assistance to supplement their salary!

2. Will employees be offered affordable and immediately accessible health-care
benefits?
• Currently, research shows that full time employees are not afforded access to health care until they have been employed for six months, and part-time workers are not afforded access to health care until they have been employed for one year.

3. What will be the ratio and number of full-time workers as opposed to part-time workers?
• Studies have linked the high turnover rate for Wal-Mart employees, and keeping workers at part-time hours, while working them full-time, to the desire of the company not to pay employee benefits!

4. Will they give workers the right to organize, if they want?
• We are not for or against any one union. We are for the right of workers to decide freely and fairly whether or not they want to unionize.

5. What is Wal-Mart’s commitment to supporting Black Farmers produce in order
to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables are available for our community?
• 600,000 people in Chicago live in a food desert. 478,000 of them are Black people. Of all the groups in Chicago, Black people travel the furthest to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Black Farmers have been ignored by the government for contracts from major chains.

6. What is Wal-Mart’s stand on public education?
• The Walton Foundation, in concert with the Bradley Foundation of Milwaukee, has been noted to give $1 billion per year into “Education Reform” with the end goal to kill public education. It is ironic then that this Wal-Mart will be directly across the street from a public school—Simeon Career Vocational Academy.

The answers to these questions, and commitments in writing emanating therefrom will determine our support of this project!

Sincerely,

• The African American Lutheran Association (AALA)
• Southside Organization for Unity & Liberation (SOUL)
• Rev. Dr. L. Bernard Jakes, West Point Baptist Church
• Rev. Michael Pfleger, Faith Community of St. Sabina
• Rev. Otis B. Moss III, Trinity United Church of Christ
• Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Trinity United Church of Christ
• Kevin Tyson, Church in Society, Trinity United Church of Christ
• Rev. Oscar Varnadoe, Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice (MRSEJ)
• Rev. Reginald W. Williams, Jr., First Baptist Church of University Park
• Rev. Booker Vance, St. Stephens Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Rev. Stacey L. Edwards-Dunn, Trinity United Church of Christ

WAL-MART DEBATE: a post FOR Wal-Mart

This was sent to our e-mail address by Lenore Blanchard, who responded to an e-mail sent out by the Greater Chatham Alliance, alerting its members to our posts on Wal-Mart.

I have done a lot of research on Walmart.

No I don't agree with their low wages for full time employees, I also know that in rural area's they completely monopolize mom and pop businesses and they end up going out of business.

But on the other hand, they provide jobs for the community, increase tax revenue for the area and give added options as to where we can get the best deals on any given week.

I have a family, my paycheck is not going as far as it use to, I will not be getting a raise this year, I will also be taking furlough days (without pay) our employee health insurance rates will increase again this year.

Bottom line, I'm glad I have a place like Walmart to shop at and save money. I would prefer spending my money in my own community, which happens to be Chatham, and right now I either go to Evergreen park or River Oaks like so many others on the south side, and that's not right.

This is only my opinion, hope it helps.

For Illinois, recession looking milder, recovery weaker

Crain's:

Illinois’ economic downturn is easing as home sales stabilize and factory orders start to recover, but lingering unemployment points to a weaker-than-expected recovery next year, according to a new forecast.

Moody’s Economy.com now foresees a 1.4% decline in gross state product for 2009, better than the 2.1% decline the Pennsylvania-based firm predicted earlier in the year. It’s also better than the 2.7% drop Economy.com forecasts for the national economy.

Buying Black

This segment aired on Chicago Tonight on Monday. An Oak Park couple, John & Maggie Anderson, committed themselves to only patronizing black owned businesses such as the only black-owned grocery store in Illinois.

This isn't the first time I've blogged about them, go back to a post from Dec. 27th, 2008. Check out the home page of Chicago Tonight to find more links to those black-owned businesses that the Andersons have patronized! Just look for segments under July 13, 2009.

Also check out their website The Empowerment Experiment.

VIDEO: How stimulus cash is being used in Chicago

Mike Flannery talks about construction jobs generated for public projects in Chicago.

