By now, you’ve probably heard or read about how museum supporters successfully discouraged efforts by county school superintendents to put a referendum on the April 7 ballot. That referendum would have been very similar to the museum referendum, only instead of money going toward a museum and big-screen theater, the money would have gone toward school facilities in Peoria County. Each school district would get a portion of the sales tax proceeds based on enrollment. Museum supporters decided county residents shouldn’t have that choice because it would threaten passage of the museum tax. You can read the letters here.
The Journal Star got reaction from some museum supporters.
“We met with school superintendents and in very cordial conversations decided it seemed to be a matter of timing,” [Michael] Bryant [head of the CEO roundtable and the CEO of Methodist Medical Center] said. “The superintendents didn’t have a plan or projects ready, when on the other hand, the museum’s time is now. After April 7, if the referendum doesn’t pass, the museum goes away.”
First of all, this is simply false. The superintendents did and still do have projects ready. IVC is ready to build additions. Brimfield needs a new high school. Peoria Heights wants to pay off bond debt which will lower property taxes in the village. And I think we all know that District 150, which would receive the lion’s share of any sales tax proceeds, has just a few building projects underway or commencing soon. I frankly don’t know how anyone could claim with a straight face that school superintendents in Peoria County “didn’t have a plan or projects ready.” Why would they even be pursuing this option if they didn’t have a plan for how the money would be used?
But secondly, and more importantly, there’s no requirement under the statute that the superintendents have a plan before asking for a referendum to be placed on the ballot. So the argument is a red herring anyway.
“The county made the museum a top priority in February of 2008 and started working toward the goal of finding a funding mechanism,” [County Administrator Patrick] Urich said. “We met with school officials last summer and talked about the path the museum was on and that it was first in line with the sales tax referendum. The fact that the museum group definitely had a plan in place and the schools had no definitive plan on how it intended to spend the money kept us on this path.”
What is this imaginary “line” to which Urich refers? The statute states that if school districts representing 51% or more of the county’s total school enrollment votes to put a referendum on the ballot, the county is obligated to put it on the ballot. The county is not the gatekeeper as Urich implies — there is no statutory limit on the number of referenda that can be placed on the ballot, and referenda are not placed on a first-come-first-served basis. There is simply no “line” in which to wait.
Anything the county had to say to the superintendents would have been advisory at best. And that begs the question: Why was the county meeting with the school superintendents? Was the county also trying to dissuade them from putting the school funding referendum on the ballot?
Bryant said school districts will have future opportunities to see if voters are willing to raise sales taxes to pay help schools. The museum won’t.
With all due respect, that’s the museum’s problem, not the school districts’. Schools should not have to take a back seat because the museum group has been incapable of raising the funds they need over the last seven years.
Isn’t this the Supts fault for not having the backbone to stand up to the county and ask for a referendum?
As for the statement that having 2 referendums on the ballot would doom both: Are not people smart enough to diffeniate between a school and a museum?
Mahkno writes:
The museum group has not ruled out going for tax dollars in Tazwell and Woodford counties. It has been discussed.
How would that work? Why would Tazwell and Woodford put up $ for the PRM? What benefits would either county receive from this project?
Interesting reading and you can find me on my blog as Merle Widmer or widmerpeoriawatch.
To Leslie 110, why don’t you move to Peoria to help make this a better place? Then you could pay taxes on all our enhancements that you now enjoy just for the cost of admissions, much is free, Lakeview Museum, the Peoria Park District with its fund strapped and unfinished zoo, parking lot and entrance, It’s never built new ball diamonds, promised to be open by 2006, never made the budget, the money losing Riverplex and the Gateway Building and maybe buy my shares in the money losing ballpark or buy my home at its over-inflated assessed value.
You can help with paying for District #150 and our new sewer systems and deteriorating public water system. Plus filling our potholes, or maybe buy one or some of the dozens of empty buildings.
We need your purchasing power over here so we can collect property and more sales taxes from you.
