From the Journal Star:
With the allocation of $140,000 in engineering fees for the Peoria Riverfront Museum, the Peoria County Board is moving forward with the $77 million project even as issues of just who will run the place, and how, remain unresolved.
That’s right, they’re going to do an environmental assessment and engineering review of the proposed parking lot design. This is a parking lot that all studies have shown isn’t necessary in the first place. But here they are, getting ready to build it, despite a lack of funds for the museum building itself.
On the bright side, several county board members are getting frustrated with the museum group. Whereas Merle Widmer used to be the only dissenting vote on museum matters, these latest actions have seen five board members vote nay. All we need are four more to switch sides and we can finally put a stake through this ill-conceived plan.
What exactly qualifies Mark Johnson to be the museum consultant to the county board? His extensive background in museum studies? History? Archaeology? Historical preservation?
Actually, when you consider the whose-who of the current museum project, what qualifies any of these ‘yahoos’ to develop a multi-million museum project? Maybe this is one reason they can’t seem to find anyone to run the damn thing.
Stalled? They’re still having meetings on how the utilities will serve the property…..
And the one portion of Block project that has the least value, the parking garage, proceeds because it’s funded thru the public tax trough continues. WASTE, WASTE, WASTE.
Only 20 shopping days left in the county! Get your shit before you help pay for this boondoggle!
WHY are these studies being paid for by the COUNTY? Shouldn’t this be paid for out of the PRIVATE donations to Build the Block? I thought the tax referendum was for the CONSTRUCTION of the MUSEUM—not “studies” for a parking lot that will be used for Caterpillar’s (maybe) visitor’s center.
Jim, thanks for putting in print what I’ve been thinking—albeit a bit more colorfully. Hope the East Peoria Wal-Mart is stocking up on taxable essentials (toilet paper, pet food, clothing & shoes, etc). I for one will be making a monthly trip from Chillicothe for these items rather than pay the .25% tax to fund this white elephant.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the studies for this underground parking goes since Water Street floods regularly. The idea of raising Water Street and there by adding more flooding to the underground of the Platform of offices and restaurants on the riverfront and flooding the railroad tracks is going to be interesting. I know FRA is not going to allow that so it is going to be interesting to see how they get around it. But for the price they are paying for the study they should be able to solve any problem in town.
It would help some of the other 13 board members in their decision making if some of the “no” voters would show up at these meetings. Arrive slightly before 6 on the 2nd Thursday of every month and sign up to speak. The “outspoken environmentalists” do it all the time. They are all open to the public and dates are posted on the county web site.
It appears more of the museum commitee shortfall of private dollars is going to be made up of public tax dollars. Our administrator appears to be interested in using sales tax dollars to also fund the needed $7 million endowment. But he has promised to do no building before the missing money is on hand.
Unfortunatly, a great deal of missing private sector funds appear to be in pledges. These days, pledges have questionable value.
Cash counts. Watch for the administrator to call a “special” meeting o tne museum situation. These will all be OPM.
See you soon at a meeting.
Given the ‘tone’ and info passed on by the last few Journal Star articles concerning the museum, I would think that the 13 county board members still pushing for this project would be more than a little….embarrassed.
“Board member Mike Phelan said, “When promises are made and made to the public and this board and are not fulfilled and are slow on being fulfilled, it casts doubt on this whole project.”
Has Phelan been living in a cave?
Prior to the tax vote, at least half of Peoria County had its ‘doubts’ about this project. Given the current situation, I would be willing to bet that MOST of the voters in Peoria County are having their doubts.
Mel seems to have little trouble finding Peoria Chronicle on the net. Wish Phelan would chime in…..let us know what he is REALLY thinking.
I wish to nominate some people for the
Board of Directors for the Museum Project, people who have served the public and not benefited a dime from it: Dick Carver, Jim Maloof, Pete Vonachen,and former Mayor Grieves.
jim maloof has already screwed the riverfront royaly once. learn from your mistakes.
I believe today’s Fox News solves the questions of the missing museum money. It will come from taxpayer dollars taken from this area and returned to this area courtesy of our local legislators but not for REAL things we need to stimulate the economy but in temporary jobs followed by increasing local taxes reaching a crescendo by 2017. Or sooner.
What increasing taxes?:
City of Peoria bloated pension plans. Study your property tax bill when received.
Museum. $75+ or – million in sales taxes starting on Jan. 1, 2010. Interest on the borrowed money, you know.
$48 million new Bellwood. Payback $80 million
#150 School District – $120 million will be in the works or committed before 2012.
New libraries; $27 million with a payback of $55 million
Sewer system. $100-300 million
Public Pensions increasing
New highway engineering and planning.
Elevated income taxes
Healthcare taxes rising plus who is going to pay for all the hospital expansion?
No decrease in property taxes. County Administrator calculates 3% EVA increase each year for next 20-30 years.
Plus keep and eye on the expanded Pere with City (taxpayers) backed General Obligation bonds. Possible risk to property tax payers – $80 million.
Water rates rising as ancient infrastructure crumbles.
Electricity rates rising.
And a lot I’ve overlooked like inflation bound to come. Possibly the County Owned Riverfront Museum that will bleed cash the first year it’s open. And don’t overlook the Peoria Park District new zoo, much higher maintenance expenses than an existing zoo losing an average of $400,000 a year. Plus the unpaid tax bond for the RiverPlex. Plus PPD promised ball parks promised in 2003 and as yet unbuilt, etc. Reason, no funds without raising taxes. More new business moving to Tazewell County as just announced.
The news on the sources of musuem funding from more public dollars will come before years end when more people are reading less.
Some of my last years predictions will come true. Unfortunately.
Jim: just said tongue in cheek-don’t you know the history of those four? And there are others.
Moody’s downgrades Illinois debt ratings
Karen Pierog
CHICAGO
Tue Dec 8, 2009 3:01pm EST
Related News
* Cautious optimism as job losses slow
Fri, Nov 20 2009
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday downgraded Illinois’ general obligation bond rating to A2 from A1, citing the state’s financial woes stemming from the U.S. recession.
U.S.
Institutional momentum is the problem with all these white elephant projects. Some group-think cadre has decided it’s going to happen and BY GOD IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN!