You may recall that the sales tax increase for the proposed Peoria Riverfront Museum only closed the public funding goal, and that the museum group was still $11 million short on the private funding side. Whenever they were asked about this at town hall meetings before the vote, the answer was always that the CEO Roundtable had committed to raising $8 million of the remaining money from private sources, and that the museum group is “confident” that they can raise the remaining $3 million not covered by that.
The vote took place in early April. It’s now late July, and the Journal Star reports today, “Officials are trying to bridge a $5 million gap in public and private dollars still needed.” So it sounds like the CEO Roundtable has been unsuccessful in raising their promised $8 million (shocker!), leaving not a $3 million gap, but a whopping $5 million gap. Huh. Who’d have thought that a group so unsuccessful in raising private funds for this thing over the past ten years would have so much trouble closing an $11 million gap now?
In other news, Caterpillar, the company that lost $112 million the first quarter of 2009 and has been laying off lots of its workers, donated $100,000 to the “Friends of Build the Block” campaign, according to campaign finance reports. That $100,000 went toward marketing materials that proclaimed, “Over a 25-month construction period beginning in late 2009, The Block project will employ 250 to 300 local workers per month and contribute $1.8 million in monthly labor payroll to our area’s economy.”
Only it won’t actually do that. Almost immediately after the referendum passed, Caterpillar announced that it wouldn’t be building anything this year because of the economic downturn. And they haven’t given a date when they will start building it, either. Presumably, it will be after the economy recovers. So much for our “home-grown economic stimulus package.”
But the good news is that Peoria will still get the higher taxes it wanted. Those are still scheduled to begin in January, whether anything gets built or not. Probably the museum group won’t wait for that final $5 million to be raised before they start building. They’ll just start building anyway, and then when they start running short of money toward the end of the project, they’ll have another capital campaign, or another referendum, or some other gimmick to pry more money out of taxpayers’ pockets. By then it will be “too big to fail,” you know.
Since Jim Maloof is cutting Bradley out of his will, go to him for the money-this is a project that he will like.
Can’t wait to see the list of building contractors hired to ‘build’ the Block.
And when the construction phase is over…….? Twelve full-time employees and 30+ part-time. What an investment in our local economy!!!!!!!!!!
So….what do all of you ‘pro-museum’ people have to say now? Time to get out the bullsh_t shovels again!
HELLO!!!!
Where are all you loud-mouthed, do-gooder, museum supporters now?!?!?!?
You guys were raising all kinds of hell when the ONLY problem was sticking us po-folk with another tax burden.
and you all thought Build The Block was a grass roots campaign.
They could probably build the block $5 million under budget if they used non-union laborers.
…or used contractors who did their own work instead of hiring other companies to do it for them and taking a cut.
NV – you called?
If there was any doubt that the public actually voted for this thing with free will… $100,000 in marketing?
Diane,
Me?
No way!
Mr Owens, it’s not too late. Build your visitor center over here in East Peoria, where you don’t have to put up with all the political BS and gaps in funding…..you and I both know that block in Peoria is going to be empty for a very, very, very long time. We have this great little development going on, maybe you’ve heard of it, http://www.eastpeoria2010.com.
Despite the grand Poo-pahs, Peoria will get it done just fine. Run along now Cameron.
Um, I think that’s Poo-bah, not Poo-pah you’ve got your mind in the toilet.
11Bravo is correct… it is Poo-bah…”wearing a funny little hat.”
I can see Cameron is trying to be funny. Everyone knows East Peoria wouldn’t invest in a losing proposition. Notice Cameron requested Owens build the visitor’s center in EP……..
DON’T YOU WANT OUR SNAPPY MUSEUM?!?!?
Diane, do you run a construction company on the side? Do you happen to have a member of the family who plans to apply for one of the twelve full-time, thirty part-time jobs the museum will offer?
You don’t happen to know who will be pegged to run this little multi-million dollar waste of tax dollars……………do you?
Cameron, are you saying “it’s better THERE”?????
NV previously said “I like the fact that I don’t in live in Peoria City/County…….”
NV also said: “You guys were raising all kinds of hell when the ONLY problem was sticking us po-folk with another tax burden.”
Does NV have a dog in the Peoria County Fight?
We need a big poster that is reminicent of the Where’s Waldo? fame, except have a map of central Illinois and ask people to find NV.
This is way off base but don’t know really where to bring it up. It does deal with our tax dollars though.
Why is it that government agencies are allowed to purchase tickets to fundraisers for their board members and employees? They are spending OUR tax dollars to attend these events and I am tired of it. I have seen Citylink board and employees at functions when the tickets are 100.00 per person. I would think they could find better ways to spend OUR money. They already get paid to be on the board.