Call for an appointment on my house. The bidding starts where it is appraised. That’s what the assessor says it worth so why would I take less?
That the adminstrator who reports to the board was doing “all this behind closed doors” lowers him in my esteem. He says he is only doing what the board wants him too do. I never asked him to sell a yes vote or discourage other referendem not directly connected to the county. I know much more about museums and their successes than he does. He shouldn’t be performing detailed research on museums. That’s not in his job description.
Read my 17 blogs on the subject. County staff works with figures given them by the museum committee which are projections based on some truths and a lot of half-truths or speculation. My administrator early on bought in to the CEO Roundtable “vision” that the Caterpillar Vistors Center and the PRM completes the cirlce that will make Peoria a “destination”.
Woops, still $51 million short and only $1.6 in a needed $7 to $14 million endowment? And what about those pledges since the last financial statement showing only $556,000 uncollectible?
Did I overlookthe $39 million and growing Bel-wood?
Thanks for your money, Leslie 110.
Oh, I forgot the new hotel will complet the vision.
Mr. Windmer said “I never asked him to sell a yes vote or discourage other referendem not directly connected to the county.”
Mr. Windmer, are you saying that Patrick Urich sold a yes vote?
“How would that work? Why would Tazewell and Woodford put up $ for the PRM? What benefits would either county receive from this project?”
Karrie! Dude!! What benefits? Dude!!
Why… Tazewell and Woodford would stand to gain the same benefits from the ‘Museum,’ that they get from the Peoria REGIONAL Airport!
You KNOW this is the VERY approach PRM will take here. This ‘Wonder Museum’ will attract so many people that the ‘run-off’ will have no choice but to eat, shop and stay in East Peoria, etc.
HELLS-BELLS! WHY DO YOU THINK THEY CALL IT A ‘REGIONAL’ MUSEUM?!?!?
Sorry I had to yell at you like that.
Merle,
I agree with you. I have always wondered if ANYONE presently associated with the museum project knows anything about museums.
Someone posed the interesting question; will Lakeview & Co. automatically assume ‘control’ of this museum [should it be built]? Hmmmmm.
I would say that 99% of the people currently serving on the Lakeview board, has no professional experience running or designing a museum, especially one that has such a broad focus…….
From the looks of all the “Yes” signs around town someone must support the museum.
From the looks of the few “vote no” signs around town on the public right-away they must of bought the cheapest signs they could find as they are starting to fall apart already and they have only been up a few days.
From the looks of responses on Widmers blog no one must care enough about what he says to respond to any of his rants.
From the looks of things the folks behind PRM must be somewhat intelligent as they have raised over 80 million dollars so far and got this tax issue on the ballot.
Peoriafan,
PRM has been around for YEARS. Sure, they raised a little money. Sure, they can afford to spread the wealth around in the form of snappy signs and squishy balls. Also, if you will notice, most of the signs appear in large groups. When you post 20 signs in one place, it’s not so difficult to look like you have more support than you really do.
Consider how much of that $80 million came from CAT [and other corporate sponsors]. Not so hard to raise big bucks when Big Yellow wants something done.
Do you think CAT is supporting this museum because they REALLY think it’s a wonderful opportunity for Peoria?!?!? If they wanted to do the right thing, they would save their $50+ million dollars and hire back some of those laid off workers. Of course, CAT might be hiring those workers back just to build the visitor’s center/museum! Just think of all those construction jobs this project will bring!!!!
Aren’t you reaching here?
CFRS was formed because there was no place at the table for the ‘opposition’ to the proposed sales tax increase to fund the museum.
CFRS wanted to distribute the ‘rest of the story’ to quote Paul Harvey.
CFRS has distributed information via our website, press releases and conferences, media coverage, flyers, yard signs and the best free advertising campaign yet —- word of mouth.
CFRS has now been invited by Peoria County, starting last Tuesday, March 17, to present the ‘rest of the story’ at the remainder of the Town Hall Meetings.