"FIx Your Mortgage" at CHicago State THIS Saturday

The following event was sent through the Greater Chatham Alliance:

NHS invites you to attend a Free "Fix Your Mortgage" event:

Saturday, June 6,
9 a.m. to noon

Chicago State University
9501 South King Drive, Chicago

Call NHS of Chicago to pre-register:

773-329-4185 (English)
773-329-4181 (Spanish)

(for the full information, go to the NHS event web link )

May gas update.

It's been a while, but jumping off of this recent post here, here's a price update, from Tuesday evening, compared to the border between Lake & Cook counties & here in Chatham

• Deerfield = $2.55
• Shell at 79th & King = $2.75
• BP at 76th & State (our previous SOuth Side bargain) = $2.67 (so more expensive, but cheaper than others)
• Mobil at 76th & State= $2.69, but only $2.49 with Car Wash

ComEd customers will see 7.5% drop in light bill

Sun-Times:

Starting next month, Commonwealth Edison customers will see electricity rates drop by an average of 7.5 percent.

The typical residential customer's monthly electric bill will decline by $6.36, ComEd said Friday.

The utility said lower electricity costs nationwide accounts for the drop in prices, which comes just as air-conditioning season kicks in.

"The global economic downturn has had a huge impact on the supply-and-demand dynamics for commodities, and, as a result, prices are falling for electiricity," said Anne Pramaggiore, a ComEd executive.

On the heels of the story I had already posted yesterday.

Metro Chicago unemployment up to 9.3%

Crain's:

Metropolitan Chicago’s jobless rate was 9.3% in March, a level not seen in 17 years.
The rate jumped from 5.6% the same month last year.

The figure reported Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security has not been adjusted for seasonal factors — such as weather or holidays — that can account for a spike or a decline in hiring. The last time the area had a 9.3% jobless rate was in June 1992.

The metro area — which encompasses Chicago, Naperville and Joliet — had the seventh-highest March jobless rate for the 12 statistical areas tracked by IDES. Rockford’s was highest with 13.5%. 

 Also from Crain's: Jewel cuts prices to lure shoppers. Very interesting.

Illinois Near Last Place in Employment Growth

Tribune:

The state of Illinois is mired in a budget crisis, with a projected shortfall of $4 billion this year and even more in fiscal year 2010. Gov. Pat Quinn thinks the problem is that the tax collector is leaving state residents and businesses with too much money in their pockets. So he proposes a big boost in the tax rate on both personal and corporate income.

It's a classic Illinois solution. And it's a classic Illinois problem. It's all about giving the government a larger slice of the economic pie, instead of enlarging the pie so everyone gets more.

What the people in government in this state forget is that a well-funded public sector depends on a prosperous private sector. Instead, they create an environment in which the private sector is burdened in various ways that suffocate growth—causing the public sector to gasp as well.
...
Over the last decade, it says, nonfarm payroll employment in Illinois has risen by a puny 3.6 percent, worse than all but two other states. In the growth of per capita income, Illinois also lags badly, ranking 39th in the country.

As the chart shows, Illinois job growth has lagged behind the U.S. as a whole with dreary consistency.

It's hard to find much in government policy here that is geared to attracting sound companies with bright futures. We have a larger-than-average property tax load, a liability system heavily weighted toward plaintiffs, a thoroughly pro-union climate and one of the nation's highest minimum wages.
...
It's no wonder, then, that businesses with alternatives head for more inviting places. Far more people are moving out of this state than in. On overall economic performance, Illinois ranks a dismal 48th, ahead of only Ohio and Michigan.

And things aren't looking up: In economic outlook, we're 44th. Does anyone think the big state tax increase Quinn wants is going to brighten that forecast?

Via Newsalert!

Illinois foreclosure filings soar in first quarter

AP:

The number of Illinois households threatened with losing their homes rose nearly 68 percent in the first three months of this year compared with the first quarter of 2008, a much bigger increase than in the U.S. overall, according to data released Thursday.

Just under 39,000 homes in Illinois got at least one foreclosure-related notice in the first quarter, or one in every 135, according to RealtyTrac Inc., a foreclosure listing firm.

That rate ranked fifth-highest in the country, up 67.9 percent from the first quarter of 2008 and up 31.7 percent from the fourth quarter, according to Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac.