NV – I have absolutely no vested interest in the museum, other than I would love to highlight it as a regional amenity when introducing new families to our community.
Gee Precinct Guy,
What does your rambling have to do with that waste of money and space known as the regional museum?
Don’t be an idiot… I shop in Peoria, eat at the restaurants, etc. Just hate to think any of my money is going to go down the toilet like that. What’s your excuse? Do you and Diane think the museum ‘people’ will come up with the money?
I understand your predicament, Diane. Because you certainly can’t sell the schools, you can’t sell the zoo, you can’t sell the public works, and you can’t sell the racial integration of the community… what do you highlight as amenities to new people to the area?
Wildlife Prairie Park?
Golf Courses?
Country Clubs?
Minor league sports teams?
I really am curious, because I know why I live here. I just can’t imagine someone from outside the area saying to themselves… wow.. Peoria, now there is where I want to put down roots!
Bingo kcdad!!!!
You can’t sell the cake, so highlight the icing!!!
P.S……don’t forget about the shoppes at Grand Prarie…….whoops….there’s some empty stores sitting out there also….
But I have heard great things about the new addition to the zoo.
NV: you are just what the doctor ordered, spend your money in Peoria County not in your county.
I might spend some money in your county if I knew which one but I don’t have a dog in that fight.
You might complain if someone outside your fish bowl was critical of the issue. You might even remark that if you want to influence the situation then become a resident and vote for or against it. But I will not make that call.
Actually, I find it very easy “selling” Peoria. I have lived in many different communities throughout my life and I have never been more satisfied than living here. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its problems – but you’d have to agree we are striving to improve- despite the disagreements as to how.
Precinct,,
I am from Peo County. All my family live in Peo County. Currently, I live in Tazewell. I may even consider moving back to Peo County [Dunlap]. I have stake, as do many, in what goes on all over the tri-county area. You people WERE sticking your Build the Block signs all over the place if I recall.
Now. Are you going to spend all of your time TRYING to put me in my place…..
or will you [can you], find the time to address CJ’s post on this subject?
Very clever kcdad.
Diane,
I am born and raised Peoria. I have never had a problem with Peoria. In fact, I still love it. Are we talking about Peoria City or the surrounding burgs [Dunlap, Chilli, Limestone, etc….?]. It is difficult for me to think of Peoria [city] as the dreaded ‘inner-city,’ but that is what it is becoming [has become?].
Continuous improvements must be made to our streets, sidewalks, traffic signals and storm drainage systems. Priorities must be set and followed in order to effectively allocate resources and address the greatest needs first.
There [is] should be an effort to focus attention and resources to the city’s main entrance and high-traffic corridors.
Our city must continue increased efforts to secure our financial future through sound business techniques, long-range financial planning, innovative ideas and continuous improvements in our competitive position.
Early identification and response to financial challenges will allow for proper action steps to address financial pressures.
Discussions regarding expenses must be viewed within the big picture of city operations and with the long-term economic impact in mind.
We should always strive to obtain the greatest amount of quality service for the least citizen expense.
We should operate as a multimillion dollar business, managing expenses, seeking appropriate revenues and constantly benefiting our customers, the citizens of Rock Hill.
Citizens should be involved in determining the type and the service level they are willing to pay for and every possible expense reduction analyzed for its impact.
Every new service for consideration must be justifiable in regard to the service impact and cost.
We should constantly benchmark ourselves against other similar communities to maintain a proper perspective about our financial status and performance………
The list goes on and on……………………
Now. How much cash is the museum coming up short?
By the way, I used to live in Rock Hill, S.C. This is part of what they post on their city website.
http://www.ci.rock-hill.sc.us/dynSubPage.aspx?deptID=3&pLinkID=78
PRIORITIES PEOPLE!!!
NV writes … Early identification and response to financial challenges will allow for proper action steps to address financial pressures.
That would be priorities to keep the cupcake from deteriorating instead of speading our taxpayer dollars on icing and sprinkles and more icing and more sprinkles …
* Quality of Life
* Infrastructure
* Finances
* Regionalism
* Growth
* Human Relations
* Public Safety
* Partnerships
* City Government
* Economic Development
* Neighborhood Empowerment
THAT’S their problem… city government is way at the bottom… our City Council won’t stand for that.
“Actually, I find it very easy “selling” Peoria”
Really? I noticed you didn’t mention one selling point other than you are “satisfied”. IS that how you do it? You tell them how much you are satisfied and they say, “ok here’s my down payment”?
