Chicago Cutting 4,000 Summer Jobs For Teens As Federal Money Dries Up

Four thousand fewer teens will have gainful employment through the City of Chicago this summer, as federal stimulus dollars for a flagship city program have run out.

The "Youth Ready Chicago" program provided 18,000 jobs last summer to youths ages 14 to 21. About 3,700 of those jobs came from a last-minute injection of federal stimulus dollars.

With that federal money no longer in place, coupled with other lost revenues, the program will shrink to around 14,000 jobs this year. That's even after a boost of $1.6 million from the city's ever-diminishing kitty of revenues made from the sale of its parking meters, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Mayor Richard M. Daley asked businesses to help fill the gap, according to the Chicago Tribune. "We all know that most jobs are in the private sector, so today, again, I want to challenge and ask our business leaders to strengthen our efforts to provide jobs for young people, or opportunities or internships," he said at a news conference in the city's Pilsen neighborhood.

Summer jobs are seen as a vital tool in keeping gang violence down in the warmer months when crime is much more prevalent. "It totally makes a difference in the lives of these young people," Daley said, according to FOX Chicago. Also, with young people being among the most active consumers (and least likely to save), putting money in their pocket is generally seen as a boon to the economy.

Comments

[joni brit]

01:19 AM on 03/21/2011

what would make a difference in the lives of these young people, would be if they could look forward to having jobs in the future. Keep Government out of it!!! They are like a jealous mistress, as soon as a private sector becomes successful, they say, "I knew there was more, and they are not happy until they get their share, and more."

[NWO666]

03:19 AM on 03/20/2011

they mass consolidation continues...next will be world wide consolidation

[dporterdvd]

03:32 AM on 03/19/2011

The most important thing for the GOP was to make sure the billionaires had their tax cuts extended so the wealthy could have a great summer (as if they wouldn't have anyway).

[mike dougles]

09:34 AM on 03/19/2011

I love how a tax cut for people making over 250K is now for Billionaries, that is funny.

[dporterdvd]

02:28 PM on 03/19/2011

They could have set the upper limit at 500K or even a million dollars. Having no upper limit at all -- To extend tax cuts for multi-billionaires, I hardly think it is funny. I think it is outrageous.

[FCorey]

12:25 PM on 03/18/2011

THANK YOU GOP! For unleashing more teens into the streets with nothing to do and plenty of time to destroy themselves while you support 2 useless wars.

"an idle mind is the devils playground".

[SwimUpstream]

01:43 PM on 03/18/2011

Stimulus money borrowed from communist china can not go on forever, can it?

[tosc]

09:31 AM on 03/19/2011

do something about it......make your voice known...speak outloud about this...

[alilje]

10:11 AM on 03/18/2011

No money for jobs, lots of money for bombing Afghanistan. When will Obama start the "progressive" agenda????

[NatTurner1]

11:41 AM on 03/18/2011

When Dems take back the House!

[SwimUpstream]

01:43 PM on 03/18/2011

yeah, right.

[jwoww]

03:36 PM on 03/18/2011

didnt seem to stop the afghan bombing last year and they had both houses.

[levresamant]

08:57 AM on 03/18/2011

That is simply going to translate to more crime

[Aldyth]

08:17 AM on 03/18/2011

The kids who get jobs through programs like this are from low income families. The jobs are with park districts, government entities and non-profits.

Over the years, the program has been a win/win for everyone involved. The work usually involves doing maintenance (like mowing grass, helping with painting, etc.) and gives these organizations manpower they wouldn't have otherwise. It gives the kid a chance to experience what it is like to work (getting up on time, accepting direction, getting along with coworkers, etc.) and build up a work ethic. Plus, they earn a little money.

It is better to cut it back than eliminate it altogether.

[jwoww]

03:37 PM on 03/18/2011

they should donate their time to charity organizations. for those who are looking to go onto higher ed, it is always good to put on your college applications.

[Aldyth]

04:22 PM on 03/18/2011

There are lots of things teenagers should do, but don't. In my 30+ years of working in non-profits, I've never had a teenager offer to volunteer to do mowing, painting, or work of any kind for the summer. They prefer to do things that they get paid for or they'd rather have fun.

[padrushka]

08:03 AM on 03/18/2011

after they graduate college they can hope for same jobs ,same cuts. i also have to wonder why jobs are not offered by businesses in the first place?? why does there have to be federal funding to prop up jobs for kids initiative?

[Trepasky]

08:21 AM on 03/18/2011

Businesses offer internships sometimes for no wage.

[dkinton49]

09:41 PM on 03/17/2011

I suspect the money never made it to the program to begin with as they are talking about Chicago, only slightly less corrupt than Mexico. Most likely the money went to politicians or unions. In Chicago, a politician runs on the platform that they want less corruption, or more of a chance to participate in it.

[rikster]

09:17 PM on 03/17/2011

well..they could sell coke to NASA....

[Paul Sta]

09:14 PM on 03/17/2011

Federal stimulus funded jobs are a black hole, we need small business to expand and hire, unfortunately never was a priority. Private sector hiring from mega-corps will be limited and not help the economy.

[choco1996]

07:49 PM on 03/17/2011

once again a warped value system places little emphasis on those who need it the most, then d make judgements on the violence in the cities..oh that's right just give them all guns and we'll all be safe...bad values...faulty lodgic seems to rule the teabaggers and republican party