Jobs and Politics of the South Side
By Sean Stillmaker in News on Jan 29, 2011 6:30PM
Unemployment is on the decline, employers are hiring again and it comes as no surprise that the above does not apply to Chicago’s South Side. The Chicago Reporter mapped out the number of jobs on a ward-by-ward basis and the top 10 with fewest jobs are located on the South Side.
Comparing federal employment data from 2008 to 2002 there were 13 wards south of Roosevelt Road that decreased in jobs. The largest decrease came from Ald. Carrie Austin’s 34th Ward that encompasses the Morgan Park and West Pullman neighborhoods. There were 4,334 jobs in '02, but it declined to 2,412 in '08, a 44.3 percent drop.
Impaired by unavailable recent data, Ald. Austin was instrumental in bringing the largest urban solar power plant in the U.S. to her ward that created 200 construction jobs in 2009. Receiving a Sun Times endorsement, she’s running against Burl McQueen, Henry Moses, Shirley White and Michael Mayden Feb. 22.
The second biggest decline came from Ald. Michelle Harris’s 8th Ward, which encompasses the Chatham and Avalon Park neighborhoods. There were 6,141 jobs in 02 but dropped to 4,133 in 08, a 32.7 percent decline.
Also impaired by unavailable recent data, Ald. Harris was recently instrumental in bringing the world’s largest steel supplier from the North Side to her ward creating 350 construction jobs and 150 job opportunities for area residents. Receiving a Sun Times endorsement, she’s running against Faheem Shabazz, Bertha Starks and James Daniels.
On the bright side there were eight South Side wards that had job increases, and the 12th Ward that remained unchanged. Former Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, now the Cook County Board President, had her 4th Ward increase jobs the largest by 23.3 percent.
There are a slew of candidates in the 4th Ward with William Burns receiving a Sun Times endorsement. The other newcomers on the Feb. 22 ballot are Brian Scott, Norman Bolden, James Williams, George Rumsey, Adam Miguest and Lori Yokoyama.
Ald. Anthony Beale’s 9th Ward had the second largest job increase. In '02 there were 4,197 jobs but expanded to 5,122 in '08, a 22 percent bump. Ald. Beale was instrumental in bringing the city's second Wal-Mart to his Pullman Park neighborhood. The store broke ground Oct. 13. When it's built, it will bring 110 jobs to the area. Ald. Beale, receiving a Sun Times endorsement, is running against Harold Ward, Eddie Reed and Sandra Walters.