At the last Uplands Residential Association meeting, Kathleen Woith from Lakeview and Pat Barton made a sales pitch to encourage residents to vote for the upcoming sales tax referendum to support the proposed downtown museum. (In case you’re wondering, two of the ten people in attendance were outspoken supporters, and I was of course an outspoken opponent; the rest were either on the fence or didn’t tip their hand.)
But during the presentation, the question came up about flooding. Woith explained that the block as well as Water Street were both going to be raised above the flood plain. She used the railroad tracks downtown as a guide. She said we would notice that, even when it floods downtown, the tracks don’t get submerged because they were raised above the flood plain. The museum would be raised to the level of the railroad tracks, and thus would be protected from flooding.
So I went down to take a look:
If you’re looking for the tracks, you won’t see them in this picture because they’re underwater. Fortunately, Woith also said the museum will have flood insurance.
More layoffs at CAT, yep, this is a good time to raise taxes. Of course, for some, anytime is a good time to raise taxes. They know better what to do with our money than we do, and they never met a tax that isn’t too low. Too bad tar and feathering has gone out of style.
Latest mailing from the blockheads:
“A YES vote on APRIL 7 will put Peoria County back to work!”
Gosh, I guess only white guys in their 40s and 50s are the ones who can build this Block.
The photo on the postcard is of 22 union workers standing in front of the Murray Baker. All appear to be well over 35. Maybe one is 32? One is black. The rest are white men.
Women and minorities need not apply?
Folks, Peorians, this is 2009. We live in a diverse community, which, I would hope, advocates for work opportunities for ALL. This Postcard definitely sends the wrong message and is not at all encouraging. OK concept, lousy execution.
Aaargh.
ok, that’s a new one for the anti museum group. First the flooding and now pulling the race card. You guys are getting desperate. I’m sure the guys on the post card are not the actual guys that will be building the museum.
I suppose you would only be happy if they had a photo of a black person, white person, black female, white female, guy or girl in a wheelchair, Asian, Hispanic, blind person, gay person etc…..
Yep. Reality.
Bill,
I believe that calling for a referendum on a SALES TAX by the PRM is the very definition of “desperate!”
Is AIG underwriting the flood insurance?
kcdad: Nope. There is no line item for flood insurance in the museum’s proforma. Only insurance is liability.
bill h: CFRS is not anti-museum. We are not opposed to a museum per se, but are opposed to this design and the public funding mechanism proposed to help finance it.
Thank you for the dialogue.