Miami is no longer.....

[Guest Clarisa]

the poorest big city in the nation :o

CLEVELAND - Crushed by the loss of steel and other manufacturing jobs, Cleveland has ranked high for poverty before — but never No. 1.

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That changed when a report from the U.S. Census Bureau recently rated it has the nation’s poorest big city, putting it ahead of Detroit, Miami and Newark, N.J.

“To be ranked No. 1, that’s bad,†said Councilman Zachary Reed. “Let’s be honest, the fact is people in our community are living in poverty and just making it day to day.â€

The unwanted distinction is the latest in a litany of struggles for Cleveland, which appeared to be on the rebound over the past decade, with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns Stadium, Jacobs Field and Gund Arena.

But this year the budget-strapped port city laid off hundreds of police officers and firefighters and reduced trash pick up and other city services.

Teachers, city workers laid off

Hundreds of teachers and other workers were laid off from city schools and officials are pushing a $68 million tax increase on the November ballot to try to ease some of the schools’ financial needs.

With a poverty rate of 31.3 percent in 2003, Cleveland stands out even in Ohio: Cincinnati’s was 21.1 percent, Toledo 20.3 percent and Columbus 16.5 percent.

The overall poverty rate in the United States was 12.7 percent, according to the survey released Aug. 26.

“I guess I am a little surprised, because my sense was that Cleveland was a city on the rebound,†said Tom Kaplan, the associate director of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Despite Cleveland’s thriving image in the 1990s, poverty was always in the background, said Myron Robinson, president of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and co-chair of a newly formed civic committee on job creation.

‘It's like we hit rock bottom’

“We had probably about 42,000 African American males unemployed then, as now. It didn’t get a lot of attention until now. It’s like we hit rock bottom.â€

The city remains home to a few steel and other manufacturing companies, many with scaled back work forces.

Hospitals, banks, law firms and universities are other big employers in Cleveland, which has a 12.2 percent unemployment rate. That’s nearly double the state rate of 6.3 percent in August, when the national rate was 5.4 percent.

Deann Hazey, spokeswoman for the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, views tourism as one solution to the poverty problem.

“We want to create a greater demand in the hospitality industries. Those with good people skills, not necessarily a college degree, can find a good job opportunity and work their way up,†she said.

Rose Blade lives in Cleveland’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, where well-maintained homes and businesses mix with those in disrepair. The former factory worker is among the thousands who are unemployed.

“Things are really tough around here,†said Blade, 45. “There’s too many hungry people.â€

[Guest endymion]

I had no idea we were anywhere near #1 poorest. Not Miami Beach I guess, but still..

I always thought that was Flint, Mi. What are they, just most depressing?

[Guest macboy]

I always thought that was Flint, Mi. What are they, just most depressing?

You've been watching too many Michael Moore "documentaries."

Back on topic, the New Times reported this a few months back. What had been ranked previously as #1 was the City of Miami, not Dade county as a whole.

[Guest endymion]

You've been watching too many Michael Moore "documentaries."

That one went over my head. He did a movie on Flint? I have just read some really depressing articles lately on Detroit and Flint. There was one in Playboy this month or last month or something by a guy from Manchester talking about how he grew up in England fantasizing about the home of Motown. The article was all about his impression of Detroit when he got there. Not a positive article at all.

I almost showed it to Nick but we have a CJ Detroit planned because of their music heritage and I didn't want to depress him.

[ryan2772]

You've been watching too many Michael Moore "documentaries."

That one went over my head. He did a movie on Flint? I have just read some really depressing articles lately on Detroit and Flint. There was one in Playboy this month or last month or something by a guy from Manchester talking about how he grew up in England fantasizing about the home of Motown. The article was all about his impression of Detroit when he got there. Not a positive article at all.

I almost showed it to Nick but we have a CJ Detroit planned because of their music heritage and I didn't want to depress him.

Michael Moore is from Flint, he did a big piece in Bowling for Columbine on his city.

[Guest LeVeL]

The whole state of Ohio is actually doing really bad at this time. They have lost huge manufacturing plants that have gone overseas instead. Ohio is actually is being targetted by Presidential Candidates this upcoming election because the people of the state feel like they been abondoned. They have surely felt the brunt of the unemployment crisis. They want new jobs and they want them now. The families are optimistic and hope for a resolution to this crisis but it is going to be one of the most challenging things a President or a candidate can do and that is promise new jobs to all the ones that have been lost.

I am not shocked that Cleveland is the poorest city in the United States but its sure a dam shame.

[Guest macboy]

You've been watching too many Michael Moore "documentaries."

That one went over my head. He did a movie on Flint? I have just read some really depressing articles lately on Detroit and Flint. There was one in Playboy this month or last month or something by a guy from Manchester talking about how he grew up in England fantasizing about the home of Motown. The article was all about his impression of Detroit when he got there. Not a positive article at all.

I almost showed it to Nick but we have a CJ Detroit planned because of their music heritage and I didn't want to depress him.

Moore's first film, "Roger & Me" was all about Flint. As depressing as it gets.

[Guest eljumping]

.......maybe you should come to San Juan, we have a 45% poverty rate and 13.5% unemployment ;D

[Guest cutchemist]

i had no idea ???

[Guest jona7]

whats the wealthiest city then...?

[Guest pod]

Hard to say...

[Guest LeVeL]

.......maybe you should come to San Juan, we have a 45% poverty rate and 13.5% unemployment ;D

I got Puerto Rican family members and let me tell you they wont go to Puerto Rico unless it is to visit but not to live there because of lack of job there.

[Guest JMT]

hard to find info on it, but my guess for wealthiest is probably in connecticut.

[Guest pod]

If that is true, I'd say the wealthiest city is probably the most boring city. ;D

[Guest Akiraboy]

With a poverty rate of 31.3 percent in 2003, Cleveland stands out even in Ohio: Cincinnati’s was 21.1 percent, Toledo 20.3 percent and Columbus 16.5 percent.

yep, I went there for a wedding in june and it was in a really run down section of toledo. The reception was in a church parking lot. Very basic. I felt very bad for that town.

[Kamikaze1414779018]

yep, I went there for a wedding in june and it was in a really run down section of toledo. The reception was in a church parking lot. Very basic. I felt very bad for that town.

I will be honest. Ohio in general is going through a definite down economy with the closing of many manufacturing plants and such.

Many people here are struggling to make ends meet. I live in Toledo currently, born and raised here, moved away for 7 years ans moved back to be near family again.

There are cons and pros of each state i have lived in, I have lived in Ohio -19 years, Alabama - 5 years, Florida -2 years, and would rather raise a family in Ohio than the other two. The downside is having a good job to pay for everything.

[ryan2772]

yep, I went there for a wedding in june and it was in a really run down section of toledo. The reception was in a church parking lot. Very basic. I felt very bad for that town.

I will be honest. Ohio in general is going through a definite down economy with the closing of many manufacturing plants and such.

Many people here are struggling to make ends meet. I live in Toledo currently, born and raised here, moved away for 7 years ans moved back to be near family again.

There are cons and pros of each state i have lived in, I have lived in Ohio -19 years, Alabama - 5 years, Florida -2 years, and would rather raise a family in Ohio than the other two. The downside is having a good job to pay for everything.

work for p&g, they own ohio