Thursday, March 31, 2005

Water Logged #5

Last night, I attended the LWV and Peoria Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum which allowed a dialogue with audience involvement of the proposed city buyout of the Illinois-American Water Company. The pro buy side was represented by PAAG representatives Sandra Birdsall and Terry Kohlbus. Illinois- American was represented by their president and two other officers of the company, all from the United States. Throughout the meeting questions tailored for city officials to answer were not asked because there was no one in the audience to answer these questions. The JS said today that Jim Ardis and Gary Sandburg were there, but evidently not during the question and answer period. Jim Ardis , Patrick Nichting and Bill Spears have spoken in opposition to the buyout oppose the buyout as have city council candidates Barbra Van Auken and Bob Manning. Gary Sandburg and John Morris probably can not state their positions as they are on a special committee to present their finding and recommendations to the full City Council.

Both sides ably presented their positions. There was actually no way to factually prove this proposed purchase might not turn into a large liability to the City of Peoria taxpayers or turn into a cash cow for the city, because figures presented by both sides were often in conflict.

A PAAG representative said it was simple as oil and gas, (probably forgetting they don’t mix), saying that across the sea, oil companies owned the oil and gas we buy from them and we don’t want “foreigners” from across the sea, to own our water. Actually, all the water in the United States is owned by the United States and can only be mined and sold by whoever buys the right to do so. Peoria’s water company, owned by a German firm, could have been bought by any interested company in the United States starting back in the late 18 hundreds. Ownerships of any entity changes hands many times in a lifetime. Water companies are no exception.


As I’ve said before, “foreign” ownership is welcomed by our governments. Seems to me a lot of financial benefits were given to a Japanese auto maker in Bloomington-Normal; a company Peoria was trying hard to land, offering this “foreign” company financial incentives if they would locate closer to Peoria. In short, our Economic Development people welcome anyone that wants to locate in the Peoria area and employ people. Probably 20 firms in Peoria have plants or distribution centers in “foreign” countries. And many “foreigners” own huge chunks of land in our country so “foreign” ownership is hardly new in the world.

The price of $220 million will probably grow to $240 million before the buyout is concluded. The City of Peoria has already spent over $2,000,000.00 on this project. It is time to move on to running the core business of cities’ and ownership of water companies should not be our cities’ core business. Many cities already own water companies and many wish they didn’t but can’t find a buyer who wouldn’t raise existing rates. Many cities are too small for private businesses to be interested as there would not be enough profit incentives. Many of these cities started out with public ownership, Peoria didn’t.

What is wrong with making a good profit? Caterpillar does and the PAAG group that lent the city a million dollars at 9% interest must have made good profits or how could they risk a million dollars? Were they counting on a city council that would give special treatment to their desires? I believe they actually thought they could save money on their water bills forgetting that few public ventures are handled more efficiently than the private sector.


Public entities in Peoria have a poor track record when it comes to making a profit and the most recent public entity to not meet their projections is the RiverPlex, which was projected to make to make $187,953 profit in 2004, instead has lost approximately $6,000.00 a day thru 12/31/04. And many public dollars and other taxpayer paid incentives were given to a new ballpark that has not yet met projections.

The PAAG and their supporters believe city ownership would solve many of the cities financial problems. Most people disagree as I believe the referendum will show.

One reason for the poor turnout last night is that 80% of the people do not want a change in water company ownership, and many also believe that if changes are not made on the city council in this election, their opinions won’t count anyway. So why show up?

If the city does buy out Illinois-American, the city would hire a private profit making company to run the water department. Would it be low bid or by special interest? How much would it cost? Who would handle the advertising and who would stand to benefit from the advertising contract? Too many unanswered questions. A business plan supposedly has been made up. How outdated or updated is it? Would the PAAG and the Mayor make it public for all taxpayers to see?

Are rates in Peoria too high? On 3/8/05, the JS quoted City Manager Randy Oliver as saying, if the city bought the water company, rates would probably go higher. Hmmmm.

Illinois-American pays approximately $300,000.00 in property taxes each year and donates another $100,000.00 to local projects. They are good citizens with us. Let’s keep them!!

Water Logged #5

Last night, I attended the LWV and Peoria Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum which allowed a dialogue with audience involvement of the proposed city buyout of the Illinois-American Water Company. The pro buy side was represented by PAAG representatives Sandra Birdsall and Terry Kohlbus. Illinois- American was represented by their president and two other officers of the company, all from the United States. Throughout the meeting questions tailored for city officials to answer were not asked because there was no one in the audience to answer these questions. The JS said today that Jim Ardis and Gary Sandburg were there, but evidently not during the question and answer period. Jim Ardis , Patrick Nichting and Bill Spears have spoken in opposition the buyout as have city council candidates Barbara Van Auken and Bob Manning. Gary Sandburg and John Morris probably can not state their positions as they are on a special committee to present their finding and recommendations to the full City Council.

Both sides ably presented their positions. There was actually no way to factually prove this proposed purchase might not turn into a large liability to the City of Peoria taxpayers or turn into a cash cow for the city, because figures presented by both sides were often in conflict.

A PAAG representative said it was simple as oil and gas, (probably forgetting they don’t mix), saying that across the sea, oil companies owned the oil and gas we buy from them and we don’t want “foreigners” from across the sea, to own our water. Actually, all the water in the United States is owned by the United States and can only be mined and sold by whoever buys the right to do so. Peoria’s water company, owned by a German firm, could have been bought by any interested company in the United States starting back in the late 18 hundreds. Ownerships of any entity changes hands many times in a lifetime. Water companies are no exception.


