There are a couple of items regarding the Sears block on the City Council’s agenda for Tuesday night, Dec. 9.
The first one is a six-month deadline extension of the Museum Block Redevelopment Agreement. The original redevelopment agreement was signed way back in 2004, and the deadline for the agreement was December 2006. Each year since then, the deadlines have been pushed back as the council waited for the museum group to get the funds they needed; there was always one more avenue that was sure to bring in the money. Each attempt to secure the needed funding has failed.
The latest plan is to ask Peorians in the midst of a recession to voluntarily raise sales taxes on themselves via referendum to pay for the construction and ongoing maintenance of the proposed museum. The county board will be discussing this ballot question soon, even as Caterpillar contractors are being laid off, and other local bodies (such as the school board) are realizing dramatically lower tax revenues due to the current economic climate. Could the museum folks and our elected officials from the city and county be any more out of touch? Why are they continuing to pursue this?
No doubt there will be a fourth amendment on the agenda for June 2009 after this latest plan fails and all the players look for a way to get that tax money anyway by circumventing the voters (anyone want to take bets that they’ll be asking the Public Building Commission for the money?). That seems to be the M. O. of our “public servants” these days.
Even if the museum project folds up after June, we’re still going to have a big parking lot on the Sears block because the council will also be approving an agreement to extend Caterpillar’s lease of the block for use as a parking lot until December 31, 2009. Why not extend it only until June 30, just like the redevelopment agreement? Under this parking plan, the city would potentially be unable to pursue other development projects for this block until 2010.
Both of these items are on the consent agenda, which means there will be no discussion on them unless a council member asks for them to be voted on separately.
Any guesses on how long it stays a parking lot? I think until 2016, when it becomes the preferred site for the Aaron Schock Presidential Library. You heard it here first folks 🙂
(laughter)
Almost correct…The Aaron Schock Library and Comic Book Emporium.
Correction: The city could be (and should be) pursuing other developments for this block right now. All this means (potentially) is that no ground can break until 2010. Curious – if the museum group gets their way in the sales tax vote, can they start right away?
The best (and cheapest) thing to do is give it to CAT and let them do what they want with it. If our “public servants” (ha, ha, ha!) put our tax money into this without a referendum and the citizens allow it, then the bozos who remain in this community deserve to sink with it. I will start an active campaign to get the rest of this area to disassociate itself from Peoria. Why should places like East Peoria, Chillicothe, Morton and Washington be forced to carry the anchor of Peoria around their necks any longer? We have the people, the resources and the talent to create all of the so-called amenities of Peoria, outside the City, and do it better.
Wouldn’t it be great if that was home to an Ambassador Suites hotel just like what they built in East Peoria?
Does seem like a great place for the next several Gus Macker tournaments.
It would make a nice skating rink in the winter similar to the Rockefeller in NYC. or turn it into a performing arts amphitheater and have plays and concerts under the stars. Just a few thoughts
I like the skating rink idea 🙂
A skating rink with a big Christmas tree behind it…hmmmm…great idea!!! Something East Peoria doesn’t have!
Interesting idea, kind of our own little Millennium Park. Minus the big shiny bean.
I love that shiny bean! Shame on you.
Don’t we have a semi-pro football team… it looks like a great place for a football field… and all the fans that come out to see them play.
Other than killing any opportunity to really develop the Sears Block, what else does the city council have to loose by extending the deadline [repeatedly]?
Riddle-Me-This….., do the people ‘running’ the Museum Group REALLY have that kind of political pull and influence in this city? If so, why!?!?
“Why are they continuing to pursue this?”
Seems to me that’s sort of a simplist question, I’d suggest it’s because they have $80 million in cash committed to the project. (The figure they are currently talking about in public is that they have $90 million pledged to the project, but that includes the value of the site at $10 million so subtract that and you’re talking about $80 million in cash). So you’re suggesting that these folks ought to just throw up their hands and toss that $80 million that’s pledged for this redevelopment project in downtown Peoria away. Let’s just be clear, you’re suggesting that would be the wise and responsible thing to do, just turn their backs on $80 million of pledges and commitments from people who would like to see this project be successful because some bloggers don’t like the idea.
