Much has been written on this, both in my blog and at the NoMuseumTax.org website, so I won’t go through all the standard arguments again. What I would like to do briefly is respond to a few of the more common rebuttals I’ve heard.
- First, there is the rebuttal that absent this museum plan, the block will remain vacant for years to come. Museum supporters base this belief on their assertion that the block has been vacant for fifteen years, and if anyone had wanted to develop it, it would have happened by now. The premise is completely false. Sears closed their downtown store and moved to Northwoods Mall in September of 1998, which is about ten and a half years ago, not fifteen. Plans to put a history museum on the block surfaced the same year, before Sears even closed its doors. Furthermore, the City of Peoria bought the Sears block in July of 1998 — also before the store closed. The city, on the advice of the Riverfront Business District Commission, started the process of putting out requests for proposals on the site in March 2000 to see what private developers would be interested. In July 2000, they aborted that process, deciding instead to wait until a “comprehensive study of the downtown” could be completed. That study came in 2002 and is called the Heart of Peoria Plan. Yet, after the plan was completed, the City didn’t put out RFPs based on that plan, they just gave the bock to the museum in September 2003 when they signed the first redevelopment agreement. The block has been locked up ever since. This block, which has been described as the “crown jewel” of Peoria and the most valuable piece of property in downstate Illinois, will most assuredly be redeveloped if the museum proposal doesn’t pan out. Given the state of the economy, it will likely take a little time for mixed-use development to happen, but I’ll bet a lot more is built in six years of private development than has been built in the last six years while we’ve been waiting for the museum to get its act together.
- Second, there’s the rebuttal that any development on the block will require a public subsidy, so why not just give it to the museum? I won’t dispute that some public subsidy will be needed, if for no other reason than that the council has set a precedent of handing out subsidies like candy. The question is how much of a subsidy, and how much of a return for that subsidy can we expect? This sales tax is only the latest in a long list of subsidies the museum has already been given. They’re being leased the land — which is estimated to cost several million dollars alone — for $1 a year. They’re in a tax increment financing (TIF) district. They’ve been promised no small amount of public infrastructure improvements around the block, most notably on Water Street. And the City of Peoria is going to own, operate, and maintain the underground parking deck once it’s built. Then there are all the state and federal funds the museum has received. Yet on top of all that, they want $40 million more in public subsidy from the county. And this is for a private, not-for-profit business that will charge admission and pay no property or sales taxes itself. If the city were to give the land to a private developer along with the existing TIF incentive, I bet that would be enough subsidy without having to tap the taxpayers for $40 million extra in bonds. Plus, we’d increase the property tax base and bring in sales tax to boot.
- Third, there’s the Civic Center rebuttal. It sounds like this: “Can you imagine Peoria without the Civic Center? It was built in hard economic times, too, and now look at what an asset it is to the community! This is our generation’s ‘Civic Center’ moment.” The problem with this argument is that our generation has already had its “Civic Center moment.” Our generation just borrowed and spent $55 million to expand the Civic Center, plus we’re spending another $40 million to put an attached hotel next to it. That’s a total of $95 million in public investment. This was also supposed to stimulate our economy and make us a tourist destination. How quickly that’s been forgotten. How many “Civic Center moments” can we afford? Think about it. At the same time supporters want us to raise taxes for an “education and entertainment” complex, the city is talking about laying off police officers and cutting road maintenance in half, and our local school district is closing schools right and left. What’s wrong with this picture?
Finally, the idea that a “yes” vote will somehow prove that Peoria “believes in itself” is nothing more than touchy-feely marketing spin. Peoria believes in itself. Look around. Peoria has all kinds of educational and entertainment opportunities: the recently expanded Glen Oak Zoo, Wildlife Prairie State Park, the Peoria Civic Center, multiple movie theaters, Cornstock Theater, Peoria Players, Peoria Chiefs baseball, Bradley basketball, Rivermen hockey, Peoria Pirates indoor football, and yes, even Lakeview Museum. Many of these have been done with large amounts of public investment. To chastise taxpayers as uninterested in quality of life issues if they reject this latest tax after all the money they’ve poured into these projects is an insult to Peoria’s residents.
Don’t be fooled. A “no” vote on the sales tax is an honorable vote. It reflects not only fiscal responsibility, but also faith in the community — faith that we can do better, that we can be patient in achieving our vision, and that we can work together to build a better block for all Peorians.
Very well written. You could have also added:
4 – Where does the rest of the money come from to build it? Even if the sales tax passes the project is still several million dollars from being fully funded and that assumes that all of the existing pledges are honored.
Absolutely perfect. Maybe once the PJS closes its doors and its online replacement starts looking for a someone to write editorials, they might hire you. Current PJS editorial writer Mike Bailey can get a job at the carwash. At this point, I doubt even the movers-and-shakers he shills for have much respect for him.
