Serious question posed by the Chicago Sun Times: Is Chicago ‘becoming Detroit?’

[illwill]

There is SO much misinformed information on this thread.Danny's post could not have been any further from the truth. I think he copiedhis information from an old Wiki post and pasted it here. Chicago'sunemployment is at 8.6% only .04 percent higher than the nation average. Segregationthroughout the city is ALMOST a thing of the past. Chicago was listed as themost improved city in regards to improving segregation. And this is aside fromtearing down the projects and letting the section 8 recipients live in allareas of the city. Many of the minorities are college educated and transplantedfrom other cities such as Detroit. I have a friend who grew up in Chicago andvisited after being away for several years. He couldn't believe how integratedthe city had become. The current real estate market is booming in Chicago.Although prices are still down 30% in the city, people are still spending likegang-busters. The prices have gone up slightly but not very much. The rentalmarket is off the hook too. There are several blocks in Chicago that lookALMOST as bad as Detroit but not quite there yet. But you cannot really tellthe difference if you're not familiar with both cities.

Last why do people continue to compare Detroit to Chicago?It's like comparing Chicago to San Francisco or New York. They don't compare.One thing I don't understand is why a couple of people on this threadconstantly dis Chicago for being a successful big city? Detroit wishes it couldhave what Chicago has. There is nothing wrong with that. We get so excitedbecause we finally get an OLGA'S ON OUR PREMIER STREET! But then we criticizeChicago in the same breath...Why be jealous instead of giving the city itsdues? Because that's what it is... jealousy. Chicago has tons of problems rangingfrom political corruption, crime, gangs and drugs. It's not perfect but it's amore livable city that Detroit.

[iheartthed]

.One thing I don't understand is why a couple of people on this threadconstantly dis Chicago for being a successful big city? Detroit wishes it couldhave what Chicago has. There is nothing wrong with that. We get so excitedbecause we finally get an OLGA'S ON OUR PREMIER STREET! But then we criticizeChicago in the same breath...Why be jealous instead of giving the city itsdues? Because that's what it is... jealousy. Chicago has tons of problems rangingfrom political corruption, crime, gangs and drugs. It's not perfect but it's amore livable city that Detroit.

I'll answer this one. I have been... telling the truth about Chicago in this thread because a Chicago politician felt the need to bash Detroit, and a major media outlet in Chicago felt the need to broadcast it. If Chicago is without its own inferiority issues then there should be no need to take digs at other cities in order to feel better about your own.

Chicago is one of the nation's greatest cities for sure, but it not hardly a city without its own flaws.

[wolverine]

I'll answer this one. I have been... telling the truth about Chicago in this thread because a Chicago politician felt the need to bash Detroit, and a major media outlet in Chicago felt the need to broadcast it. If Chicago is without its own inferiority issues then there should be no need to take digs at other cities in order to feel better about your own.

Chicago is one of the nation's greatest cities for sure, but it not hardly a city without its own flaws.

Pot call kettle black.

[313WX]

Where did you get your numbers? From what I've seen, Chicago's GDP is still 3rd in the U.S. However, there is no way that it's 4th in the world. It would have to be larger than L.A., Tokyo, London and Paris.

It's larger than London and Paris...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_GDP

But you are partially right, it's also the 3rd largest in the US.

[313WX]

Pot call kettle black.

Heh, without a doubt.

[313WX]

Chicago has tons of problems rangingfrom political corruption

I'll say this about Chicago's politicians.

They may be quite crooked, but at least they get the job done, an by-and-large don't get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Detroit has a deadly combination of corrupt and incompetent politicians, where the job doesn't get done and they get caught easily with their hand in the cookie jar.

[Richard]

In reference to the world city aspect Chicago ranks 82 whereas Detroit ranked 441.

But that was in 2011 and they thought that the population city wise was at 912,000.

http://www.citymayors.com/statistics...mayors-ad.html

[iheartthed]

In reference to the world city aspect Chicago ranks 82 whereas Detroit ranked 441.

But that was in 2011 and they thought that the population city wise was at 912,000.

http://www.citymayors.com/statistics...mayors-ad.html

That's not what we're talking about when we say "global city". This is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city

It's not entirely a metric of population, although that is part of it. It's basically a measure of what characteristics westerners [[or better yet, the British) find important about urban areas.

[Richard]

That's not what we're talking about when we say "global city". This is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city

It's not entirely a metric of population, although that is part of it. It's basically a measure of what characteristics westerners [[or better yet, the British) find important about urban areas.

I understand that, the link was pointing in the direction
the side menus on the site gives the rest of the rankings.

[wolverine]

I'll say this about Chicago's politicians.

They may be quite crooked, but at least they get the job done, an by-and-large don't get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Detroit has a deadly combination of corrupt and incompetent politicians, where the job doesn't get done and they get caught easily with their hand in the cookie jar.

I think that's all residents care about. Get the job done...fast. If I call my alderman about a pothole on my commute or broken glass on the sidewalk, I can expect the pothole to be fixed on my way home, and the sidewalk swept up in a matter of hours. With new electronic reporting via smartphones, the office is held accountable for everything and must resolve problem each ward resident has. If not, forget about getting re-elected. Crime on the other hand...too complex of an issue. I hold the mayor accountable on that. And whether Rahm decides to hire more police will be on my mind in this next election.

BTW, regarding world cities, few people seemed to notice Detroit received a substantial promotion in world city rankings. This changed about a year ago.

[Bham1982]

It's larger than London and Paris...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_GDP

But you are partially right, it's also the 3rd largest in the US.

This is all wrong.

