Daily Archives: September 26, 2008

City of Peoria

Citizen input on budget report released

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The City of Peoria has been trying to get residents’ input on the city’s 2009 budget. They had some public meetings and an internet survey soliciting our ideas on what the city’s budget priorities should be. The results of those efforts are available now in a new report from the City:

Dear Citizen of Peoria:

Late this summer, you helped the Council and staff of the City of Peoria better understand your feelings about the FY2009 budget by answering a brief questionnaire. Thank you for all of your hard work, thoughtfulness and creativity in giving us your input on budget priorities, revenue sources and cost cuts. In total, 116 citizens completed the questionnaire, resulting in:

  • 391 suggestions on where City tax dollars should be invested;
  • 203 recommendations concerning additional or increased revenue sources;
  • 182 idea regarding ways the City could reduce costs; and
  • 78 additional comments.

City staff has prepared an analysis of your comments, and this report was received by the City Council at its September 9, 2008 meeting. You can view a copy of this report by visiting www.peoriabudget.com.

You are also invited to provide public comment at any City Council meeting regarding the budget. Upcoming meetings, all held in Council Chambers on the 4th Floor of City Hall, are October 7 (5 pm), October 14 (6:15 pm) and October 21 (5 pm).

Thank you again for your participation in this process. We look forward to your continued input, both this year and in years to come.

Sincerely,

Christopher Setti
6 Sigma Black Belt
City of Peoria

Not surprisingly, basic services — public works and public safety — topped the list of budget priorities:

[C]itizens appear most interested in investing in Public Works projects. Of 340 responses, 129 involved this department in some fashion. […] The next most frequently involved unit (83 responses) was the Peoria Police Department, which is generally reflective of the community’s concern about crime. The Police Department was followed by Economic Development (63 responses), Planning and Growth Management (53) and the Fire Department (35).

Residents were asked for their suggestions on how to increase revenue for the city. The result:

Overwhelmingly, citizens felt the best method to increase revenue was to improve on the City’s ability to collect fees and fines (46 responses). […]the next largest category was “Government”. This was really more of a “catch-all” category for those responses that involve better governance. One theme that emerged within this category was finding ways of providing City services to other municipalities. Citizens also discussed increasing tourism to Peoria and creating a new alcohol and tobacco tax.

Finally, residents’ suggestions for cost savings:

The largest category involved creating a more efficient City government (28 responses). These suggestions ranged from broad appeals for greater productivity to specific ideas for certain departments.

Other responses involved reducing staff (16 responses) or eliminating/re-organizing certain programs (14). Some citizens (15) also felt strongly that the City would save money if it stopped offering incentives to businesses. Many within this category specifically mentioned eliminating TIF Districts. Finally, 14 responses fell into the category of “energy efficiency.”

The report includes all the responses received — about 50 pages worth — including an essay submitted by Paul Wilkinson.

2008 Campaign

Darin LaHood releases new TV ad

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From a press release:

Peoria, IL – “Peoria has unacceptable levels of crime…we need a new approach for prosecuting criminals…that’s why we need Darin LaHood as State’s Attorney.” So begins the first paid television advertisement of the election season for the Peoria County race for top prosecutor.

Darin LaHood, the challenger candidate who has secured endorsements from every police organization in Peoria County began airing this commercial today (Friday, September 26th).

“The stakes are high in the State’s Attorney’s race,” said LaHood.

“Over the past year I’ve been campaigning and people have repeatedly told me that they’re feeling less and less secure in their own neighborhoods. I maintain that our present system of criminal justice in Peoria County is falling short of what we expect and deserve and it is my goal to win the State’s Attorney’s race to make Peoria County safer for all of us.”

Thanks to widespread support and hundreds upon hundreds of individual donors, LaHood has worked hard to be in a position to wage a television advertising campaign. LaHood expects to maintain a television presence throughout the campaign season.

“I am thankful to the hundreds of people who believe enough in this campaign to help us fund our operations. This is yet another clear signal that folks in Peoria are tired of having the dubious distinction of the highest crime rate in the state and that my plans for reversing this trend are gaining a lot of attention.”

LaHood has earned the support of all nine police organizations in the County; the collective reasoning amongst the different bureaus is that the present State’s Attorney has not done enough to keep repeat, violent criminals off Peoria Streets and it is time for a change.

Police unions representing the City and County of Peoria, Bartonville, Chillicothe, Peoria Heights and the Correctional Officers, as well as departments in Elmwood, Glasford and Norwood have all publicly announced support for LaHood.

Forty-year old Darin LaHood presently practices law with the Peoria Miller, Hall, & Triggs. Prior to that, he served as Chief Terrorism and Federal Prosecutor for four years with the U.S. Department of Justice in Las Vegas, Nevada. LaHood gained experience as a county prosecutor during years spent as an Assistant State’s Attorney in both Tazewell and Cook counties. LaHood and his wife, Kristen are both Peoria natives and are raising their three children in their hometown. They are active in numerous Peoria charitable and civic organizations and are members of St. Vincent de Paul Church. Visit www.DarinLaHood.com to learn more about Darin, volunteer opportunities, or to contribute to the campaign.

Bradley University

Pamphlet over the top, but not “first volley”

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Phil Luciano has another article today about the strained relations between Bradley frat houses and surrounding neighborhood associations, especially the Moss-Bradley Neighborhood Association. The story states that Moss-Bradley distributed pamphlets to student housing in the neighborhood, including Greek row, welcoming them to the neighborhood and letting them know what the expectations were from neighbors. Some of the statements in the pamphlet were a bit excessive:

For instance, there is this dart: “Red plastic cups or similar containers will be presumed to be disguising alcohol by underage drinkers. These activities will be reported to the Peoria Police Department.” Further, another line barks, “The presence of a beer keg at a student party indicates underage drinking and excessive consumption. We … Immediately will report such suspected activities to the Peoria Police Department and Bradley University officials.”

I think statements like these go too far. They’re paternalistic, not neighborly. It’s not the neighbors’ responsibility to ensure that underage college students are not drinking, anymore than it’s the neighbors’ responsibility to ensure that city council members are not drinking to excess at dinner parties. It’s fair to point out that excessive noise, littering, etc., will not be tolerated because these are the things that affect neighborhood quality of life. The presence of red plastic cups or kegs do not; calling the police over their mere presence is picking a fight.

However, I’m not buying the victim mentality of the students and their parents as presented in Luciano’s article, especially this idea that the neighborhood “fired the first volley” with this pamphlet. Pamphlets like these do not materialize in a vacuum. They were created because the student noise and littering problems came first. If we’re looking for a first cause here, it’s years of inconsiderate student behavior that has caused residents to organize and become more proactive. It reflects the frustration residents have with recurring problems they feel have not been adequately dealt with by the university and police enforcement.