Tonight at the council meeting, Councilman Bob Manning asked the museum group what they would do if the New Markets Tax Credits funding didn’t come through, or if not enough of it came through for them to be able to move forward on the museum. As he put it, “What’s ‘plan B’?”
The answer he got from Jim Vergon, President of the Lakeview Museum board, was that they would go back to federal, state, and local governments and ask them again for help to make up the difference.
But I’ve heard a rumor that the real “plan B” is for the museum to get money through the Public Building Commission, which of course would be collected through property taxes, all without a referendum or any council action whatsoever. “How can that be,” you ask, “when they’re a private organization and not a public one?” The rumor mill says that Rep. Dave Leitch is already working on legislation that would take care of that problem. Hey, he did it for District 150 — who says he couldn’t amend the law again to allow a “public” museum? He got the city council to use public dollars to guarantee a private loan for Firefly Energy. I wouldn’t be too quick to pass this off as an impossibility.
Of course, this is all unsubstantiated rumor. Take it with a grain of salt… but keep an eye on your wallet just in case it turns out to be true.
Huh…
Yes, this avenue was once were pursued by the Peora Park District as a potential funding source for the Riverplex until it was shut down. I agree with you CJ, never underestimate our elected officials to allow for unique opportunties to drink from the public trough. Last time, on the house floor, our city council was reported to be in full support of the PBC legisitation change for D150. Wonder what the new sales pitch will be?
City Council: please do not spend any more public funds on this project; please do not let the PBC get involved-stop Leitch in his tracks. Learn from the Civic Center-it makes you feel good, it looks good, but what does it cost?
[...] than sputtering some vague generalities.Well, C.J. Summers has heard from different sources what “Plan B” is, and taxpayers should be prepared to take one in the shorts if it’s true: But I’ve heard [...]
Didn’t the Museum Group try to coax money from the Peo County Board at one time? I wonder how many council members who voted for this ‘extension,’ gave in so as not to waste any more time on this issue. Hate to say it, but it might be time to load the covered wagon and west, east, north or south…any where but Peoria city/county.
If you want to talk about constitutional amendements, here to another one to draft. We have to stop these raids on property taxpayers’ pockets without their consent. It’s theft, pure and simple. Thomas Jefferson would advocate revolution.