The museum supporters are pulling out all the stops to ram their proposed museum plans down our throats — at taxpayer expense, no less. So the question I have is, should we organize to oppose it? In a recent survey of 1,000 people, 300 of them didn’t want the museum at all, and nearly 300 who wanted the museum didn’t support any of the taxing options presented to them. The question is likely to be put on the ballot as a referendum next year.
My thought is that we should start a coordinated effort to oppose a tax increase of any kind (property, sales, local, regional, etc.) to fund the museum. It would not be an organization opposed to the museum, per se — just opposed to taxpayer funding of it. In fact, if the question does go on the ballot, the organization could be dedicated specifically to urging people to vote “no” on the referendum.
What do you think? And what would be a catchy name for our resistance effort?
Amazeum No
I don’t think the County was having the survey to promote the idea of a tax increase but to gage the response in a survey before going to all the trouble of getting legislation written, forming a possible area museum district and then having a referendum to create a district and/or a tax rate. I do agree that the results were given the most positive spin but at least they published the full results.
Forgot the answer the question.
SOM – Stop Our Museum – Help us not raise $75 million dollars.
How about P.E.O.R.I.A.
Peoria
Eternally
Opposed to
Redevelopment
In our
Area
sorry that first word should have been “People” but you get the gist B-)
You guys are so amusing.
You know, there are other options besides a new tax. For instance, they could redesign their building so it’s multi-story and sits on a smaller footprint on the block. They could take out the Lakeview portion of the project (why should taxpayers be saddled with the cost of moving Lakeview downtown?) and just make it a history and achievement museum — that would save a ton of money right there.
It’s really not that people are against a museum. They’re just against the high cost and poor design of the museum that’s currently proposed. The museum folks need to go back to square one and come up with a project that is affordable and has popular support.
If they put it to vote I think the people will speak their wishes. If the museum people are able to sell the concept to the voters then that’s what people want. If they don’t do a good job selling it then people will vote a tax increase down. I don’t see a need for an organized opposition. If they try and raise taxes without a vote, well then that is a different story.
I would visit a history museum maybe once. You need something that is going to draw people from around the state over and over again. I do like your idea of a more condensed development though and leave room for some other things.
You better be organized and ready to fight the Arts People ( and they do vote); if they get an okay on a referendum, up go the buildings and taxes. Never underestimate, be prepared.
C.J. – I can agree with you there. We need a draw that distinguishes us from every other “wanting to improve” community. More of the same or something that is only half-baked won’t do it. It has to be something people can go to again and again and again (or else have a residential/commercial component that can assist in underwriting the costs).
A better option would have been to co-locate the Children’s Museum down there with Lakeview and Caterpillar. If you’ve never been to the City Museum in St. Louis you need to check it out. It’s a great place for both adults and children (though the focus is on children). They have redeveloped an old warehouse type building utilizing construction cast-offs, historical building artifacts from demolished buildings, and scavenged items from buildings being demolished, etc. It’s truly a wonderful time and incorporates an interactive experience with a learning experience. Something like that combined with the more traditional museum would have been unique. Coupled with the CAT museum, even more so. Include some unique retail and “artist” quarters and wow…that block might have had a true impact on the town.
I also support a museum concept but am not conceptually wowed by what is being planned. I’m not sure the value for the money is there. But we need to help them understand what would work and what is desired.
“If the museum people are able to sell the concept to the voters then that’s what people want.”
Just like the library folks sold the $35,ooo,ooo idea to the people. How can you be against a museum??? Unfortunately, too many uneducated people (uneducated on issues) vote in favor of referendum such as these.
BTW, St. Louis City Museum is way cool. I’m not sure of how they are funded though. Door price is $15 per person, or was last summer.
We should be modeling our museum after the City Museum. That’s what will bring people, families, kids etc. We travel down to St. Louis a couple of times a year to go there. They change things everytime you go. Would I travel to the museum they are proposing on the riverfront? Maybe once.
As far as the vote goes, if you don’t vote you can’t complain. What is the turnout for a local election, maybe 20% of registered voters? If you don’t want your taxes raised then get out and vote but if you don’t vote shut up and don’t complain, its that simple.
POULTRY People Opposed to Ugly Land use and Taxes Raised Yearly. Think of the puns,Community members balk at Museum concept. Peoria citizens cry fowl!
Brad — you are correct — the museum is a fiasco as planned and will be another drain on our pocketbooks for decades to come not to mention the misuse of the Sears block. BeanCounter — hilarious! 🙂
I think it’s important that people be educated as to the issues, that’s why we need to organize. There are those who think they don’t pay property taxes, for instance. They rent, ergo, they don’t pay. It’s nonsense of course. The landlord pays the tax and passes it on in the form of higher rent. Then there’s the sales tax. The taxers market it as, say, a half a cent. That sounds like nothing. We can all afford that. Of course, if they tell you every time you buy $100 worth of clothes at Walmart, you are paying 50 cents to the museum on top of the, what $8.00 (not sure), you are paying other governmental parasites, then people start to think.
No tax increase to be sure. I agree with CJ. Why should we pay to move Lakeview to new digs? I am also not opposed to ‘A’ museum, just not this museum. My two main points?
1.) Renovate pre-existing building. It could serve as a [real] Peoria history museum. It could also support offices for the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, etc. Use this place to really market Peoria…show the world we have a truly unique past and build on that.
2.) Lakeview has had a few cute exhibits, but nothing that will ever draw the big crowds. I believe that Lakeview and the rest of the Museum Group would be in way over their heads trying to run a larger [museum] facility. They have proven over and over they are not geared toward history and/or historic preservation. Actually, they have been extremely irresponsible with this city’s historic past. I would even argue that they have done this city an injustice by letting it’s history ‘slip’ away on several occasions.
Lakeview has HAD the chance to present this museum to the public in a positive light for YEARS!!! Only now they feel it necessary to change their ‘marketing’ strategy?!? Maybe, somewhere they have been hiding a large group of people who actually know soemthing aboput MUSEUMS? How refreshing would that be? No more listening to glorified secretaries and/or former CEOs talking ‘museum talk.’
City Museum in St.Louis is privately owned and has residents living in the same building.
It is a great place to visit; any age.
Why didn’t you think of this when they were putting restaurants on stilts on the riverfront? A downtown museum would help revive downtown and bring in more events and tourists to the area. We could have used the bailout money for WTVP if they had put condos or apartments in their building!
Some museums would draw tourists, just not the one Lakeview is proposing.
If anything we should organize and come up with a new plan for the block. I so do not want to see a large concrete plaza down there. Just what we don’t need another suburban development in downtown Peoria. It will be crime if they are allowed to use 3/4 of the Sears block. We wont’ get another chance in our lifetime.
No tax period. If it is so great then it should stand alone without tax money. Heck we are taxed for the civic center, gateway and on and on. Put somthing down there that will generate taxes that will help pay for police,fire,streets,and schools. The free rides on tax money needs to stop.
The Peoria Civic Center is a different deal. In the big picture if generates revenue for the city through increased sales tax from visitors spending money at all the business’s around town.
March Madness in itself is a huge draw.
The museum is the same deal as the civic center they hope to draw people to spend money at other places. My question is how mutch money stays in peoria? or how mutch is lost? and what is the return on the taxes they pay less the debt and operations that is on the civic center. I think it would be a greater loss on return on the museum.