As I’ve said before, “foreign” ownership is welcomed by our governments. Seems to me a lot of financial benefits were given to a Japanese auto maker in Bloomington-Normal; a company Peoria was trying hard to land, offering this “foreign” company financial incentives if they would locate closer to Peoria. In short, our Economic Development people welcome anyone that wants to locate in the Peoria area and employ people. Probably 20 firms in Peoria have plants or distribution centers in “foreign” countries. And many “foreigners” own huge chunks of land in our country so “foreign” ownership is hardly new in the world.

The price of $220 million will probably grow to $240 million before the buyout is concluded. The City of Peoria has already spent over $2,000,000.00 on this project. It is time to move on to running the core business of cities’ and ownership of water companies should not be our cities’ core business. Many cities already own water companies and many wish they didn’t but can’t find a buyer who wouldn’t raise existing rates. Many cities are too small for private businesses to be interested as there would not be enough profit incentives. Many of these cities started out with public ownership, Peoria didn’t.

What is wrong with making a good profit? Caterpillar does and the PAAG group that lent the city a million dollars at 9% interest must have made good profits or how could they risk a million dollars? Were they counting on a city council that would give special treatment to their desires? I believe they actually thought they could save money on their water bills forgetting that few public ventures are handled more efficiently than the private sector.


Public entities in Peoria have a poor track record when it comes to making a profit and the most recent public entity to not meet their projections is the RiverPlex, which was projected to make to make $187,953 profit in 2004, instead has lost approximately $6,000.00 a day thru 12/31/04. And many public dollars and other taxpayer paid incentives were given to a new ballpark that has not yet met projections.

The PAAG and their supporters believe city ownership would solve many of the cities financial problems. Most people disagree as I believe the referendum will show.

One reason for the poor turnout last night is that 80% of the people do not want a change in water company ownership, and many also believe that if changes are not made on the city council in this election, their opinions won’t count anyway. So why show up?

If the city does buy out Illinois-American, the city would hire a private profit making company to run the water department. Would it be low bid or by special interest? How much would it cost? Who would handle the advertising and who would stand to benefit from the advertising contract? Too many unanswered questions. A business plan supposedly has been made up. How outdated or updated is it? Would the PAAG and the Mayor make it public for all taxpayers to see?

Are rates in Peoria too high? On 3/8/05, the JS quoted City Manager Randy Oliver as saying, if the city bought the water company, rates would probably go higher. Hmmmm.

Illinois-American pays approximately $300,000.00 in property taxes each year and donates another $100,000.00 to local projects. They are good citizens with us. Let’s keep them!!

Water Logged #5

Last night, I attended the LWV and Peoria Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum which allowed a dialogue with audience involvement of the proposed city buyout of the Illinois-American Water Company. The pro buy side was represented by PAAG representatives Sandra Birdsall and Terry Kohlbus. Illinois- American was represented by their president and two other officers of the company, all from the United States. Throughout the meeting questions tailored for city officials to answer were not asked because there was no one in the audience to answer these questions. The JS said today that Jim Ardis and Gary Sandburg were there, but evidently not during the question and answer period. Jim Ardis , Patrick Nichting and Bill Spears have spoken in opposition to the buyout as have city council candidates Barbra Van Auken and Bob Manning. Gary Sandburg and John Morris probably can not state their positions as they are on a special committee to present their finding and recommendations to the full City Council. I'm not sure where the Mayor and other council people stand on the issue.

Both sides ably presented their positions. There was actually no way to factually prove this proposed purchase might not turn into a large liability to the City of Peoria taxpayers or turn into a cash cow for the city, because figures presented by both sides were often in conflict.

A PAAG representative said it was simple as oil and gas, (probably forgetting they don’t mix), saying that across the sea, oil companies owned the oil and gas we buy from them and we don’t want “foreigners” from across the sea, to own our water. Actually, all the water in the United States is owned by the United States and can only be mined and sold by whoever buys the right to do so. Peoria’s water company, owned by a German firm, could have been bought by any interested company in the United States starting back in the late 18 hundreds. Ownerships of any entity changes hands many times in a lifetime. Water companies are no exception.


As I’ve said before, “foreign” ownership is welcomed by our governments. Seems to me a lot of financial benefits were given to a Japanese auto maker in Bloomington-Normal; a company Peoria was trying hard to land, offering this “foreign” company financial incentives if they would locate closer to Peoria. In short, our Economic Development people welcome anyone that wants to locate in the Peoria area and employ people. Probably 20 firms in Peoria have plants or distribution centers in “foreign” countries. And many “foreigners” own huge chunks of land in our country so “foreign” ownership is hardly new in the world.

The price of $220 million will probably grow to $240 million before the buyout is concluded. The City of Peoria has already spent over $2,000,000.00 on this project. It is time to move on to running the core business of cities’ and ownership of water companies should not be our cities’ core business. Many cities already own water companies and many wish they didn’t but can’t find a buyer who wouldn’t raise existing rates. Many cities are too small for private businesses to be interested as there would not be enough profit incentives. Many of these cities started out with public ownership, Peoria didn’t.

What is wrong with making a good profit? Caterpillar does and the PAAG group that lent the city a million dollars at 9% interest must have made good profits or how could they risk a million dollars? Were they counting on a city council that would give special treatment to their desires? I believe they actually thought they could save money on their water bills forgetting that few public ventures are handled more efficiently than the private sector.


