Chicago Mayor Wants City To Run Grocery Stores...Because That Seems Like A Great Idea
In what could very well be one of the worst ideas ever, Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed city-run grocery stores in certain areas.
Ya know, because the city of Chicago has such a stellar record on handling things. So much so that they've asked gang members to not go after each other during certain hours of the day!
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants the city to run certain grocery stores. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
WALMART, WHOLE FOODS ARE LEAVING CERTAIN AREAS
The move comes after stores like Walmart and Whole Foods have closed multiple stores in recent months citing millions of dollars in losses due to things like shoplifting as well as a lack of customers to keep up with rising costs of rent and produce.
This past summer, Walmart closed three stores in Chicago's South Side and West Side neighborhoods - typically known for being lower income and having higher crime rates. However, they also closed one in the "more affluent" North Side community as well after a dramatic increase in crime.
Apparently Chicago's Mayor didn't listen to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon who warned last December that if Chicago's crime rate didn't come under control, he would begin closing stores. "If it's not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close," McMillon publicly said at the time.
Shocker - the crime rate hasn't subsided and in fact has only gotten worse. So what did McMillon and other store CEOs do? They closed up some of their stores and bounced.
To be fair, maybe the Mayor didn't see the initial report because the TV crew may have been getting robbed at the time, which apparently happens now in Chicago.
CHICAGO CONTINUES TO FAIL
Unfortunately, the crime situation across American cities like Chicago, San Francisco, New York and others continues to get out of hand with no end in sight. NYC, for example, is now locking up ice cream fridges with chains because of shoplifters.
Normal, right?
But to think that having the city of Chicago now try to handle running grocery stores when they can't even get their crime under control is just absurd. Not to mention the sheer communism-like optics of having the government dole out food to its citizens.
Oh, and just last week Mayor Johnson announced a projected city budget deficit of $538 million for next year. But don't worry, they are now going to control some of the food that Chicago residents can buy.
Chicago's doing just great everyone.