CFRS would like to thank the Neighorhood Alliance for extending the 1st opportunity to allow our voice heard at their recent March 16th meeting.
CFRS has helped to shape public policy to help voters to be better informed by being able to hear both sides of the story before voting on April 7.
As for yard signs, it is a citizen’s vote in the privacy of the ballot box which will determine the outcome of this proposed public facility purposes sales tax referendum.
Still voting NO!
I think you can support Build the Block without getting petty about the opposition’s signs. And if we are reporting things to the sign police, I would like to point out the giant no-no of Build the Block Signs on Methodist owned property.
Peo County Board has in the past refrained from placing two items on the ballot due to possible confusion of some voters. The 4H almost went broke because of the boards lack of faith in voter ability to discern one from another.
http://www.peoriacounty.org/countyClerk/files/get/Agenda_and_Minutes%5C%5C2002_County_Board/m021212.pdf
COUNTY OF PEORIA
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS-COUNTY BOARD
Thursday, December 12, 2002
A Regular Meeting of the County Board, County of Peoria, Illinois was held on
Thursday, December 12, 2002, at six o’clock p.m. at the Courthouse.
CITIZENS’ REMARKS
Cheryl Budzinski, 623 W. Stratford, Peoria, spoke regarding the Bel-Wood Nursing
Home referendum. She urged the Board to only put one referendum on the ballot in April
because the County needs a clear sense of the voter’s opinion on the future of Bel-Wood.
Bel-Wood’s operating budget has an ongoing shortfall that has to be made up by the
general fund. Budzinski asked for a referendum to ask voters to raise the Bel-Wood levy
to provide the needed funding. An additional referendum on the ballot asking for a
different tax increase could confuse the issue and might adversely affect the outcome.
ZONING ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
A resolution from your Executive Committee recommending approval of the City
of Peoria and County of Peoria and Peoria Park District agreement with Springdale
Historic Preservation Foundation for the restoration of the Springdale Cemetery.
Joyce and Elsasser moved for approval of the resolution. The resolution was approved by
a unanimous roll call vote of 18 ayes.
A resolution from your Executive Committee recommending approval of a question to be
placed before the voters in the April 1, 2003, General Election of whether to levy a tax up
to 3 cents/$100 of E.A.V. to fund the adult and 4-H youth educational programs of the
University of Illinois Extension Service.
Trumpe and Elsasser moved for approval of the resolution. Roger Larson, Director of the
Peoria County University of Illinois Extension Program, addressed the Board to plead for
approval of this resolution. He introduced Gary Sutton, an architect from Chillicothe,
who has volunteered to help promote this issue. He explained the valuable services
provided by the Extension Service and stated that, without financial assistance, the office
will close on June 30, 2003. He urged the Board to place this referendum on the ballot to
let the Citizens speak regarding the need for this program in the community. Larson
distributed an informational flyer about the program that is included in these minutes. He
stated that the program provided services to 45,000 Peoria County residents in the last
year. The agency has been funded by the University of Illinois and received $40,000
(which was matched to become $80,000) annually from Peoria County until this year.
Now the University is withdrawing funding and the Extension Service must find local
money to continue in operation. Any tax that may be levied to fund its programs must be
approved by the County Board before going to the voters. During a lengthy discussion,
Board Members agreed that while this is a very important community agency, the timing
conflicts with the County’s plans to put a Bel-Wood referendum to the voters. Williams
proposed that the Board revisit this issue after the April election and look for ways to
help fund the program temporarily until the next opportunity to put the question to the
voters in 2004. Trumpe and Kennedy moved to call the question. The motion was
approved by a unanimous voice vote. The resolution was defeated by a roll call vote of 5
ayes and 13 nays with Pearson, Trumpe, Polhemus, Lickiss and Elsasser voting aye.
I am trying to call in a few favors and get someone to fly over Peoria with a big VOTE NO banner.
Did I just give a great idea away?.
Hey, my Uncle has a plane. 😉
I love early voting! I was able to cast my NO vote.
