Do you consider Chicago part of the Rustbelt? (life, taxes, job)
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So geographically, the area in the Midwest that stretches from New York to Chicago is considered the Rustbelt. There can be valid arguments on both sides. Some don't think so, as Chicago has a much more diversified economy and was the getaway of the Midwest. However, some would agree that Chicago is apart of the Rustbelt due to it having a large manufacturing sector.
So, do you think Chicago is apart of the Rustbelt?
No, it is not. A true "rust belt" city is characterized by an implosion of the local area's job base by the departure of manufacturing jobs related to automotive industry. Chicago never has been and never was a hub for automotive engineering. Further, its economy is far more diversified than that of the mother of all rust belt cities, Detroit.
Anyone with half a brain (and isn't trolling) would know this. Further evidence can be seen by pictures of the city's neighborhoods, central cores, and GDP.
I personally don't think you can call the rust belt the rust belt. The big factories and tanneries are all gone. I don't considered distribution companies and cnc machine shops as part of rust belt industries more of a light manufacturing base. Which city in the rust belt still has MFG as it's main industry anymore? Milwaukee's biggest sector is Health care. San Jose still has manufacturing as it's biggest industry but would anyone call SJ rust belt?
Would define Rust Belt as any high tax, unionized economy that drives out major taxpayers over time...leaving an economy of govt jobs, tourism, healthcare and/or colleges as last employers in region
Classically applied to cities like Cleveland or Detroit or Pitt or Phila or Balt or StLouis
But label can also be applied to Portland and WashDC...and even City of SF/EastBay suburbs (though not SiliconValley/PaloAlto area) or Bos or Chic
Chicago's issue is it is not epicenter of any major lucrative industry, but it is in high-tax, unionized IL
Chic's most valuable cos. (Abbott and McDonalds) are already based in distant suburbs, not in City...can just as easily be HQ'd in suburban Dallas if IL taxes and work rules make life annoying enough...just as Exxon HQ fled Manhattan for Irving some 20yrs ago
No. Chicago is simply too big, too diverse, too rich to be frank to be consisered rustbelt.
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