I think I am going to go into the real estate business…
Do I believe that construction jobs are any justification for the museum? No.
Do I believe the economic benefits will come anywhere close to the BS modeling performed by the Bradley professors? Absolutely not.
Do I want Peoria to have a modern and respectable museum as an attraction for new residents, a source of enjoyment and community pride for existing ones, and a major restoration component? Yes.
Am I willing to pay my fair share for it? Absolutely.
You see, if left solely to folks like many who write here, Peoria would never have any new development because no developer in its right mind would build anything that would conform to their standards and sensibilities. Also, there will always be a sidewalk in need of repair, a weed that needs pulled, or a pothole that exists somewhere in the city. Many seem to believe that such horrors that are so unique to Peoria simply must be eradicated completely before a single thin dime is spent on progress. The museum is not now nor will it ever be the most practical use of tax dollars, but if that was the sole criterion, Peoria would look the same as it did 100 years ago.
Further, I suspect that most of the bitching here is from people outside of Peoria or, if they are residents, those who didn’t peel their dead asses off their computer chairs long enough to get out and vote against the museum.
Oh, and kc, about a career in real estate? I recommend some behind-the-scenes role.
That was a three-pointer Nontimendum!
nontimendum,
I am sorry, but that was the dumbest argument for a museum I have ever heard. Just what exactly is YOUR fair share? Do you think wasting $100 million on a poorly designed museum is the way to get/keep Peoria on the map?!?
“The museum is not now nor will it ever be the most practical use of tax dollars, but if that was the sole criterion, Peoria would look the same as it did 100 years ago.”
– Are you serious? You need to get off your “dead ass” and do a little more research before you spout off on the PC.
And…. just in case its me you a writing about…I can guarantee that I had been a Peoria City/County resident longer than you [and many others who post on this site]. Like I said, I work in Peoria. My entire family resides somewhere in Peoria County.
AND WE ALL VOTED AGAINST ANOTHER TAX!!
Try fixing your school goofus. See how many new residents will come!
“Do I want Peoria to have a modern and respectable museum as an attraction for new residents, a source of enjoyment and community pride for existing ones, and a major restoration component? Yes.”
You did ask and answer the next question: Is this THAT museum? NO! It will not be modern (cardboard and wooden river?). respectable (by whom?) nor an attraction for new residents…. it may be one now because it is all hypothetical… “We are going to have a museum… WITH AN IMAX!!!!” but no such dream exists.
That was a four-pointer kcdad!
There is no such thing as a four-pointer. Duh.
Two two-pointers = 4 points. Are you playing basketball or football?
You mean back when Peoria was growing and industry was booming? Yeah, whatever we do, let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again. It’s much better to be stuck in our malaise of debt and unemployment.
Peoria’s population doubled in size between 1909 (100 years ago) and 1945. In 1945, the population was 116,000 and the city was about 12.6 square miles. We now have a population of about 113,000 and the city is about 50 square miles. Yes, we certainly have made “progress” haven’t we? As we lose population, we add land mass, and not surprisingly we don’t have enough revenue to maintain all the infrastructure. Then, instead of using what revenue we do have to maintain the infrastructure and use it to lure new business and industry, we build civic centers, health clubs, and hotels to compete with private businesses.
I don’t know how much more of that kind of “progress” we can afford. It certainly doesn’t appear to be working too well.
Four pointer
http://www.phschool.com/eteach/professional_development/four-point_rubric_score/essay.html
I am a teacher
I have lived outside of peoria and I personally feel that the people who are born and raised, whatever you want to call it, here have a far worse opinion of this city then us transplants. I have noticed that people from here bitch about how bad Peoria is and Im sorry I just dont see it. As far as the museum goes I voted for it and I have no problem saying that. I am willing to pay additional taxes to have a museum and unfortunatly for some of you on here it seems that the majority agree with that opinion.
Kcdad I moved to Peoria and bought a house and was sold on it because its cheap, fairly modern, big enough to be a city but not to big, fairly safe and even with a low paying job you can have a fairly high quality of life. I mean as a teacher you are well aware of how well you can live with what is considered an “underpaid job”. When you start getting into real estate there are a few selling points for you if you need more help just ask.
CJ ummmmm your comment is way off base. Your comparing apples to donkeys. Totally different time periods, economies, socio economic settings etc…Times have changed, its a different world, time to come out of the bunker.
Stephen, it isn’t people born in the area. It is people born in the area older than about 35, for whatever reason that seems to be the separation. Maybe it has something to do with the economy of the 80s, I dunno.