Ramble On: Me too! 🙂
Widmers lastest post:
“On my way home from our Citizens For Responsible Spending Town Hall meeting I replaced four vandalized Vote No signs. Tomorrow, I will replace all other vandalized and will do so until the election.
I offer a reward or $500.00 for the verifiable name of these punks and $1000.00 reward for their arrest and conviction.
I knew that some of these “promoters” would stoop to anything. I look for more lies and exagerations, cowardly acts from a few of these people or their punk kids. ”
How does he know it was the museum promoters that did this? Maybe it was the wind.
He’s a great spokesman for the anti museum people. Keep it up Merle.
Peoriafan,
O.K. You are right. It is not ‘fair’ to point the blame at the pro-museum crowd. What WOULD be interesting, is to know where all of the Vote Yes signs are, drive around and see if any of those have been ‘vandalized’.
A few things…I would never live in Peoria because I have a 2 year-old daughter and I would never send her to a District 150 school. Not that I needed another reason but the fact that the superindentents didn’t stand up and get a referendum on the ballot that they felt was needed is shameful in my mind.
I would absolutely vote for the measure if it were on the ballot in Tazewell County.
My “lame threat” to not make purchases, as someone called it, is not a threat, but a choice that I will make. I live in Morton but work in Peoria and can shop in East Peoria on my way home or if I need to go to Target I can travel to Bloomington, it isn’t that much further. I am not saying that I will have even a small impact, but what is it, about $17.00 a year you won’t get from me.
As for all of the brain power that is going into fighting this museum where were all of you when the block sat empty? Why has all of your energy been wasted until now? Oh, don’t ask the same of me, I didn’t live here until 3 years ago.
Leslie110,
You have only lived here three years? Welcome!
This ‘museum issue’ goes way back. A Peoria History Museum had been in the works for years prior to the current plan. I would suggest doing a little research on Lakeview, the so-called Museum Partners, the local politicians [great and small], and the so-called civic leaders of Peoria, etc.
I am sure C.J. & Company will chime in here, maybe explain some of the efforts put forth by various citizens’ commissions, etc………….
The pro museum group says that this is going to be a World Class Museum. Would someone tell me in definitive terms and with back up exactly what is a World Class Museum and what is this one going to have to make it that?
I would keep a close eye on my kid if I sent them to Morton High. I hear they have some drug and alcohol issues. Has anyone else heard that or is that issue ignored by the teachers and parents?
I don’t think I would ever send my kids there.
Merle, I did it. I’ll pm you my address so you can send me my $500. 😉
Seriously, do you guys realize how windy it was yesterday? It is ludicrous to assume the signs were vandalized. Who would be so stupid as to do that in broad daylight anyway?
“I would never live in Peoria because I have a 2 year-old daughter and I would never send her to a District 150 school.”
“Not that I needed another reason”… All them darkies there… not like here in lily white Morton!
…keep your $17. I am sure there isn’t one street light that will fail to shine because of you. Hey! They got themselves a Walmart there in East Peoria , too! I can’t even believe someone’s reason to come to Peoria is because they “need to go to Target”… no wonder there is so much traffic coming over the bridge.
Signs for both sides have been vandalized and/or stolen. Lakeview’s CEO Jim Richerson and his neighbor both had their “yes” signs stolen from their yards. I have seen some of the “no” signs spray painted as well.
It could be supporters of each side doing this, but my guess it’s more likely teenagers, as I can attest to such antics when I was in high school. Moving the “For Sale” signs of the various realtors to different houses was always a good prank. 🙂
SD,
I believe the PRM’s idea of a “World Class Museum” means cramming a great deal of nonsense into a very little place. The building keeps getting smaller, but the cost keeps getting higher.
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry = World Class Museum
St. Louis Art Museum = World Class Museum
Smithsonian Institute = World Class Museum
Peoria Regional Museum = ?
According to Lakeview, they have a wonderful relationship with the Smithsonian…..of course, that is according to Lakeview.
