"Where the Grass is Greener", an article appearing in the 8/18/07 issue of the Economist hits home in Peoria. The article describes Cerritos, Ca. as a community of glorious history, old money and beauty. "It's a terribly unremarkable place on the way to Disneyland, yet this community of 55,000 has become remarkable thanks to superb management and geographical location. It is both a bedroom community and an economic engine. It has far more jobs than working residents. And it has leased it's land not sold it's land so that a future stream of revenue is guaranteed."
Like many American cities, it has many amenities such as new schools, libraries, museums,etc., "Of course, other cities have built parks, performing art centers,fancy libraries while struggling financially. The key to Cerritos success may be the timing of these investments. Cities such as Cleveland and Baltimore (and Peoria) have poured money into museums and other grand projects in the vain hope these would lure businesses and young, creative folks. Cerritos began by building pipelines, "links", and roads, then moved on to business parks, policing and schools, including Californians best high school. Only when it was rolling in money did it break out the "titanium".
Local officials attribute the cities success to fiscal discipline and the ability to follow a long range plan. That, in turn, is a result of it's political culture. Cerritos has a tradition of powerful. long-serving city managers, to whom local politicians frequently defer. As Laura Lee, the mayor explains, "There are so many things, we as elected officials, do not understand." Voters seem to agree as a 2002 poll showed that 96% said they were satisfied with the provision of public service.
The last census shows an ethnic mix: 21% white, 7% black, 11% Latino. 12% mixed race, approximately 15% Chinese and Korean, 11% Filipino, and 6% Indian.
With no offence intended, the City of Peoria is surely observing Peoria County, our capable administrator is starting his 8th year and he has 17 board members plus a County Board Chairman to whom he must report . The administrator and all, including elected officials and all employees are responsible for the fiscal responsiblity of a $122 million budget. We sometimes disagree but I have seen next to no micro-management by board members.
Moody's Investor Services recently upgraded Peoria County's Bond rating to "excellent". This Aa3 rating reflects sound financial operations, a growing and diversified economy and a moderate debt burden.
Might be a good time to form a committee of common sense, smaller egos people and those with a history of building INCLUSIVE networks to start studying the possibility of uni-government. However, our past history of failure to combine simple services, such as the Election Commissions, would indicate the odds of this happening are "slim or none".
Striving immigrants are the cause and consequence of the cities public schools, pupils who speak in-adequate English do better in math than than those who speak English. Whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics and others have not formed ghettos but are intermixed.
The article concludes "It is in dull sprawling places with good schools, of the sort ridiculed by Hollywood and urban planners, that America comes together."
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