August 8, 2006

Chicago Mayor Daley Needs A Wal-mart Alliance

by Rick Forman
First of all is hell getting ready to freeze over? El Presidente Bush used the veto pen for the first time last month. And now Chicago mayor Richard Daley is waving his veto pen after 17 years. Anyone receive an order for a Zamboni from some guy named Lucifer?

"During his 17 years in office, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has yet to veto a bill passed by the city council, but that is likely to change over the next month because of an ordinance that would force the city's largest retailers, including Wal-Mart, to pay employees a "living wage" by 2010."

The Chicago city council is going about this living wage all wrong. The council is trying to force companies to comply so Wal-Mart is not going to build in Chicago. What's the next step? Force them to build in the Windy City? The Chicago city council needs to use the Volunteer State method. Offset the living wage costs with direct subsidies like tax abatements and development programs funded by increased taxes on residential property and other businesses. The large retail chains can use these funds to offset the increased costs of doing business.