Has anyone heard the word ‘SYNERGY’ coming from the pro-museum camp lately? I miss that so much. How about the word ‘LEGACY’? Anyone?
The words resounding in my ears are “$24,000,000 in hand”.
COOL! Just as I ask the question…………. John Parks writes a gimpy editorial in the Star……… WHOSE legacy are we REALLY talking about John? Strange I believe Parks has ‘some’ connection to The Wheels ‘o Time Museum…?
The JS reported a wopping 13 people were at the anti museum meeting last night.
Kcdad sez:
“Not that I needed another reason”… All them darkies there… not like here in lily white Morton!
As the father of AA and mixed race children who go to school in Morton, you are WAY OUT OF LINE.
Peoriafan — The only headcount that matters is who shows up to the polls on April 7. Vote NO.
right on new voice. one of the many reasons i oppose the museum is because i (using my clairvoyance) believe it will be nothing short of crap-tacular! i lived in chicago for 6 years, four within walking distance to the Field/Shedd/Adler et al and have seen world class museums. And the Amazeum, my friends, is no world class musem.
Kcdad: Why do you put words in other people’s mouths? I have no doubt that there is still a racial bias out there, but you should let people speak for themselves–instead of your making blatant offensive racial comments that might not even be in the minds of those whose minds you are reading. Frankly, I would prefer to “read between the lines” instead of having someone fill in the blanks. I’m glad that anon e. mouse spoke up to challenge your blanket indictment of all of Morton residents. There are a good number of black families who have chosen not to send their children to District 150–so there must be some reason other than racism for its decreasing enrollment.
How dare you imply that race is a reason that I wouldn’t want to send my daughter to District 150. How do you know that I am not black? I moved to Morton because of the quality of the schools and base my impression of District 150 on what I read in the newspaper and on blogs, and I don’t recall much of it being positive. Also, I know that Morton has few minorities, that is why I take my daughter to Peoria for day care, I want her to know children of different races.
So my $17.00 won’t matter so much to Peoria, then why would the additional $17.00 that it would cost you be so important?
Why is it “better in Morton”?
Leslie and anon e mouse: I apologize for striking a nerve. If the color of our schools is the not the reason, you shouldn’t be upset at all. Just write me off as another blogosphere know nothing.
What is your explanation for the poor quality of Peoria Schools… from which many of your teachers and administrators came? (not to mention the racially and economically diverse parents of those racially and economically diverse Morton students)
Sharon: I think it is important to “fill in the blanks”, when statements like those are left hanging with important presumptions and foundations to those ideas left unstated. I am very willing to be wrong (I hope I am). I am willing to hear any other plausible explanation for her Morton-centrism.
Oh, and Leslie: my $17 is irrelevent. I am going to spend my money in Peoria… no matter what the tax ends up being. What is important is WHY I should be forced to pay for something here or anywhere else that, in my opinion, is going to do more harm than good, and only enrich a few people at the expense of many? (Think
AIG bailout or any one of thousands of pork barrel projects that our elected “representatives” stuff down our throats) Here is one “bridge to nowhere” I can do something about.
“The JS reported a wopping 13 people were at the anti museum meeting last night.”
I guess that most of us against the museum don’t need anyone to tell us how to vote or how to think.
kcdad sez: “Why is it “better in Morton”?”
I sez: It is better in Morton because the school district spends our (the taxpayers) money more wisely. It is better in Morton because my taxes are lower and the schools performance is better.
It is better in Morton because the parents are more involved in the community and schools. It is better in Morton because those parents don’t just look out for their own kids, they look out for other kids, as well.
It is better in Morton because the streets are safer. It is better in Morton because, instead of ignoring problems like drug and alcohol use among students, we have pushed ahead with drug testing at the high school.
My wife was a teacher. We lived in Peoria and, before we started having kids, she insisted we move because the streets weren’t safe and the schools were poor. In the dozen years since we’ve moved, things have gotten worse. Voters keep returning BAU candidates to the school board, the park district, and city council.