Our Civic Center moment?? We should LEARN from that. If the Civic Center was such the godsend, we STILL wouldn’t be paying the TEMPORARY HRA tax to support it. There would be all sorts of businesses and restaurants open downtown to cater to the infusion of people the CC would draw, however, the opposite is true.
And I don’t think voting NO is honorable, I think it is the only vote.
Does anyone remember a few years ago when the Civic Center made the grand proclamation that they were finally operating in the black? And shortly after that, the powers that be had to try and find a way to spend the tax revenues? Voila! The expansion! A $55 million promissory note to be paid in full by our children.
The museum group’s own estimates say that 1/4% sales tax will cost the average taxpayer $17 a year. If you extrapolate that to 2% and 27 years, I’ve spent over $3500 in sales tax for the Civic Center — enough to pay my property taxes for more than a year.
And I’m still paying. And so is my husband.
And my children.
And my parents and in-laws.
And everyone else I know.
“…Pretty soon we’re talking real money.”
Suffice it to say, I’m voting NO.
You know, I can’t even remember the last event I attended at the Civic Center.
Martha,
Unlike you I do attend a few events at the Civic Center every year and they are not sports related. Those visits draw me due to the nature of the events booked which means appeal due to diversity. Do the block backers really believe the public will keep returning time after time to see their museum? I’m even to the point now that I skip years between the mundane annual home builders’ show and the auto show – 24 months in between them makes them a little less boring. Just vote NO on Tuesday!
I probably would attend more at the Civic Center… I just can’t afford it. For one person, it’s moderately unreasonable… with three children, it’s out of the question.
The museum won’t be any different. Exhibits brought here with the intention of educating your children, and most people won’t be able to afford even the “County Resident reduced price”….. whatever that may end up being….
A letter to the editor in today’s PJS–advocating a “yes” vote for the museum–is signed by some of the current leadership of the Peoria Federation of Teachers. I don’t know if the letter represents the whole membership of PFT or just the current leaders. And to me, that is neither here nor there (whatever that cliche means). I am just curious as to why the union leadership picked this particular issue about which to write instead of addressing some of the momentous and immediate issues facing District 150. I believe the union membership (the teachers) and the public would be far more interested in where the PFT leadership stands on school closings and increased class sizes rather than on their opinions about the museum vote. Certainly, the PFT president has not made his views on any topic public for quite some time (I would say months)–and he didn’t sign the “museum” letter; therefore, I would assume that the letter probably is not the official “word” from PFT.
Sharon,
I agree with you. Pres. Glasser of Bradley and Pres. Irwin of ICC, both claim that their respective institutions are with them in supporting the museum project. Irwin even suggested that HE spoke for ALL of ICC!
I am sure that many area children will be filtered through; field trips, scouts, etc., but what will this do for PRMs bottom-line? How will this museum EVER manage to meet its [paying] attendance goals?
…..just counting down the days until PRM is asking for ANOTHER handout.
Sharon & New Voice – It is a shame that institutions like Bradley and ICC don’t have a more public voice as to the direction our local public school should be taking.
Frustrated,
Interesting thought.
Possibly the most well-written and concise reason to not vote for this.
Nicely done.
your preaching to the choir cj
who’s mind do you think you going to change that reads your blog?
we all have our minds up.
Anyone who has an open one. Anyone who who doesn’t have a vested interest in the museum… I just love the union contractors TV commercial.. this will provide 200 some jobs!!! Yeah… for a year or so, then what? Another publicly funded project? Didn’t the I-74 construction overflow enough bank accounts?
The idea that Erwin or Glasser speak for their respective institutions is laughable. Take a look at the Board of TRUSTEES of the institutions, that is who they speak for.
For ICC:
Robert R. Ehrich; Pekin
Retired – Private Practice of Dentistry
Trustee, 1976 – present
Timothy L. Elder; Dunlap
Director of Corporate Public Affairs, Caterpillar Inc.
Trustee, March 2008 – present
Mary A. Heller; Peoria
Retired – The Leadership Development Center – Bradley University
Trustee, 1991 – present
David J. LaHood; East Peoria
Retired – Caterpillar Inc.
Trustee, 2007 – present
James K. Polk (Chair); Peoria
President – Balance Stone Strategy Group
Trustee, 1993, 1998 – present
James G. Sherman; Metamora
Retired – President and CEO, Peoria Children’s Home
Trustee, 2005 – present
Sue K. Yoder; East Peoria
Vice President – Marketing & Business Development, CEFCU
Trustee, 1999 – present
and for Bradley:
Mr. Gerald L. Shaheen, Chairman
Retired Group President
Caterpillar Inc.
Peoria, IL
Mr. Michel A. McCord, Vice Chairman
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Illinois Mutual Life Insurance Company
Peoria, IL
Ms. Kay W. McCurdy, Secretary
Partner/Attorney
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
Chicago, IL
Mr. Keith L. Alm
Chairman
O-Sage Power Equipment LLC
Kansas City, MO
Mr. Wayne E. Baum
Chairman of the Board
CORE Construction Services
Morton, IL
Mr. Carl M. Birkelbach
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Birkelbach Investment Securities Inc.