First, that Wikipedia link is ridiculous. If you applied Census-based CSA standards to European cities, London would have 20 million people [[the entire Southeast England).

Using that standard, Chicago would have to have 2.5 times the median per capita output to match London. In reality, Chicago has lower per capita output than London.

The only way Chicago matches London is if you really, truly believe that Chicago has a bigger metropolitan population than London, which is absurd using apples-to-apples.

Second, Chicago is 5th largest economy in the U.S., per Census.

[Bham1982]

Largest economies in the U.S., by metropolitan area-

1. NYC
2. LA
3. DC
4. SF
5. Chicago
6. Boston
7. Houston
8. Philadelphia
9. Dallas
10. Atlanta


Source-
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regi...ewsrelease.htm

[313WX]

Largest economies in the U.S., by metropolitan area-

1. NYC
2. LA
3. DC
4. SF
5. Chicago
6. Boston
7. Houston
8. Philadelphia
9. Dallas
10. Atlanta


Source-
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regi...ewsrelease.htm

Ummm, did you actually read Tables 1 and 2 in your link?

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regi...metro0211b.pdf

Current

NYC - 1.2 Trillion
Los Angeles - 735 Billion
Chicago - 532 Billion
Washington DC - 425 Billion
San Francisco - 326 Billion

Real

NYC - 1.1 Trillion
Los Angeles - 670 Billion
Chicago - 476 Billion
Washington DC - 383 Billion
San Francisco - 296 Billion

In Nominal and Real GDP [[per YOUR link), Chicago is still number three

But don't let facts get in the way of your anti-Chicago rhetoric.

I'm not even sure where you pulled that BS list from [[probably from an unpleasant place).

My god, it even says in that link's footnotes...

2. The ten largest metropolitan areas, as measured by 2010 real GDP, are: New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA; Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH; and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA.

[313WX]

This is all wrong.

First, that Wikipedia link is ridiculous. If you applied Census-based CSA standards to European cities, London would have 20 million people [[the entire Southeast England).

Using that standard, Chicago would have to have 2.5 times the median per capita output to match London. In reality, Chicago has lower per capita output than London.

The only way Chicago matches London is if you really, truly believe that Chicago has a bigger metropolitan population than London, which is absurd using apples-to-apples.

Second, Chicago is 5th largest economy in the U.S., per Census.

Did you actually read the source for that list?

PwC came up with it, based on the urban area population designated by the United Nations [[generally, the MSAs of American cities, not CSAs, and urban areas of non-American cities) and their per-capita incomes.

Take it up with those parties if you don't like the measures, which seem fairly accurate to me.

[illwill]

I think that's all residents care about. Get the job done...fast. If I call my alderman about a pothole on my commute or broken glass on the sidewalk, I can expect the pothole to be fixed on my way home, and the sidewalk swept up in a matter of hours. With new electronic reporting via smartphones, the office is held accountable for everything and must resolve problem each ward resident has. If not, forget about getting re-elected. Crime on the other hand...too complex of an issue. I hold the mayor accountable on that. And whether Rahm decides to hire more police will be on my mind in this next election.

BTW, regarding world cities, few people seemed to notice Detroit received a substantial promotion in world city rankings. This changed about a year ago.

Wow!

You call the alderman to have glass swept up? Is that how you guys are living on the Northside? No wonder people are flocking to Chicago like crazy...if you call someone to have glass swept up. No wonder taxes are so high in Chicago.

But that is service!

[wolverine]

Wow!

You call the alderman to have glass swept up? Is that how you guys are living on the Northside? No wonder people are flocking to Chicago like crazy...if you call someone to have glass swept up. No wonder taxes are so high in Chicago.

But that is service!

In all seriousness, who would do it otherwise? Same goes for graffiti. If someone tags up your business or home, you can call the city to have it removed at no cost to you, and it's done quickly. These cleanup services are paid by ticketed violators of vandalism or littering.

In certain downtown areas, block security, sidewalk sweeping and powerwashing, seasonal planting are pooled resources from area businesses or condo buildings.

[Gistok]

Good lord... you people are arguing over Wikipedia statistics?? Which half of your brain are you using?

I just checked the "dubious" statistics... and it mentions 7.8 million people for London... under the Price Waterhouse listing. However, if you look up London in Wikipedia, it says city population of 7.8 million... but if you check the number for metro London, it says 13.7 million...

Wonder why those 5.9 million people in metro London generate zero GDP...

Nuff said... stop using Wiki as a debatable reference source!

[rb336]

In all seriousness, who would do it otherwise? Same goes for graffiti. If someone tags up your business or home, you can call the city to have it removed at no cost to you, and it's done quickly. These cleanup services are paid by ticketed violators of vandalism or littering.

In certain downtown areas, block security, sidewalk sweeping and powerwashing, seasonal planting are pooled resources from area businesses or condo buildings.

get your own broom and dustpan or a shop vac. really, is it that hard? In NYC, store owners cleaned the sidewalks in front of their stores, and apt. building maintenance crews did so for their sidewalks.

[wolverine]

get your own broom and dustpan or a shop vac. really, is it that hard? In NYC, store owners cleaned the sidewalks in front of their stores, and apt. building maintenance crews did so for their sidewalks.

Yes, I could. But that takes time that could be spent doing something else when a phone call or text message takes maybe a minute and a city employee is put to work.

I'm not saying homeless people throwing trash on the ground creates job security but there's people employed to clean it up. I'd prefer not to take their job.

Additionally, I'd prefer my building maintenance work on the building that I pay rent to live in, not cleaning the alley which the building behind us should also be obligated to assist. That's why this is a city service and the alderman offices have staff to dispatch crews.