Here is what regional President Doug Stewart of National City Bank SAID when asked to lend $6 million to Firely back in 2007, "Banks generally do not make this type of loan risk on companies still in the early stages of development." Here is what Dave Leitch, V-P of the same bank said at the same time while passing on the risk to the taxpayers of Peoria City and County, "This will be a movement we can all look back on and say, 'wow'."
Say wow, Dave.
We know that Ed Williams, CEO contributed $1800 to one of Ray LaHood's campaigns when LaHood was on the Appropriations Committee in D.C. Wonder how many other FireFly connected individuals made financial contributions to elected officials in Springfield and Washington, or locally? FireFly was the recipient of many millions of dollars of taxpayer money courtesy of our elected officials.
You know, those who take large amounts of tax money from Peoria and dribble it back at 50 cents on the dollar, usually to special interests or special interest individuals who can afford to make substantial contributions to their campaigns.
On 3/23/05, State Treasurer, Judy Baar Topinka, announced that that the State of Illinois would invest $7.5 million in three Illinois venture capital funds as part of the first allocations of a $50 million dollar venture capital fund.
In olden days, before the country is on the verge of bankruptcy, it was PRIVATE investors who took those risk as they could AFFORD to take those risks. It was THEIR money, not yours.
And we are angry because businesses are moving out of Illinois and the state is billions of dollars behind in paying their bills and the state also may be on the verge of bankruptcy??