Public entities in Peoria have a poor track record when it comes to making a profit and the most recent public entity to not meet their projections is the RiverPlex, which was projected to make to make $187,953 profit in 2004, instead has lost approximately $6,000.00 a day thru 12/31/04. And many public dollars and other taxpayer paid incentives were given to a new ballpark that has not yet met projections.

The PAAG and their supporters believe city ownership would solve many of the cities financial problems. Most people disagree as I believe the referendum will show.

One reason for the poor turnout last night is that 80% of the people do not want a change in water company ownership, and many also believe that if changes are not made on the city council in this election, their opinions won’t count anyway. So why show up?

If the city does buy out Illinois-American, the city would hire a private profit making company to run the water department. Would it be low bid or by special interest? How much would it cost? Who would handle the advertising and who would stand to benefit from the advertising contract? Too many unanswered questions. A business plan supposedly has been made up. How outdated or updated is it? Would the PAAG and the Mayor make it public for all taxpayers to see?

Are rates in Peoria too high? On 3/8/05, the JS quoted City Manager Randy Oliver as saying, if the city bought the water company, rates would probably go higher. Hmmmm.

Illinois-American pays approximately $300,000.00 in property taxes each year and donates another $100,000.00 to local projects. They are good citizens with us. Let’s keep them!!

Monday, March 28, 2005

Water Logged #4

This is the fourth blog on the efforts by some of the city council to buy the Illinois-American Water Company. Let me lay the facts out and you be the judge.

Sometime prior to year 2000, a group of wealthy Peoria area people formed a corporation called the Peoria Area Advancement Group. LLC, a limited liability corporation shortened to PAAG. The PAAG lent the City of Peoria a million dollars at 9% interest. The money was used by the city to study the possible buyout of Illinois American Water Company. If the price wasn’t low enough for the City of Peoria to buy the company without a great risk to the taxpayers, the City would not have to pay the loan back. The PAAG didn’t actually lend one million dollars to the city because 9% interest of $184,000.00 was deducted from the original one million. It then turned out that the $816,000.00 ($1,000,000.00 less $184,000.00 = $816,000.00 the actual amount the city could use) was not enough to complete the study so the City authorized the spending of an additional $170,545.00 of your money to continue the study.

An appraisal panel agreed to by the lenders, the water company and the city, has appraised the value of the water company at $222,000,000.00, a lot more money than the City Council ever thought the company was worth. Where does that leave the PAAG?

First lets look at the makeup these million dollar lenders:
Dale and Shirley Burklund – original investor in the Paradise Gambling Casino
Michael Cullinan – Cullinan Construction Company
Cullinan Companies, LLC – at that time wife of Michael Cullinan and perhaps the leading realtor in the area.
Underwood Furniture Galleries, Inc – owned, I believe, by Rita Kress of Kress Manufacturing in Brimfield.
D. A Hoerr and Sons, Inc. a very large user of water.
Ted Fleming, the name Fleming prominent in Peoria.
Thomas Lund, wealthy entrepreneur.
Otto Baum and Company – contractor
Wayne Oberlander – wealthy entrepreneur.
South Side Bank
Gerald D. and Helen Stephens Foundation (RLI Insurance)

Now in steps former East Peoria Mayor and now President of development for Cullinan Properties, Ltd. Or LLC (JS has given the firm two titles), with an article in the JS on 3/20/05, stating the price of $220 million is not to high and the whole community will benefit and in fact it may save the existing older neighbors.

Refer to my last blog Water Logged #3 as to the makeup of those who serve the City Council as advisors as to whether to proceed to buy or stop spending more money. You recall I said the “deck appeared to be loaded” with even Sandburg at one time supporting the buyout. As reported in the JS with then Mayor Maloof, then councilmember Dave Ransburg and then councilperson, Camille Gibson all supporting the buyout. David Koehler, a councilman at that time said he would be “flat against” the buyout if it amounted to nothing more than a hostile takeover. Councilman Steve Kouri said the city could spend up to $700,000.00 on the buyout before determining the actual buyout price. The figure spent is now well over $1,000,000.00 and probably no end in sight once the high priced lawyers get involved. The same JS article quoted then Councilman Dave Ransburg’s financial model as assuming a buyout of $60,000,000.00. Only $160,000,000.00, short and this man wants another term as mayor?? The article further states that water company officials warn the price could run as high as $163,000,000.00 to $213,000,000.00. Bingo.

Councilman Chuck Grayeb, the history teacher from #150, believes that we should worry about a “foreign” country owning our water works. (In the unlikely event we will go to war with France, I suggest the water company would quickly be nationalized). Note that no Caterpillar executive was listed as a member of PAAG. Maybe that’s because Caterpillar at last count did 50% of their total business with “foreign” countries. Also Caterpillar knows it is not uncommon for companies to make sizeable profits. All those on the PAAG committee have made sizeable profits either personally of thru their families.

The upcoming election is more important than the ordinary voters is aware Even though the water company buyout referendum will reject the buyout by a sizeable margin, I believe the power structure led by Mayor Ransburg and supported by some reelected council “wannabes” will push this buyout thru, Peoria taxpayers be damned. Pardon to Patrick Nichting and Jim Ardis who both opposed the attempted buyout from day one.

What is going on here should be fairly obvious. City ownership means a lot of profit for someone and it is not profit for the ordinary water user in Peoria. Plus the risk is immense.

Note also that an article in the JS dated 3/8/05 is entitled “Buyout May Require Rate Hike”, however, once the power structure makes up their mind, failure is not a concern because most of them can afford it. (Remember we accused the Japanese at the end of WW II of trying to “save face”)?