Chicago, IL
Mr. Robert J. Clanin
Retired Chief Financial Officer
United Parcel Service of America Inc.
Alpharetta, GA
Ms. Cheryl D. Corley
Midwest Reporter
National Public Radio
Chicago, IL
Mr. Michael N. Cullinan
President
R.A. Cullinan & Sons, Inc.
Tremont, IL
Joanne K. Glasser, Esq.
President
Bradley University
Peoria, IL
Ms. Georgina E. Heard
Deputy Director of Strategic Planning
IL Department of Employment Security
Chicago, IL
Mr. William P. Heidrich
Partner, Hackmeyer-Heidrich Real Estate
President, Oakriver Foundation
Peoria, IL
Mrs. Joan L. Janssen
Community Volunteer
Peoria, IL
Mr. Wayne G. Klasing
Retired President/Chief Executive Officer
Klasing Industries, Inc.
Joliet, IL
Mr. Michael A. Landwirth
Chairman/Principal
Wald/Land Corporation
Peoria, IL
Mr. Rex K. Linder
Senior Partner
Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen
Peoria, IL
Mr. Judson C. Mitchell
Retired Vice President, Human Resources
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
Mr. Harry L. Puterbaugh
President
Leisy Brewing Company
Peoria Heights, IL
Mr. David P. Ransburg
Retired Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
L.R. Nelson, Corporation
Peoria, IL
Mrs. Michele J. Richey
Chief Financial Officer
Tri-City Machine Products, Inc.
Peoria, IL
Mr. Mel J. Smith
President
Investment Concepts, Inc.
Chicago, IL
Mr. Rajesh K. Soin
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Soin International
Dayton, OH
Mr. Thomas E. Spurgeon
Business Development Officer
Lincoln Office
Peoria, IL
Mr. Douglas S. Stewart
Regional President
National City Bank
Peoria, IL
Mr. Robert E. Turner
Chairman/Chief Investment Officer
Turner Investment Partners, Inc.
Berwyn, PA
Mr. Donald L. Ullman
Chairman
The Federal Companies
Peoria, IL
Mr. W. Philip Wilmington
Chairman
STC Capital Bancshares Corporation
St. Charles, IL
peoriafan — I’m getting an average of nearly 800 unique visits per day to my blog. It’s conceivable that there are those in my audience who don’t comment that are still on the fence.
Why are the Build the Block people still out going door to door looking for support if everyone’s mind is already made up?
kcdad,
SWEET! What exactly are you trying to say here? That this is’politically’ rigged?
Uuuuuhhhhhmmmmmm……..
C.J.: “Why are the Build the Block people still out going door to door looking for support if everyone’s mind is already made up?”
Well, they have to earn their paychecks, ya know.
CJ, while I think the whole “you’re preaching to the choir, so stop talking” argument to be very silly, be careful of judging position by blog stats.
Those 800 could easily be 400 with two different computers. (Or in my case three).
Though I disagree with you on many points, it is your blog. Write about what you want.
I just get riled up when I see Merle Windemere claim he’s has special knowledge because he’s written 17 blog entries.
Billy, see this is where people get angry.
I don’t agree with the Vote No people, but for the most part, I think their aims are genuine and in a good place. Some I feel are crossing their fingers very hard for a city council run, but that’s by far the minority.
If you can’t even fathom how the other side could possibly disagree with you, your worldview must be very very tiny.
Also, just curiously, how much tax revenue has the civic center brought in?
Scott — I generally don’t talk about blog stats at all. I only mentioned them to say that more people read the blog than comment on it, so when peoriafan says I’m “preaching to the choir,” he’s not taking into account all the lurkers.
CJ, that makes sense. I understand.
Scott A.,
As we ‘fence’ on the other post, I thought I would comment here [of course]. You may or may not agree with the “vote no people.” That is your right. I doubt that anyone who posts on this site is really condemning you for it [I think].
I would argue that many of the no voters have a much broader agenda. They are ‘against’ the current museum project because they see another ‘Peoria Special’ looming on the horizon. The members of Peoria’s political/business elite, past and present, have all had their visions, their ideas of how to build a better Peoria, etc……
Fine, that is what they are supposed to do, but……….
Quite often, it seems that the Peoria City/County Councils are made up of impulsive school children, rather than responsible civic leaders. The PRM appears to be just another ‘do-or-die’ project promoted by our ‘city fathers.’
Even the J. Star “Our View” implied that this was the museum groups LAST CHANCE TO GET ‘ER DONE! As if voting this sales tax down meant the ‘hole’ downtown would remain a ‘hole’ forever! What is that?!? Peoria’s very survival depends on getting this museum built!!!!!