Softball Tournaments in Peoria??

Read the article in today’s JS titled “The Heartland of Softball”, East Peoria stepping up to the plate to make game big business for Peoria.” Then read what Bonnie Noble said representing the Peoria Park District about the flow of money into the area created by East Peoria hosting National tournaments. Bonnie is quoted “Together we could make this the heartland of softball IF we get several state grants to build a $1.6 million sports facility on 80 acres of land we OWN in Northwest Peoria. I challenge anyone to show me that the Peoria Park District “owns” 80 acres of land out north of Peoria suitable to build and support a small portion of tournament fast pitch softball. Also my recent blog states that this is the same thing the PPD said last year and that the diamonds would be ready this year. The reason they can’t move is that PPD doesn’t have the money and that they are spending it faster that they can collect it on taxes from you and fees! Some on the board also realize they are too late and this complex if built, it would be another drain on the taxpayers and the park budget of $48.8 million.

The Park District just passed a $48.8 million dollar budget yet they are asking our cash strapped state who can’t even pay their bills on time, to give the PPD more of your and my money for a softball facility that will lose large dollars every year along with all the other big time money losers they have built in recent years. Park officials say they have plenty of money. Of course they do, the just raise your taxes and ask the State of Illinois for more entitlements.

Why doesn’t somebody say that “Bonnie, you are a good ten years too late, this is East Peoria’s softball Tournament and Peoria would just get some of the leftovers? In a supposed location 4 miles north of the Shoppes? Are we nuts in this community or is it we don’t really care what goes on?

Do more people need to be aware of what some of our “leader” are doing to Peoria or do we all just “talk to our coffee cups? Do we believe everything the JS writes without ever following up? You say you don’t care, then quit complaining about your property tax bills.

Prove me wrong that the park owns 80 acres out north that they swapped for Meinen field with Bradley who paid a whopping $2.1 million for 166 acres; $13,000.00 and acre and still pays the property tax on this property of 380.00 year. Do you see that, city dwellers?
Bradley pays only A TOTAL OF $380 DOLLARS A YEAR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS for 266 acres of prime farm land with buildings on it! Who is getting screwed?? And yes, this 80 acres of farmland SUSPOSEDLY owned by the Peoria Park District is in the name of Bradley University. Check it out at the Recorders Office in the Courthouse. Yes, I’m on the Peoria County board and property taxes on farmland will be a topic of discussion in the next couple of months.

On 9/04 the JSEB wrote that “Bradley University and the PPD worked out a land swap that appears to benefit each. Bradley gets the former Meinen Field in exchange for 80 acres near Route 91 and Fox Road.” The problem with the media is that they most often do not follow up on something they write especially if these entities pay big bucks adverting in their editions. I ask Mike Smother and Mike Bailey to refute my claims on ownership.

Probably not unless transfer was done within the past ten days.

Also isn’t it strange that Bradley would pay $13,000.00 and acres for farmland two miles south of Dunlap and have to borrow the $2.1 million to fund it?

This is my last blog for a short while. Many of you just starting to read me can check my archives while I’m in hiatus. Some interesting stuff including more proof that I’m living up to what I said in my opening blog, “This is not a politically correct blog site.”

Thanks for reading me.