In Karen McDonald’s Sunday Journal Star article about the status of “uni-gov” negotiations between the City and County, she had a lengthy quote from Peoria County Treasurer Tripp O’Connor:

“We live within our means. The (city) lives how they want to live. We’ve done everything right,” O’Connor said.

He called the uni-gov concept a “bailout to save one government” that lacks a solid financial structure.

O’Connor said he’s only in favor if both city and county governments “start from scratch and design and build a government that can operate effectively in modern times.”

“I am not in favor of combining a well run organization with a poorly run organization. I am in favor of having a single cost-effective government structure that could operate financially responsibly and serve the citizens of Peoria County.”

I used to feel this way about Peoria County, but not anymore. Not since they made the same mistake as the City in backing a $6.6 million loan for Firefly, for which they’re now liable. Not since they decided to pursue non-core services like museums to the tune of $40 million. Not since they decided to break their word to the taxpayers and agree to build the proposed Peoria Riverfront Museum before all the money had been raised and collected, putting taxpayers at increased risk. Not since they decided to rebuild Belwood Nursing Home at a time when tax revenue is declining.

No, Peoria County is embarking on the same path that the City of Peoria has been on for a long time. They’ve decided they’re going to “live how they want to live,” to use O’Connor’s words. The days of fiscal conservatism at the County are over.