The presence of Wal-Mart is still being heavily debated in Chicago. In the meantime...
Wal-Mart store ignites taxes, jobs
Austin outlet hires 443 people
April 12, 2007
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com
Chicago's first and only Wal-Mart store has produced $2 million in state and local taxes and 443 jobs for West Side residents since it opened in Austin six months ago, the world's largest retailer said Wednesday.
Wal-Mart wants to forge ahead with its urban strategy by building at least four more stores in Chicago, primarily on the South Side.
The decision whether to approve the zoning changes needed to build those new stores will rest with the newly elected City Council.
Mayor Daley vetoed the big box minimum wage ordinance and made it stick with three crossover votes. Union leaders are pouring millions into the 12 aldermanic run-offs in an effort to elect a veto-proof majority for the big box ordinance. Wal-Mart has contributed $100,000 to a fund that supports big-box opponents.
On Wednesday, Wal-Mart made its case in a six-month report card released by Ald. Emma Mitts (37th), whose impoverished West Side ward includes the Austin store.
It shows the store has generated more than $2 million in state and local taxes, including $500,000 in city sales taxes alone.
Of the 443 jobs, more than half went to 37th Ward residents.
Seventy-seven percent of those Wal-Mart associates are African American. Eighteen percent are Hispanic.
The new Wal-Mart has also served as a catalyst for development. A new Menard's is under construction. Aldi's, CVS, Panera Bakery and Bank of America have made commitments to build on the West Side.
Roderick Scott, Wal-Mart's regional manager for community affairs, said the company is scouting locations for more Chicago stores, primarily on the South Side.
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