The 0.25% public facilities sales tax for Peoria County passed by 409 votes. County residents were opposed 60%-40%, but city residents voted in favor by a 59%-41% margin. Here’s the breakdown:
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| City | 9947 | 6773 |
| County | 5357 | 8122 |
| Total | 15304 | 14895 |
The 0.25% public facilities sales tax for Peoria County passed by 409 votes. County residents were opposed 60%-40%, but city residents voted in favor by a 59%-41% margin. Here’s the breakdown:
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| City | 9947 | 6773 |
| County | 5357 | 8122 |
| Total | 15304 | 14895 |
This is great news and thats all I’m going to say about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That blows!
That double blows.
Peoria just keeps shooting itself in the foot, over and over again.
410 votes… wow… what a friggin waste of money, effort and opportunity
Peoriafan… why is it great news? What are you getting out of it?
More proof the Peoria blogosphere is actually the minority even though they think they are the majority.
Oh yeah, big minority… you know that college educated people make up less than 5% of the population? Oh, of course you didn’t.
A good reason not to allow just anyone vote.
Stupid reason to not let someone vote, anyone who things formal education is an adequate measure of intelligence needs to get off their high horse.
To address what Ryan was saying, I think that gauging public opinion off of the comments of a few individuals (proportionately speaking, not in a demeaning way) does skew one’s perspective. I would have thought the vote would go negative too just off of the attitude on the blogs and PJSTAR comments even though I supported it (in spirit since I couldn’t vote for it).
typo, I meant thinks
THANK GOD!! The museum passed and its windfall will cause all of Peoria’s economic woes, bad streets and sidewalks and crime to just disappear!! Oh, hail the museum!
Chef Chef Chef….let’s not be a sore loser. No one has ever said that it would cure all the problems of Peoria. However, if successful, it does position us to be better in the future than we are now.
“Peoria just keeps shooting itself in the foot, over and over again.”
We’ll eventually run out of feet, Mouse, because they are moving to Tazewell County.
That’s OK, Peo Proud. I never said I was against the museum, just the tax. When the city starts jacking your property taxes to pay for the upcoming sewer project and essential services, I hope you are still positively stoked up about tax increases.
I will be very interested to see the public’s reaction when the next round of tax increases are implemented.
The citizens were told “It’s only 17 bucks a year” over and over and it worked.
Peo proud… “if successful”? IF?????? Nice. Thank you for wasting my dollars that I am trying to save up for a visit to the doctor someday before I die.
The elections results roughly tells us some things. Because the referendum passed with 51% of the vote, the museum is not going to be wildly popular. Second, since it was overwhelmingly voted down outside the city of Peoria but voted strongly for in the city, this sort of tells you who is actually going to visit the museum. Either way, this does not give me a lot of confidence about its future operating revenue.
“More proof the Peoria blogosphere is actually the minority even though they think they are the majority.”
The BTB people spend $700,000 in an almost year campaign. Nomuseumtax.org and bloggers spent probably less than 1% of that, yet the BTB people can only muster 50.7% of the vote. While the blogosphere might not be the majority (and there were bloggers that were for the museum) it is apparent it is becoming a more powerful voice.
I wonder which icon of Peoria History will get their name and portrait plastered on our monument to … what is it a monument to ? The River? I guess since they want to take Carver’s name off the sports facility, they can name the museum after him. Or… better still sell the name to some dotcom giant like …. The Google Peoria Riverfront Museum! “Come on kids, let’s go down to the Google!” (The Googleheim?)
I find it interesting that almost 50% of the 30,000 + voters listened to our message. We worked for six weeks to get the message out and evidently we did a good job. As was mentioned before the BTB group spent excessive amounts of money for their side of the campaign and basically what we did was simply talk to the public and attend the town hall meetings and spread the word. I think our campaign was a success even though we lost the vote. We managed to touch the people and make them take a second look at the project. It shows that there are still interested people in the area that care about what is going on and are not just being led like a bunch of sheep. Having said that I do hope that the museum is a success and that their predictions are correct and that we don’t find ourselves in a money pit in a few years. We did our best to inform and that was our intent.
C.J. – Now that the referendum has passed, when are the funds CAT has pledged toward this project due and payable? Must the monies for the still unfunded portion of the project be secured first? I never bothered to ask these questions before because I did not believe the “YES” vote would carry the day.
As a CAT stockholder, I am not pleased with the idea that CAT is obligated to provide funds of this magnitude during a time in which it is struggling to gain its’ stride again, during these tough economic times.
Oh well, here we go (again).