Just look at the riverfront failures that were projected to make a profit and at least six either closed up shop or are sticking the taxpayers with the losses. If the water company buyout goes thru the courts and the city winds up owning it, forget badly needed infrastructure in the City of Peoria. With all the taxpayer funded enhancements going on in the city now, buying the water company can only add to these costs.

In the best interests of the community, sometime in May this ill advised buyout should be laid to rest, hopefully by some new faces around the horseshoe.

Everyone is entitled to be wrong. Just stop abusing the privilege.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Water Logged #3

I’ve been asked several times to give my view on the proposed City of Peoria buyout of the privately held water company. Click up all my archives and you will find two blogs about my views on the folly of this endeavor. In the first place entrepreneurship is the spirit of America. These entrepreneurs take some risks to maintain a business and make it grow. Government can contribute by staying out of the way. Elected officials should reduce the unnecessary intrusiveness of government in the choices people make, improve the effectiveness and reduce the costs of needed government services.

There is a strong move toward younger mayors with fewer ties to special interests who will guide the cities back to their core business. Public ownership of water companies is not listed as a core business. If you recall it was only a few years ago that current leadership thought it would be a good idea to buy Cilco. Fortunately the cost was too great and the idea died. Complaints against Cilco are mostly unheard since they have come under new ownership. (Ameren/Cilco)

Given an opportunity and correct information, citizens will almost always make the right decisions. It is my belief that most voters want THE CITY TO DO A BETTER JOB on the CORE BUSINESS of cities and not get involved in buying up private companies.
The PAAG, a group of local business people who made a million dollar loan at 9% interest to the City of Peoria to study the feasibility of the buyout of the water company by the city, will want their money back with interest if the purchase by the city does not go thru. The legal wording will probably cause dispute and therefore legal expense to the taxpayers, over whether the PAAG will lose their investment. Most of these investors are supporters of Dave Ransburg as is Jeff Giebelhausen, President of Cullinan Properties, who made an impassioned statement in the JS on 3/20/05, saying how good a deal the purchase of the water company would be for the Peoria taxpayer.

Mayor Ransburg, if reelected will be beholden to the special interest groups who support him. If the referendum fails, and Ransburg is reelected, extreme pressure will be put on the mayor by this group and the Peoria Chamber of Commerce. Sandra Birdsall, who represents the Chamber of Commerce and The PAAG, and who is quoted in the JS that “cost should be only one consideration”, along with Rita Kress who represents the PAAG, Dave Ransburg , John Morris who has said no then yes, will probably vote with the mayor to advise the council to proceed with the purchase. Gary Sandburg of the City Council will show his usual common sense and vote no.

So no matter what the referendum says and no matter what the cost, expect Ransburg, Birdsall, Kress and probably John Morris (who told the AMBUCS Peoria Chapter, that he leans heavily against the water company buyout) will probably vote for it, so the advisory committee will go with either three or four votes for to one against asking the city council to approve the purchase.

If Van Auken and Manning are elected, I believe they will both vote no as will Spears and Nichting. If elected mayor, Jim Ardis will vote no. Chuck Grayeb, an adult public school teacher, will vote yes. Grayeb was quoted in the PJS on 2/9/97 as follows “The United Sates has never been an imperialist country. We have never sought colonies or conquest for this country. Never”. So much for the condition of some parts of our public school teaching!!

Years ago I warned of a power structure that was going to run this city the way they wanted with or without taxpayer approval. Their plea is to stay the course. I suggest we look behind us to see which way the course is moving. And don’t tell me all this leadership has provided us. Almost any of us could have accomplished more considering the hundreds of millions of dollars spent over the past decade or so. As an example, I haven’t seen any national accolades on our riverfront development, except the award given the RiverPlex. But then the awarders didn’t know the taxpayer funded RiverPlex was losing $6,000.00 a day.

We will see what happens, but you the voter, have a choice to make the changes on the city council, with the reward being, hopefully, fiscal sanity with controlled growth.

Saturday, March 26, 2005

Truancy

This article appeared in U.S. Today newspaper on 3/20/95 and is worth repeating as written. The setting is in Knoxville, Tenn. yet could be here in Peoria County. “Prosecutors summoned parents of repeatedly truant children to attend a meeting about the law concerning excessive absences in the classroom of public schools. About 40% of the adults didn’t show up.

Know County District attorney General mailed letters about the evening meeting to 582 parents, but 241 were absent.

State law allows prosecutors to hold parents accountable for their children’s school absences. Nineteen parents were arrested whose children had more than 10 unexcused absences from school. Parents found guilty can be punished by a year in jail.

We have only just begun, the Attorney General said. We mean this. I don’t know how else to say it. You’re going to send your child to school”.

Lacking in our public education system is not enough “tough love.” Look for more and more disrespect of the educational and also law and order systems by parents (I use the term lightly in many cases) and their offspring. One sophomore student I talked to recently said “our teacher shouts at us so we just shout back”. A great way to teach!!

I’ll blog more on how to make the public school systems succeed. I have been a longtime advocate of the public school systems and have written many articles about how to make the system work. If you go into my archives on this site, you will find at least 3 articles. In the meantime Superintendent Hinton and his board need help in changing state laws on truancy from the people who represent us in Springfield. With input from school leadership, lobbyists could help write the bill. As I’ve said before many times, the current system despite all its successes is not in what it needs to be. Just watch the news!!

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Highway Pork??