Stephen,
Obviously have NOT lived here long enough!
Anyway, do you think the current time period, economy, socio economic setting, etc, warrants another new local tax and the construction of multi-million dollar museum? Especially one that even ‘nontimendum’ agrees will not come close to providing Peoria with the big econo-boom it was supposed to.
How far are you and you museum supporters willing to go to make this museum a reality…?
Don’t forget something, most of the people on this site who voted against the museum voted NO because of the current museum design plan. The people who have been advocating the current museum plan have been doing it for years and gotten nowhere. They are amateurs in every respect and it shows.
11BRAVO,
How old are you?!? 12?
“was sold on it because its cheap, fairly modern, big enough to be a city but not to big, fairly safe and even with a low paying job you can have a fairly high quality of life.”
You just described podunkville. I presume “high quality of life” means you can sit on your stoop, drink a beer, smoke and throw rocks at the birds… and still have a little money saved for when WWF comes to town.
Whar ya hail from, Stephen? Crainville?
“Maybe it has something to do with the economy of the 80s, I dunno.”
Maybe it has to do with witnessing the same thing over and over and over and over and over again…
Peoria is one the few towns of any size that has deteriorated over the past 40 years… The only REAL improvements were the Stadium for the Chiefs and the I-74 upgrade, which wasn’t really necessary. Oh, they did paint the bridges a couple of times…
NV Whatever your opinion is the majority of the voters support the museum. I know that there are alot of people who oppose it but at the end of the day the voters decided that they did want a multi million dollar museum built with tax money.
Kcdad you really jumped on the chance to attack me personally and it makes you look really bad. If you must know I have a college degree, I moved here from Washington DC and for your information I do enjoy sitting on my deck and drinking a beer. Try leaving the area and you’ll see what Im talking about. My mortgage here is less then a months rent in DC. Try NY City on for size and you’ll see that the cost of living here is very appealing for some and on top of that I would love to have a museum to enjoy while I live here.
The Chiefs Stadium……. really? A minor league baseball stadium in your opinion is a REAL improvement. I know they really pack them in down there.
Oh and NV my wife and I have lived here for four years.
Oh and kcdad I hope you understand when I say that I have a college degree that means I am not into wwf and I work a full time job. When I say low paying job I mean that you can make under 60,000 and afford to buy a home, own a car, buy food and at the end of the day still have money for savings and entertainment. Also Peoria is conveniently located between St. Louis and Chicago which means it is cheap to live here and on the weekends I can easily get to larger cities if I want to enjoy something other then WWF or a Chiefs game.
“at the end of the day the voters decided” a VERY small percentage voters … I think the figure was less than 11% of the county eligible voters…
“When I say low paying job I mean that you can make under 60,000” 60k puts one in the top 80% of income earners… that’s “low” pay?
I think if you apply your college education to rereading my post you will see I acknowledged the stadium (first and foremost)… you got any other great improvements you want to suggest?
It just goes to prove that having a degree doesn’t mean anything really other than perseverance…
Stephen,
There is no point to this, NV has occasional flashes of brilliance (when he agrees with me 🙂 ), but KC won’t be satisfied until everyone is as miserable as he is.
I said UNDER 60,000. Meaning that includes everyone at and UNDER 60,000. I would say you could live reasonablly well in Peoria on 25,000 if that helps you.
The voters did decide. VOTERS. Those who didnt vote are not included. A majority of those that VOTED decided they wanted a museum. Those that didnt VOTE are not included. Sorry the population that agree with your point of view did not chose to VOTE but my statement is a fact. The VOTING population voted in favor of a museum.
I did read your post. I think it is laughable that you view a minor league baseball stadium as a REAL inprovement in Peoria.
I worked very hard for my degree and as far as the value of a college degree I think that most employers would disagree with your opinion. Thats why you really cant get a job without one….
I’m just stating the facts. We’ve gone from a compact, population-growing city to a sprawling, population-shrinking city. Are you saying that can be completely attributed to external forces (changing times, economies, socio-economic settings, etc.)? That the decisions made by city councils down through the years are not in any way responsible for the current situation?
Yes, most unfortunately… for everyone except that small percentage of residents who voted in favor of it.
We should all thank those who voted their views of support for either side of the Facility tax issue. Especially those who are related to NV of Tazewell County and maybe sometime in the future of Peoria County.
Stephen, it has become obvious that unless you built the first court house in Peoria County you have not lived here long enough to be considered a long time resident.
Your views will be discounted unless you have knowledge and experience that is second only to the Creator and can be verified by three of the founding fathers.