I am extremely please that we move to Morton. We considered North Peoria County and West Peoria County as other possible locations but chose Tazewell. Now I am glad I am not going to have to pay for this museum mistake.
So, if you (and thousands of others) had stayed in Peoria, Peoria would have been better than it is, eh?
Morton is kind of like Mysteria Lane
kcdad,
I grew up in a very small town. The kind of place you would make fun of, I think.
The school was very small. It was the kind of place that, if everyone didn’t participate, nothing would get done. It was the kind of place where the cheerleaders would put down their pom-pons at halftime and pick up their clarinets to march in the band. Everyone, even the ‘slackers’, played the sports, were in the band, or helped run the concession stand. It extended to the adults. When it came to doing things in the community, there was no ‘someone else’ to do it.
That’s the environment I grew up in.
I brought that attitude with me when I moved into Peoria. I became the president of my neighborhood association in the East Bluff because there was no ‘someone else’. We were a very dedicated group of about a dozen home owners with top attendance going to 30 at times. I went door-to-door handing out newsletters and trying to get folks to meetings. The core group organized a huge garage sale event with over 50 households participating, but couldn’t get 5 to help clean up an alley. I called the cops on the gangbangers down the street and got shot at for my trouble.
My wife and I took an active interest in the neighborhood kids. Kids that had no Dad around and whose mom wasn’t around much, either. We fed them and took them to sporting and cultural events. I had one kid mowing lawns for money (my gas, my mower, he kept the money) and he was saving for a special kind of bike. His mom stole his money and I had to be his ‘bank’ after that. He worked damn hard for that bike and I made up the difference when it came time to buy the bike.
The thing is, I am a country boy, at heart. I was never meant to be a city boy. There just isn’t enough elbow room for me. I knew that going in, but I still worked hard to make the place I was a better place. I hope I did.
Anon E Mouse! You are a community (neighborhood) organizer! Good for you. BTW I was born in Pekin (a town that just by mentioning the name invokes anger and suspicion in many African Americans), and grew up in Cedar Rapids… hardly a booming metropolis.
And seriously, thank you for letting us to get to know you a little. Nice bicycle story. You should be proud of yourself. Sometimes it does take a neighborhood to raise a child.
Yet, I feel the city let me down.
I never planned on staying but the crime and schools sure hastened my departure. Poor use of tax dollars – like this museum – are making the cost of living in the city go up while services are falling to the wayside.
I work in the city, but, except for the occasional lunch and sporting events at the Civic Center, don’t spend my time or money in Peoria.
Kdude
Read the rest of the JS article. It said at the END their were 13 people left. Twenty six people attended the meeting. More than all but one of the Forum Meetings.
Diane didn’t apoligize on this site but she did on a comment on my site. The wind doesn’t spray red paint nor does it has a scissors to cut out the contents and leave the frame standing. Tonight we had 16 no voters and two yes voters, one being Kathleen Woith who tried to say that auditors Clifton Gunderson were wrong when they said “In our opinion………pledges amounting to $556,000.00in fiscal year June 30, 2007 thru June 30, 2008 were uncollectable.
Hmmmmmmm.
Mer… you left out the c… it is kcdude…
Thanks for the correction… you aren’t implying that those in favor of this museum project would actually feed false information or lead us into thinking things are not the way they really are?
This posted by Diane Vespa on Widmers site,
I just thought it was a good point.
“Merle, First of all I didn’t do it.
Secondly, I notice a lot of the “Vote no” signs are improperly placed on public right of ways. Are you and the CRS aware of the sign ordinances, and if so, are you explaining proper sign placement to your sign putter-outers?
The Vote Yes signs all seem to be legally placed on private property, with few exceptions.”
Merle, what should I apologize for?
Merle, I’m wondering when you’ll apologize for saying that an official sold his yes vote.
when he gets done replacing all of his anti-musuem signs on the public right-of-way.