No doubt the blogosphere gave the PRM a huge run for their money – perhaps more than they ever anticipated. For future generations of Peorians, however, I am glad it went the way it did. For many children, this may be the only culture, history and science they are ever exposed to outside the classroom.
Peoria Proud,
Being a sore loser has nothing to do with this. This isn’t a baseball game or a friendly contest between rivals. This is ANOTHER tax that EVERYONE in Peoria County will be burdend with for 20 YEARS [and counting].
May I quote you?
“…if successful, it does position us to be better in the future than we are now.”
That is a resounding “IF”!!!! Sounds like you are still having trouble buying into your own delusion. Broken schools, crime, a city budget that is so far in the red it will soon go SUPER NOVA…..do I need to go on? All of the grand schemes that were supposed to put Peoria ‘on the map’, designed and built with our “future” in mind. Where is Peoria today?
I find it odd that Tazewell’s tax referendum was soundly defeated. Like I’ve always said, Tazewell County [East Peoria] has a nasty habit of supporting projects that MAKE MONEY, not projects that burn money.
Can’t wait until PRM is back on the streets with their hands stretched way out. Well…whats a few more pennies…right?
“I am glad it went the way it did. For many children, this may be the only culture, history and science they are ever exposed to outside the classroom.”
Diane,
“…this may be the [ONLY] culture, history and science…?!?!?”
You sound like Peo Proud. What happened to your pet project Peoria Historical Society? What about their “wonderful” homes? Correct me if I am wrong, but did we not have a Lakeview Museum already? What a goof I am! Here I thought Peoria had a ballet, children’s museum, symphony [maybe], theater, zoo, ETC!
THANK GOD FOR THE MUSEUM! We would remained a buch of uncultured hicks. My thanks to half the voters for punishing the other half because they “had a dream!”
Can we demand a re-count?
I expected negativity from the Blogosphere “elite” today and am not disappointed.
There is less reason to go downtown today then there was when the civic center was built. My father noted the other day how many buildings are sitting empty and rotting. The museum is going to get built but it will do nothing to change that. No one who has money to invest is going downtown. And lest Dianne mention the new hotel, that is being built with taxes and borrowed money. The owners are risking nothing. Downtown Peoria is dead and this project will not make it rise again.
I expected Peoria’s monied/political “elite” to get their way. I guess I wasn’t disappointed either.
Ah well…. who said the American voter was an intelligent ‘creature’? I mean, we kept G. Bush in office for two terms. Whoa!
Frustrated… Cat can always lay off another 20,000 employees to round up the cash.
Jan. 30: Caterpillar (nyse: CAT – news – people ) increases previous layoffs from 20,000 to 22,110, and share price hits 52-week low.
THAT was January.
3/17/2009 Caterpillar 27,378 Capital Goods
total layoffs as of March 17, 2009
ahhh Scruff… “Blogosphere “elite”??? Are you kidding me? Orwell would have been proud of you.
I want a recount. That was way too close considering the underhanded forces that wanted it to pass.
Based on approximate numbers of registered voters in Peoria City and County (from a PJStar article dated October 22, 2008), the voter participation on the referendum question was only 16%. (30199/188215)
Using those numbers, the percent of registered voters who actually voted to approve the referendum was 8.1%.
With those same numbers, approximately 92% of the voting population of Peoria County did NOT vote to approve the museum.
Gee…. what a mandate for BTB.
Of course, this also speaks to the incredible apathy and cynicism of the voting public.
How much did CFRS spend? It would be interesting to know the ratio of BTB spending to CFRS expenditures?
There are 124,730 registered voters in Peoria County, including the City of Peoria.
Wow. There certainly are a lot of residents who are not registered to vote. The total number of registered voters in the county is close to the population of the City of Peoria. That’s pitiful.
Tom:
My apologies. I misinterpreted the report from PJS. Thank you for the correct figures.
Here’s the more accurate calculations:
12.3 % of registered voters voted in favor
87.7% didn’t
Martha,
That’s ridiculous anyone could just as easily say that the other way around and say 12% of registered voters voted against the referendum while 88% didn’t (I’m not taking the time to do the math, sorry). The truth is those that didn’t vote either didn’t care one way or another (which yes is said, but reality) or they forgot to change their registration like Billy (zing!, j/k Billy 🙂 ).
Excellent Point 11Bravo….the value of living in a democracy (ok – representative democracy) is that IF you vote, you get to decide the direction the city/county/state/nation takes. If you don’t vote you don’t get to complain (RIGHT, BILLY? 🙂 ).
We only hear about those that don’t vote when someone doesn’t like the outcome. That’s the system we have. Hell, I wish BVA hadn’t been elected, but she was – fair and square – and she’s the Councilmember we get (well, not me since I don’t live in her District).