If you’re so confident that the majority of the public will be opposed to this concept, then it’s confusing that you’re not supportive of the referendum proposal. Let the public vote on the project, and if those of you who oppose the project are in the majority, then the vote will confirm that. Democracy in action, I think it’s called, guess you don’t really like that concept much here at the Chronicle.
Ahhh….there’s the catch Whole Truth.
If this referendum specifically said “Do you support tax money being used to fund a downtown museum?” I think we all know what the outcome would be.
But, and correct me if I’m wrong, this is going to be lumped together as part of a general tax dollar funding question…….such as a way to also help Bel-Wood Nursing Home. Now it becomes a tougher decision for the taxpayer.
And who are the people supporting this project? Regular people like the majority who post here or people who have deep pockets or something to gain from this moving forward?
Whole Truth: If the referendum is put on the ballot, and if the question is about raising the sales tax rate for the museum (not combined with helping Bel-Wood or other public buildings), then mark my words: it will fail. I have no doubts about that. Polls taken in better economic times showed that 60% were against it. If I thought a referendum would be the final word on this project, then I would be all for it. But the pattern seems to be to keep trying ad infinitum to get this plan funded. I’m convinced that if the referendum fails, the museum, county, and city will look for some other way to use tax dollars to fund it that doesn’t require a referendum. They’ll fight in the legislature, they’ll fight in the city council chambers, they’ll fight in the county board room; they’ll never give up, they’ll never surrender. So we’ll get to look at a big hole in our downtown for years to come unless/until the city finally says, “enough” and stops extending the redevelopment agreement.
OUCH. Re-butt-al Whole Truth?
I got it! A permanent public sale lot with booths, food and toilet facilities and a money changer. We can put all the garage and yard sales, estate sales and other rummage sale types here for a one stop shopping experience. It will be a great recession buster project! (Perhaps the farmers’ market can have a spot if space is available)
The lot could hold a very large Cash Store.
“The lot could hold a very large Cash Store.”
Perfect! I hear we need more of those… Thanks for giving me a good laugh mahkno.
I do love the idea of a downtown park and skating rink (or anything along those lines). Put in a little public parking and a lot of open space… that could look really nice!
How about a wheel barrow store? The way Congress is passing out money we are all going to need them to take our money to the grocery store.
At the last West Peoria Residents’ Association meeting, Jimmy Dillon made a big pitch for saying “yes” to the referundum. I am truly unfamiliar with where West Peoria fits into the scheme of things (I’ve just been here for 3 years), so I didn’t even know that we were part of the museum decision.
Sharon: The museum et al referendum will be for all of the Peoria County What percentage of people live in Peoria vs. the rest of Peoria County? One would need to get out the vote.
Please remember the full tune of the
“Build It They Will Come’ Sonata….
Bricks and mortar cost
Double the project cost financing/bonding charges
With budget overages
accompanied by annual maintenance
follwed by the underperformance refrain.
Grateful gasoline prices have decreased so that we can afford food and heating costs.
As I said or meant to say, “Ignorance is bliss.” When all of you first started writing about the museum project, I was only half listening. Then after the WPRA meeting on Nov. 21, I started counting the cost–museum plus extra tax money for District 150. WP should definitely start complaining about the 150 part, since a good percentage of WP kids do not go to 150 schools–instead private schools and probably a significant number of home schoolers. Also, younger families are moving out and not moving in.
Did any one read the recent article about the taxes going up for Peoria County due to the airport financing? Then they want to add the museum tax and on and on and on. How heavy a burden can we carry? I realize that we all need to pay our share to have decent infrastructure in our community, but I truly don’t believe that a museum is going to fill that bill.
Has anyone heard from Whole Truth?
I think I saw him Jannsen’s working on his Re butt al
Exactly how this potential referendum in crafted will be the responsbility of the County Administrator and members of the County Board. Perhaps you ought to confer with your elected representative and ask him/her these questions, concerning Bel-wood etc. before assuming anything. What I assume is that there is a lot of discussion going on at the moment amongst these folks and concerned citizens would have more impact discussing this with their elected officials rather than posting speculative assumptions on blogs.
“…discussing this with their elected officials…?”
I am not trying to be a wiener, but if this project were run the correct way from the start, chances are there would be no need for a discussion with our elected officials. Of course it was an elected official who stuck his nose into this project way back when, sending it into a downward spiral.
However, I DO plan to discuss this with my elected officials. I have already popped off a few emails. No reply yet.