The Wall Street Journal called the new highway bill a “Lu-Lu”. A 284 billion bill to spend taxpayer’s money with all kinds of pork in it. The biggest winner is rip-off artist Transportation Chairman and Republican Don Young of Alaska. Young felt so good about it he “affectionately” named this bill after his wife, Lu. He is bringing $722,000,000.00 of this money to his home state, an average of $1,500.00 per resident. Right here at home, we are still studying the feasibility of extending Rt. 29 to Route 80. The cost of this project was originally estimated to be$300 million and now has risen to an estimated $600 million. (This figure stated by an IDOT engineer at a Council of River Governments meeting in February, 2005). On March 9, 2002, (no, not a misprint, 2002) Ray LaHood is quoted in the JS as saying “consultants will analyze by this fall whether the Route 29 route is feasible”. It is now almost three years later and we are spending another $3 million dollars to continue to study it and the estimated cost has doubled. But why stop now, our leadership started it. And don’t tell me many of you were opposed to it to start with, but were you able to stop it and will you stop it now? Of course you won’t and neither will the JS Board of Editors inform the general public that the cost has doubled and we are still spending money to study it almost three years after LaHood said we would know whether or not it is feasible.

The Republicans were supposed to be the fiscally conservative party. What is going on with the big spenders in my party? We are spending ourselves toward some future depression that will make 1929 look a day at the beach! How much debt can this country handle? As individual, we can only handle so much without going bankrupt. It appears to some of our governmental bodies, debt is no problem. Sooner or later this big spending and increasing debt will come home to roost.

The WJS goes on to say “Messrs. Hastert and Don Young described this higher federal spending as an economic boon that will create some 47,500 jobs for every billion dollars spent. But by that logic why not spend a trillion on highways”? It’s like saying when I buy a car and saved $5,000.00, I should have bought 10 cars and saved $50,000.00. I also would have created more jobs.

The JS instead of printing so much trivia and sensationalism, ought to find out how much has been spent on outside consultants and how much overhead IDOT & USDOT have spent on just studying highway construction in our area and how much some of these “consultants” have contributed to get these big spenders elected. I know the more we spend on actual construction the more companies like Caterpillar earn. But the only people making money on the studies are the consultants. And you and I are paying for these consultants thru continually increased taxes at the pump. Don’t blame the oil companies in for all the high cost of gasoline, look how much tax is added to every gallon. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe it is around 30cents a gallon in Illinois. Don’t advise me that we need people to make studies before building because I know that. But look at all the studying we have done without building. And some of these older studies are now outdated and shelved to take up space so that more buildings are required just to store these records.

I recently blogged excerpts of an article in Forbes Magazine (which the JS printed in full a week or so after I wrote my blog) entitled “The Answer is Always Yes”. This article stated that once the movers and shakers started something, nothing like lack of money and possible financial failure, could stand in their way even if they really knew that they were wrong. Just like the builder of the Titanic who couldn’t accept the fact that his unsinkable ship was sinking.

I do realize that some good comes from everything we do right or wrong. However if we keep doing enough wrong nothing good will come of that in the end. Like some union bosses told me, we don’t give a damn what you build, just build it because we need the jobs. Unfortunately, their members and their families will be paying for the debt we are accumulating sometime in the near future.

Oh, some of the pork in this 84 billion bill is $7.3 million for a Vermont snowmobile trail and $10 million for a parking garage at a Harlem hospital. Any of this sounds familiar?

We have long winters here in Peoria. I guess all this spending and debt accumulation makes good reading and conversation till we can forget about it and enjoy the spring, summer and fall. Maybe we will get serious about what our elected officials are doing come next winter!!

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Stay the Course??

Ex-Peoria one term Mayor, Lowell “Bud” Grieves weighed in Saturdays edition of the JS offering his reasons for supporting another term for Dave Ransburg. As a resident of Peoria and an ex-business man, teacher, coach, resident of Peoria and currently Vice Chairman of the Peoria County Board, I’ll enter the “why I support Jim Ardis”side of the contest. Let’s examine Mr. Grieves credentials: His service as a one term mayor will not put him among the most memorable of Peoria Mayors. In October 1999, he suggested some type of property tax hike, then in January proposed some sort of property tax reduction. In the January 15, 2000, the Journal Editorial Board said of
Grieves, “he is at risk of becoming the mayor who tries everything and accomplishes nothing". He appears to lack focus, consistency and direction”.

Grieves wanted higher parking fees (approximately $215,000.00)which would scare more business away from downtown, he wanted to use excess HRA taxes as a source of city revenue, he strongly supported a downtown ball park (we got one that missed it’s projected attendance last year by 93,000).” The city of Peoria invested approximately $5 million dollars in the infrastructure surrounding the ballpark with the expectation of getting that back from business growth around the ballpark. Three years later the city is still waiting and will probably wait a lot longer. He strongly supported the RiverPlex which lost approximately 7 million dollars in its first 40 months of operation.

He was involved in late tax payments by the G&G Hotels as well as tardiness in liquor license renewals at G&GPacket Co. which he owned at that time. He suggested that Peoria School District 150 incorporate the Bible in its curriculum and people of non-Christian religions took offense, prosecutors investigated his lingering ties to G&G Packet Company.