If we’re always going to complain about the outcome of a vote, why hold elections? My preferred candidates/issue(s) didn’t all win yesterday, but it’s been decided…time to move on, new voice!
Yes, Martha’s point is full of crap. Does her theory extend to the Riggenbach-Akeson decision? Did anyone who not vote actually vote in secret for Akeson? Sour grapes. Same with Vonster, who as usual has his tin foil hat on and is on the lookout for a black helicopter.
Its pitiful when less than 15% of the registered voters of this county run the county. People just don’t realize how important it is to vote. Regardless of which way you vote it is imparative to vote. What’s the point in having a vote if you are not going to use it? I don’t think we are impressing on children as they go through school how important it is to vote. Its something that needs to be impressed in every grade all the way through school. This is how a few run us all and get away with it. Apathy rules.
Peo, I have to take issue with a couple of things you said as well.
People are always going to complain about the outcome of a vote because of the necessity TO vote. Any time there are two, or more, opposing sides of an issue you’re going to have conflict regardless of the outcome if that didn’t happen we wouldn’t have the need to vote in the first place. There will always be and should always be people complaining afterward.
Also, regardless of whether or not someone voted EVERYONE has the right to complain just because two options were on the ballot doesn’t mean that everyone had an adequate choice on the ballot. Besides that, I think one of the principle foundations of our American society is that people, no matter how ignorant or apathetic, can voice their opinion whether they participate or not. Obviously as someone who serves I would prefer people take an active role but I am willing to fight for someone’s decision not to participate as much as I am those who do.
I don’t know maybe I am delusional but I think it’s a great thing that people aren’t forced to participate in our government in order to also reap the benefits.
Thank you, SD — that was one of my arguments the first time. Apathy (and it’s cousin cynicism) ruled the 2009 election.
People don’t vote because (1) they can’t be bothered to pay attention to the issues (in which case I say, stay home) or (2) they believe their vote doesn’t count, that the powers that be have already sewn up the desired outcome, or (3) that no matter who gets elected the policies are still the same, so don’t bother.
We had three (plus or minus) weeks to cast our votes. If people really cared, they would have voted. People find a way to do those things that are important to them.
I also never said the races weren’t fair. I didn’t challenge that somehow, the elections were corrupted, fraudulent and should be thrown out. I voted for Mr Smith — he lost. And as disappointing as it was, it was no great surprise.
My point is that the museum folk should look at these numbers (as others have said) and realize they don’t have nearly the county-wide support that they believe they do. If it had gone the other way, don’t you believe they would be trying another attempt — someway, somehow — to get the museum through? After 7 years and $700,000+, do you think they’d give up quietly and peacefully?
They may or may not have given up, its really irrelevant to think about that at this point in time because it has no impact on anything. Any they don’t need complete county wide support, once again the same could be said about the no votes because they had even less than the referendum supporters. That makes them the smallest of the groups. If you look at it from an apathetic’s point of view, there were a significant number of people who didn’t care either way, followed by a smaller group who were supportive of it, and then down at the very bottom is the smallest group which was opposed to it. Those who were so opposed that they chose to vote against the referendum had the least support by far.
Peoria Proud,
I hate to be this way, but I would like you to answer kcdad’s question; what’s in it for you, and please spare me the crap about how this thing will secure our future, put Peoria on the map, educate our children, etc………..
Proud says its time to “move on!” I find it hard to move on when another tax hike is imminent. This museum is still $10 -11 million short, not to mention all of the other problems Peoria is currently facing. What is YOUR solution to get Peoria City out of the red and back on budget? Dist 150?
The ‘people’ across the river are laughing at us; not because we are hicks, but because we were dumb enough AGAIN to fund a money losing scheme while the big one got away. When the museum people have their hands out again, I will be looking for you.
And just when I thought Wrestlemania was over for this year, NV goes and throws down.
What are you gonna do Peo Proud, when New Voice and the CFRS come looking for you!!! OH YEEEEEAAAAH!
Sorry couldn’t resist 🙂
Oh, well, now we enter the phase when we can all say “I told you so.” District 150 makes that so easy–let’s see if the museum planners can make good on their promises.
11Bravo,
If you must know, I am going to fill a bag with $17.00 worth of pennies and whap PP in the forehead, and…………….. I promise to do it at least once every year.
….for 20 years………………….
16% voter turnout.
84% of the public didn’t feel the issue warranted their interest in participation.
84% of the public neither cared for the museum or the taxes it incurs.
Um, New Voice, I believe that somehow steps over the line between blogging and assault 😉