Chicago’s first openly gay alderman as reopened debate on including gays in “contract set-asides” used by minorities and women, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Alderman Tom Tunney of the 44th Ward brought this motion “during a Budget Committee hearing called to extend until 2015 a construction set-aside ordinance for minorities and women,” according to the Sun-Times. Corporation Counsel Mara Georges said that while there is no category including gays in those able to receive set-asides, multimillion-dollar contracts exclusively for minorities and women, she was not opposed to considering the move.
Tunney admits there is no push in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community for inclusion in the ordinance.
“We know we’ve been disadvantaged. But, there are programs for women already. And the perception is this would only enhance gay white males. That’s why there’s not consensus within our community,” he said.
Tunney first championed gay inclusion in contract set-asides in 2003. Mayor Richard M. Daley said he was “open to the idea” if the gay community could prove they weren’t able to get city contracts because of prejudice.
I’m not sure how this would affect the minority and women business owners who are currently eligible for these contracts, but this gets into larger social issues that the city may feel uncomfortable tackling. Is there pronounced discrimination in the business world for gays? Is it on an equal level of minorities and women? We’ll keep a close watch on this debate, but what do you think? Should gays have a shot at city set-asides for social minorities?
Photo credit: “Pride flag”
Posted in Community on July 27th, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
The New York Times has an article focusing on a Miami-based family operation that may face closure because of the recession and the unique nature of their business.
The Great Recession, especially its stranglehold on credit and new construction, appears to have mortally wounded what the Depression could not kill.
“It’s not ‘Oh, I don’t have a job, I have to go find a new one,’ ” Mr. [Scott] Peterson (who works for his family business, Harold A. Peterson Steeplejack) said. “We’re losing a corporation that is 83 years old. We’re losing our house. We’re losing our credit. We’re losing, other than our own physical bodies, everything.”
Harold A. Peterson Steeplejack, an 83-years-old business built on repairing steeples and flagpole installations, will close this year because it can’t afford the business’ steep overhead costs. In the report, Scott Peterson, the grandson of the company’s founder, said he had been rejected for small business loans because his credit score was too low.
Unfortunately the Peterson’s story isn’t an unique one: American businesses with only one to 19 employees lost 757,000 jobs from second quarter 2007 to third quarter 2008, according to the report. How many of these are small family businesses isn’t readily available, but the Times says the number of Americans with small businesses is in the millions.
Photo credit: Vintage family from England
Posted in Uncategorized on July 27th, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
The New York Time’s small business blog, You’re the Boss, reports that small business are “employing less of the labor force.” According to the report, the number of people working in larger, private-sector businesses increased to 49.5 percent (from 45.5 percent) from 1988 to 2006. The number of people working in small businesses thereby decreased to 50.5 percent from 54.5 percent in the same period.
In a later blog post, the shift is explained by Brian Headd, an economist at the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. Between 1988 and 2006, small businesses share of retail trade decreased by 5 percent as big-box stores like Walmart and Target took over Main Streets of America, Headd said. I would think this is a reasonable explanation since people were probably seeking employment through these chains as they replaced or crippled local businesses. The second reason Headd gives is the increase in technology options as we moved from an agrarian society to a tech-based one:
“Now let’s look at technology. The small-business share of employment was very high when farming was king a few centuries ago, dropping as factories sprang up. Small business’s share of employment rose again as we became more of an information and service economy, but then began dropping again as the information and service industries began to mature.
Photo credit: “Money Hand”
Posted in News on July 27th, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
A federal increase of the minimum wage happened last Friday, jumping to $7.25 from $6.55. The increase will bring a extra $1,500 a year before taxes for the 4 million Americans who earn minimum wage. Ninety-one percent of small businesses pay above the minimum wage, according to David Ferreira of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. So how will the increase affect small business owners already experiencing cash flow problems because of the recession? Listen to a recent edition of NPR’s Tell Me More for a discussion of this very issue.
Posted in Poll on July 22nd, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
Marguerite Garden‘s owner Marguerite Gluck said she was heartened by her customers purchasing as much as they could afford to keep her in business. It got me wondering: Do you continue shopping at your favorite local stores to give them business during the recession?
Photo credit: “cash register”
Posted in Profile on July 21st, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
Halloween and dressing up go hand in hand. Through the magic of makeup and costumes, any Chicagoan can become the character of their choosing. But what’s a costume store to do during the remaining 364 days of the year? And how does one stay afloat during a recession that makes costume needs more do-it-yourself than pick-and-buy?
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Posted in Photography, Profile on July 21st, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – 1 Comment
Landscaping service and flower shop Marguerite Gardens (5059 N. Clark) began in owner Marguerite Gluck’s backyard 20 years ago.
Gluck would buy plants at Fertile Gardens in Lincoln Park, one of Chicago’s most well-known gardening centers. A self-professed plant “nerd,” Gluck won several first place gardening contests and drew in the gardening center’s attention. They took a look at her garden and gave her name to people who would be interested in her expertise.
With that, Marguerite Gardens was born and grew as more clients became familiar with Gluck’s work.
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Posted in News on July 19th, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
Jake, a local independent boutique in Chicago’s Gold Coast, has recently caught the attention of the New York Times Style section, but has little reason to celebrate. Owners Lance Lawson and Jim Wetzel have incurred the wrath of the fashion industry after many formerly loyal designers realized the duo had no intention to pay them for their wares, the Times reports.
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Posted in Site Announcements on July 19th, 2009 by By the Bootstraps – Be the first to comment
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