He proposed the $5 million dollar taxpayer gift to Midtown Plaza. He strongly supported the city buyout of the water company which I believe the voters will strongly reject in April. The taxpayers should reject this buyout that has no real idea whether city ownership will be a boon or a bust. Whenever business or public entities stray from their core responsibilities, statistics show only three out of ten succeed. (Wall Street Journal March 2005)

In the May 2 issue of the JS, results of Dial-A-Vote showed the following opinions on Mr. Grieves performance as Mayor; 319 votes gave him a high C, 196 gave him a C, 185 gave him a D, 62 gave him a B, and only 28 gave him an A.

He was a champion of TIF, which denies District 150 a share of additional property taxes for twenty years. “He hired as the cities chief image booster a man who had filed for bankruptcy, can’t pay his rent, and lists on his letterhead such non-existent branches in London and Malaysia”. (JS July 23, 10, 1997)

Mr. Grieves, who lists his address as Canton. Il. , strongly supported the proposed Promenade which would have cost the taxpayers anywhere from $71 million to $99 million according to a letter I received from Bob McCord of Illinois Mutual on 11/28/99.

The plea to the voters by Ransburg and his supporters like “Bud” Grieves, is to “stay the course.” Take a look at the “course” we are on. Ransburg supported the RiverPlex, the ballpark, the Gateway Building, One Technology Plaza, the $5 million gift to Midtown Plaza, the proposed new Zoo which a PPD official told me, is so far away from reaching it’s goal of $32,000,000.00 that the PPD Board is proposing that the PPD sell bonds to make up the deficit so that construction can start this fall as scheduled!! The PPD is already obligated to pay back over $24,000,000.00 in accumulated debt.

At this late date Ransburg is purporting to help School District 150 with some of their problems but according to school officials he is a little late in the game.

I have for some time warned Peoria taxpayers to expect substantial increases in property and other taxes over the next few years if we “stay the course”.

I strongly support Jim Ardis for a financially stable growing Peoria and beware of smooth talking ex-politicians who plan to grow Peoria on their own egos and your taxes.

Monday, March 21, 2005

Responsibilty Has Been Mis-Placed

The following is an article I wrote in 1999 and submitted to the JS who did not print it because it was too lengthy. The title was “Responsibility Has Been Replaced” and reads as follows:

“This year, the U.S. will spend more money building prisons than on building schools. Yet many people still live in fear of their safety. The discipline of our children growing up is left to others, mainly the public schools who spend more time on social problems than the do on their original purpose. Many schools close their doors and offer little in after school programs for those who need these programs most.

Studies indicate that most teen pregnancies occur between the hours of 3-6 PM, a time when parents are often not home and no meaningful projects have been planned for them such as work, study or organized recreation. Should we be surprised that Peoria leads the nation in teen pregnancies? Fear of ones own children is widespread largely because of the lack of correct parental training, conflicting doctrines or how to raise children and failure to discipline them for fear of charges of child abuse.

To correct these problems, we often throw money new good-sounding programs only to fine out later that these programs “sounded good only”. We ignore proven solutions because these solutions are no longer “politically correct”. We are forming new committees of well-intentioned people who feel more prisons, entertainment centers, and gated communities are the answer.

Leaders who understand what is happening are often “put in their place” by a power structure that operates behind the public scenes to be sure that the same people are kept in control positions in the community.

By now, we should know are problems are “people” problems, not “things” problems and our leaders, elected, appointed or volunteer, must have the common sense to sort these problems out by priority and involve people with proven “can do” records. Unfortunately, we still use the “good old boy and girl” systems along with a generous sprinkling of nepotism and the rest of us follow as sheep behind those who say they know what its best for us.

Our current local priorities appear to be the park barrel tainted ring road and a new roadbed to Chicago including another new bridge, which would be number seven in an eighteen mile span; more bridges than any community our size in the nation. Other priorities call for a half billion dollars to study how to prevent the filling up of Lake Peoria, this filling up caused in part by neglect, roadbed construction, new malls, subdivisions and a general rush to get the water off the land and into our creeks and rivers.

We continue to make a priority of what most knowledgeable people agree is a failed mass public housing system, continuing to pour millions into an area that is blight on the community.

We have created a culture of “if I don’t take it, someone else will” and our kids are quick to observe this.

Despite the affluence of many individuals, record corporate profits, large public entertainment projects, and new highways, we have the largest number of bankruptcies in history, a public education system that most people feel is not accomplishing what it was intended to do, a general fear of rising terrorism, a demand that more money be spent on incarcerating people than educating them, and a federal deficit so large it can not be comprehended by the ordinary citizen.

No wonder most people are suspect of the future. Accountability and responsibility have become just words that had a meaning in another less “enlightened” era, and are now replaced by “not my problem” and greed.

Other than noting that my grammar needs work and I have a tendency to “ramble”, I would like comments from you, the reader, on what has changed since I wrote this article approximately six years ago. We have made some progress but IDOT is still spending millions and millions of dollars studying how to improve our transportations systems into Peoria and we may no longer lead the nation in teen pregnancies. We may have built half a dozen “white elephants” and may have had a record number of outside “experts” telling us how we can become just like Las Vegas, a destination.

Please comment.

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Common sense: Have we lost it??

I recently wrote about parasitic plaintiff lawyers who, if they are not restrained, have a good chance of shutting down medical research. They are already causing many good doctors to close their practices, move out of state, accept no new patients, cause many additional tests to be run on the patient that cause ever rising medical costs.

Scare tactics have caused many people to stop using drugs that were benefiting them and at the same time saw the value of their mutual funds or stock portfolios severely impacted by the sell off by worried investors. So in many cases the user and the investors, who are often one and the same, lose both in medical relief and their investments.

