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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: American Spirit who wrote (4169)	8/7/2006 11:43:57 AM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224676

Chicago is discriminating against some businesses, and for the most part forcing them out of Chicago. the "big-box" retailers that stay within Chicago will shrink, either to get under the limit, or just to decrease costs. They might spin off parts of their businesses to a separate company who will pay rent and/or fees but who won't be part of Walmart (or K-Mart, Target etc.). People in Chicago will have to either drive further or pay more for the goods they buy, but otherwise the effect will be minimal.

To: American Spirit who wrote (4169)	8/8/2006 9:10:16 AM
From: Glenn Petersen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 224676

Chicago is passing a law to force Walmart to raise salaries. Legislation has consequences. Target has already announced that they will be dropping a plan for a new store in Chicago unless Daley vetoes the "big box" bill. Daley will veto it as soon as strong-arms two aldermen so that his veto is not overruled. Developer says Target is dropping plans for new Chicago store Associated Press Published August 3, 2006, 12:53 PM CDT CHICAGO -- The developer of a proposed Target on the city's South Side says the retailer is dropping its plans for the new store -- unless Mayor Richard Daley vetoes an ordinance requiring big-box outlets to pay their workers more. Eric Salcido, project manager for Primestor, developer of the South Side site, said Target "sent a letter to the mayor and the alderman indicating that Target is on hold and, if the ordinance is not overturned, they will not proceed on projects" in Chicago. A proposed Target store on the city's North Side is also in jeopardy, according to city Planning and Development Commissioner Lori Healey. Numerous phone messages left for Minneapolis-based Target Corp. on Thursday were not returned. The Chicago City Council approved the big-box ordinance 35-14 last week, ignoring the protests of Daley and aldermen who represent some of the city's poorest neighborhoods, all who said the measure will drive businesses to surrounding suburbs. Chicago Alderman Carrie Austin lamented Target's loss, saying the store was to anchor a 32-acre shopping mall in her district that has already secured $23 million in city funding. "I'm depressed. Calumet Park has land right across the street they can develop," Austin said. "Our development will just sit there for another century." The ordinance requires retailers with more than $1 billion in annual sales and stores of at least 90,000 square feet to increase workers' pay to at least $10 an hour in wages and another $3 in fringe benefits by July 1, 2010. Today, the minimum wage in Illinois is $6.50 an hour and the federal minimum is $5.15. Daley hasn't said whether he plans to veto the ordinance at the next City Council meeting on Sept. 13. He would have to get two aldermen to change their votes in order to avoid an override. At a news conference about property taxes Wednesday, Daley said the big-box ordinance will lead to higher property taxes. chicagotribune.com