State jobless rate at 9.1%, highest since '85

Crain's:

Unemployment in Illinois reached its highest level in 23 years last month, the state says.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 9.1%, the highest level since November 1985, according to data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Also, laid-off workers will receive an extra 13 weeks of unemployment insurance thanks to additional federal stimulus funding, Gov. Pat Quinn announced.

The March unemployment rate was 0.5% higher than February, and the sixth consecutive month to record an increase.

The Illinois numbers followed news that new nationwide jobless claims took an unexpected tumble last week.

Illinois Student Assistance Corps now hiring soon-to-be college grads

Disclaimer -- the author of this entry, JP Paulus, works for the Illinois Student Assistance Corporation.

Also, PLEASE read the notes at the bottom of this entry -- they are very important for those applying!
__________________
NEWS ALERT
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Making College Affordable for Illinois Students Since 1957
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 06, 2009
Media Affairs Contacts:
Paul Palian , 312-814-3679 (Direct), 312-590-7790 (Cell), ppalian@isac.org
Emergency , 312-814-3689 or 312-590-9432

Recent Grad? Graduating Soon? ISAC Has a Job for You!

Agency seeks “a few good grads” to serve students and families throughout the state

Deerfield, Ill.—The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) announces it is hiring 78 positions in conjunction with All-Access Illinois, a college access initiative seeking to unify ISAC’s many valuable outreach services, products, and initiatives into one comprehensive campaign designed to engage students from lower-income families in planning for future post-secondary education.

Funded by the College Access Challenge Grant Program, the initiative builds upon successful outreach strategies including College Access Vertical Teams, Illinois Mentor and KnowHow2GoIllinois with the creation of a 78-member Illinois Student Assistance Corps. The Corps will tremendously bolster ISAC's ability to expand its services and to provide high quality personal service to students in every single community in the state.

The purpose of the College Access Challenge Grant Program (CACGP) is to foster partnerships among federal, state, and local governments and philanthropic organizations through matching challenge grants that are aimed at increasing the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

The Illinois Student Assistance Corps will be made up of recent college graduates recruited from the undergraduate class of 2009 and will be deployed across the state, with two Corps members assigned to each of the 39 community college districts in Illinois.

Corps members will build partnerships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits in order to deliver free career and college planning and preparation services to students from families with no prior college-going experience. Assistance with career exploration, college selection, test preparation, scholarship searches, application completion and the financial aid process are examples of the services that the corps will provide.

"It’s a case of paying it forward. Many of the prospective Corps members we have met talk passionately about how they needed help navigating through the process as they prepared to go to college,” said ISAC Executive Director Andrew Davis. “Now, they want to help the next generation of college students."

The hiring process has already begun, with applications due on Wednesday, April 15. Interviews will begin approximately three weeks later. The program provides Corps members with a two-year employment contract, beginning in June, 2009, that includes health insurance and ongoing training, plus provides networking opportunities and the opportunity to transform the lives of families throughout the state.

For more information or to apply, contact JP Paulus at 800-899-ISAC (4722), extension 3845, or send a resume and cover letter to corps@isac.org.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission provides students of all ages and backgrounds with the resources and support to obtain financial aid for higher education. A state agency, ISAC has paved the path to post-secondary education with innovative programs for more than 50 years. Last year alone, ISAC continued its mission to make college affordable for Illinois students by issuing 185,000 grants and scholarships totaling more than $448 million.

The Commission coordinates educational funding with student loans, as a loan guarantor and via numerous public programs such as the successful Monetary Award Program (MAP), the Illinois Veteran Grant and College Illinois! sm the Commission’s groundbreaking 529 prepaid college tuition program. Students and families have free access to a wealth of financial aid and college planning information at http://www.knowhow2goillinois.org/.

---------------------------------

A couple of notes --

• We have at least 110 people who would like a position in the Chicago & neighboring college districts. So the odds of you getting a position locally are very slim-to-none.
• We could use people are willing to move to downstate Illinois (such as the farming counties). It will be cross cultural, and you can choose to stay after 2 years, or move back to Chicago, armed with experience and networking skills.
• We are accepting resumes now. Once a resume has been received, we can go on to the next stage. That closes on April 15.