The liability issues and scare tactics are causing people to become confused and causing everyone connected to the medical health industry to “cover their butts” at a tremendous cost both in dollars and lives. We long ago were told that any drug used without the doctors full knowledge of what other drugs you are taking and without full disclosure of other medical problems you have had or are having, could cause usually reliable medicine to cause severe health problems, even your death. Recommended dosage quantities are often abused and warning labels ignored. Many people abuse our superior medical system and can easily find a vulture lawyer to file a lawsuit or join in a class action lawsuit, against someone or everybody, knowing that most defendants will settle out of court, rather than be tried by a vindictive or crooked judge or an unstable jury.

When you have vulture attorneys advertising for plaintiffs, plenty of people who want to blame everyone but themselves for their health problems are only to happy to file a claim knowing it won’t cost them any money if they lose. Until laws are passed making the plaintiff responsible for all court and legal costs if the charges are proven unfounded, we can continue to see all medical costs escalate and lives lost because of a lack of qualified doctors in their communities and expensive research will no longer be conducted by the pharmaceutical industry.

The back cover of the March 7, 2005 issue of U.S. News and World Report states that the “trial lawyers’ next cash cow is lawsuits filed in behalf of obese people. 89% of Americans think obesity lawsuits are ridiculous and 86% believe that parents are responsible for their kids’ choices. Now trial lawyers want to force THEIR choices on 100% of us.”

You can learn more about the erosion of common sense by logging on to ConsumerFreedom.com

People believe they have rights without responsibility. As more and more people adopt this attitude, expect this nation to start sliding backward if it already has not done so.

Elderly Bilking??

A woman in her mid eighties, who I have known all my life, believes she was bilked by a person she thought she could trust. She signed a one page document transferring approximately $100,000.00 worth of antiques to this local antique auctioneer. She alleges he was to hold a three day sale of her product. She alleges this auctioneer did not do what he told her he would do and she received a check for only 14% of what she thought she would receive in proceeds of the auction. At any rate, she feels she was bilked. She also realizes that she trusted this man too much, should have gotten more in writing from this auctioneer and that she should have put a minimum bid that she would accept on each item. She trusted that he was aware of the value of the items he auctioned off and should not have sold them at such low prices.

As a word of warning to anyone with valuable items; do not give your valuable property to anyone without having your attorney draw up a contract between you and the receiver. In my friends case, it is too late but not for others.

If anyone in the Peoria area has had a similar experience with a local auctioneer, you may call me and providing you give me proper identification I will put you in touch with my friend who feels she was bilked and she can tell you her story.

In the meantime someone is being “ripped” off every few hours as Sheriff McCoy or our States Attorney Kevin Lyon will tell you. Almost always these bilkers are operating on the edge of legality but certainly not morally. It’s good to trust but “verify”.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Hines School

I had the pleasure of visiting Hines School today. This is a District #150 school in control of their classrooms, hallways, cafeteria and physical education classes. I praise the work being done by Principal Cathy Wiggers and her staff and teachers, especially Custodian Fisher and Mrs. Finney, cafeteria manager. All had one purpose; show authority that these kids can respect and, in turn, create a learning atmosphere throughout the entire school. Every classroom I observed from the hallways was filled with kids who were listening instead of talking. Custodian Fisher knew how to calm these kids and get them to listen. (I doubt this extra effort is in his contract). One of the posted signs I saw everywhere said “close your lips”. It seems simple. Show love and enforce discipline and receive respect.

I saw this at Hines School today. If this continuity was maintained thru K-12, the community can only benefit. What often goes wrong when they leave schools like Hines and Valeska Hinton?

I also had lunch at Hines School. For $2.15, I had my choice of a Burrito or a Sloppy Joe, a carton of milk, a generous salad bar, a vegetable and dessert. A balanced meal for less cost than a hamburger from a fast food place!! Yet many kids brought their own lunches, some that were reasonably balanced, but others consisted of candy, chips or pretzels and cookies. Every school I visit in Dist. #150 has a reasonably balanced lunch; it is not the schools responsibility to make the kids eat good food. It, of course, is the responsibility of the parent. The fact that some kids will only eat sweets is an indictment of the parent, not the school.

As I read and listen to the politicians running for office in April, I wonder how many have ever made an unannounced visit to a school and observed first hand what goes on.

Most of them know about this site. They are welcome to comment.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Justice

“The execution of Robert Alton Harris, murderer of two teen age boys, has thrown elite opinion makers, (translation bleeding heart liberals) into paroxysms of grief, here and even more so in Europe. Psychologist Craig Haney of the University of California was among those lamenting Harris’s execution. Professor Haney, who spent some time interviewing the condemned, says that Harris “has matured in many ways” during his thirteen years in prison. At the end Harris had only thoughts on others and was not “focused on himself.”

“The teen aged boys Harris coldly executed, after ordering one of them to “stop crying and die like a man,” had no such opportunity to mature. Nor did they have an army of mourners or media focused on every blink of their eye. The New York Times argued that “all that official killing will bring the victim’s survivors is revenge.” (The dictionary describes revenge as “retaliating in kind or degree”). But of course, Harris’s act not only killed his victims, but filled the survivors’ lives with grief and a sense of injustice.”

The article concludes “what the criminal justice system needs is a sturdy dose of personal accountability”.

This article appeared in the newspaper approximately 13 years ago, the same amount of time Harris spent on death row. What a terrible injustice to the survivors of the victim!! What a flawed justice system we have in the United States that permits a cold blooded killer to live another 13 years at the expense of the survivors and the taxpayer.

