Category Archives: Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce announces new officers

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From a press release:

Peoria, IL (August 26, 2008) – The new board members and officers for the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce are seated and ready for the upcoming year. The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce would like to recognize these new members and express its appreciation for the contributions that these individuals bring to the organization.

The new board members for the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce are:

Kenneth Baum (Otto Baum Company, Inc.)
Thomas Fliege (Hawk Agency Inc.)
Karen Jensen (Farnsworth Group)
Jonathan Williams (Commerce Bank, N.A.)
Bob Woolsey (Jones Bros. Jewelers Inc.)

The Chamber’s new officers are:

Chairman Debbie Ritschel (Peoria Civic Center)
Vice Chairman Charles Purcell (G & D Integrated)
Treasurer Michael Wiesehan (Lippmann’s Furniture & Interiors)

Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Inconsistency

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Magic 8-BallIn today’s article about the Peoria County Finance Committee’s meeting regarding the proposed museum, I was struck most by this line:

Roberta Parks, chief operating officer of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce . . . said the chamber at this point doesn’t have a position on whether it would support a sales tax or property tax to help fund the museum.

I wish I could figure out any rhyme or reason to the Chamber’s endorsement or non-endorsement of tax increases. They supported the library referendum, which would add “$50.00 a year in increased property taxes per $100,000 of assessed valuation or EAV.” But they don’t support the City of Peoria raising property taxes $10.00 a year per $100,000 of EAV to pay for police or fire protection. And now, they have no opinion on a whether to support a plan that would increase property taxes by $22.00 a year per $100,000 of EAV to pay for a downtown museum.

The only answer I can come up with is that they make these decisions by asking a Magic 8-Ball: $50 for libraries? “It is certain.” $10 for basic services, like public safety? “My reply is no.” $22 for a museum? “Cannot predict now.”

Does the Chamber have any credibility? “My sources say no.”

Chamber of Commerce, City of Peoria

Chamber of Commerce inconsistent on tax increases

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Here’s an interesting postscript to the library referendum vote. The last time the idea of a property tax increase was floated was in 2003 when some city council members suggested it to eliminate the dreaded garbage fee. At that time, the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce had this to say (according to City of Peoria minutes from 11/25/2003):

Ms. Roberta Parks, 124 S. W. Adams, Suite 300, Chief Operating Officer of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, requested that the Council vote against a property tax increase. She said a property tax increase would send a negative message to the business community and it made it more difficult to encourage business expansion and attracting new business to the area.

But this year, during the library’s push for a property tax increase, the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed that tax increase.

The inconsistency is especially surprising when you consider that, if we were to raise property taxes enough to eliminate the “garbage fee,” which actually has nothing to do with garbage but rather pays for police patrols and general deficit relief, it would cost $36 more annually on a $100,000 home. If the City Council passes the library referendum, which would update some branches, close a couple in south Peoria and build a new branch in north Peoria, it will cost $50 more annually on a $100,000 home.

Did you catch that? Eliminate garbage fee = +$36/year for $100,000 home. Library referendum = +$50/year for $100,000 home.

Does the Chamber think that increasing taxes for police protection will hurt business, but increasing taxes for libraries will help? What message are they trying to send?

Updated 4/30/2007