At the time, I wrote a letter to the editor that was printed in which I stated “all thinking humans favor the death penalty for the majority of heinous crimes. Eventually, law and order will be restored in the world by the people contrary to the liberals and their failed policies.” Unfortunately, “thinking people” have become many of the liberal professors teaching their hate of conservatives to youth, many of who have larger mouths than brains.

Now thirteen years later, the liberals are attempting to get the Supreme Court to ban executions, especially of so called “youths”. Today, we learned of a 14 year old boy who is alleged to have shot and killed the driver of his school bus. This is almost a weekly occurrence in one of our 50 states.

Many college professors, some who have doctoral degrees but couldn’t hold a job in the private sector, are teaching envy, hate and rebellion against the very principles on which this country are founded. One Bradley professor told a group of us that he teaches his class that there are no “truths”. No wonder there are so many depressed and suicidal young people!! (Some students claim that 90% of the college teachers in social studies, history, psychology and liberal arts, are liberal Democrats). An article in the March 7 issue of U.S. News and World Report by John Leo states “liberalism nowadays lacks a vocabulary of right and wrong, declines to discuss virtue except in snickering terms, and seems increasing hostile to prevailing moral sentiments”.

Responsibility and accountability must be brought back to our communities. People who say “well, kids will be kids” do not understand what they are saying. Kids can kill, impregnate (and get pregnant), spread social diseases, bully, steal, lie and abuse authority just like an adult. Until we weaken the control the envious hateful and misguided liberals have in many of our schools and many of our social organizations, we will continue to accelerate to socialism and decline like many old European countries have already done.

George Ryan, an alleged lair and a crook, brought up the death penalty debate to try to cover up his disastrous term as Governor of Illinois. We conservatives must have our voices heard more frequently and demand that anyone of any age lawfully convicted of a heinous crime should be permanently removed from society within a reasonable amount of time. Law, order and justice will only be returned to this country by our demand that all people be held responsible to uphold the laws of this land. For every live taken intentionally by a murderer, dozens of people are left as suffering survivors. Give them speedy lawful justice, including the death penalty, to help right the wrongs inflicted on the victim, survivors and society. Those of any age who intentionally deprive us of life and liberty will not be long missed by most of the survivors and not at all by the mainstream of society.

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Fiscal Sanity

The WSJ reports today that the Cato Institute releases its biennial report on the 50 governors and their ranking for fiscal performance. No surprise that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was graded with a “D”. Both Republican Bob Taft of Ohio and Democrat Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania received an “F”. Both Arnold S. of Ca. and Bill Owens of Colorado received the only two “A’s”. The Democrat governor of New Mexico received a “B” by cutting the top rate on income tax from 8.2% to 5%, reducing the capital gains tax and cutting spending. Presidential hopeful Democrat Mark Warner received a “D” for enacting the largest tax increase in Virginia’s history. Florida Republican Governor Jeb Bush slipped from, and “A” to a “B” after endorsing bloated budgets.

The report states that you can’t tax your way to recovery; the best way out of a deficit is to cut spending. The problem is that almost all politicians know these “golden rules” and promise to follow these rules once elected. Unfortunately, once in office they feel beholden to all the “special interest people” who financed their campaigns and they become “yes” people to a growing avalanche of entitlements. The entitlement people make a good case for spending the taxpayer’s money and the politicians always say “yes”.

With elections coming up here in April, you will probably be wise to determine who is most likely to deny entitlements we can live without and who can determine what the “core” businesses of cities really are while at the same time supporting building the infrastructure that will retain and attract more living wage jobs to this community. Try to sort out who will do the best job of training and holding employable workers instead of creating more welfare and uneducated society dropouts.

As I warned in previous blogs “beware of politicians who have a vision”. Examine what some of these “visions” have already created; One Technology Plaza, The Gateway building (this building takes most of the East Peoria gambling boat money the City of Peoria collects), the vacant Damon’s restaurant building, the Riverplex, the new ballpark, Cub’s Food on Knoxville, (recipient of $5 million plus of taxpayers dollars), TIF districts everywhere including some of the best farmland in the world, and a riverfront that could have been designed more to the communities desires. Remember whose leadership lost Peoria the Paradise.

These “visions” and realities; a $32 million expanded zoo, the new museums, the addition to the Civic Center, a new Park District headquarters building, a new softball complex, completion of the Morton to Dunlap trail, renewed efforts to save the Pere once the Civic Center expansion is completed, the taxpayer dollars that will go into the Med-Tech project, investments that must be made in our local school systems, growing pensions and medical costs for employees of the public sector, plus many “visions” on someone’s drawing board or mind, it is my belief that the wealthy and others who want all these projects, must not only come up with the money to build but the money to maintain. Let the voters decide by binding referendums. Be sure the referendum is properly worded and that all costs including maintenance are explained to the voter.

I do not buy the concept that we “will all benefit” for these enhancements to our community. I buy the concept that many taxpayers will benefit but the majority will not and that there are more big egos in this community than willing taxpayers.

I wrote recently that the die is “already cast”. Those who believe or do not believe that we are not headed into being one of the most enhanced and overtaxed communities in what is often called “the rustbelt”, I welcome you to post your comments on this site.

As a business man for 36 years, a politician for over four years, it is my belief (and the belief of many other) that some community projects must be put on hold. In uncertain financial times, we must invest more in our infrastructures and less in enhancements.

Build it and they will come is not a proven theory!!

I leave you with this thought “the way of our daily lives, lead us to subordinate all values to the struggle for material success”.