Eric Turner, Peoria City Councilman and Mayor Wanna-be

While being interviewed by WEEK News 25 and his comments about the Citizens For Responsible Spending petition drive to "Let the voters decide on museum changes", Turner said and WEEK 25 (as well as City Councilman Montelongo), misstated that the petitions were to "forbid the county from issuing bonds to fund the museum."

How badly can you mislead the public. Hey, you half-educated OPM spending liberals, the petition clearly states opposition ONLY to the County's switching to GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS that remove the risk from the bondsellers and put the long-term risk on the taxpayers.

Turner, who once ran for mayor and would love to run again; he is a minority and the "minority" card goes over big in the public sector in Peoria, said, "he thinks the success of this petition drive would kill the project." I doubt whether, Turner, Montelongo, and WEEK even read the petition or if they did, didn't understand it, a petition to block the GO bonds only and let the voters decide whether they are concerned about all the mis-truths and false promises made before and after the referendum, from the NO IMAX belatedly announced, the lack of private funding, the substituting of General Obligation Bonds, the millions of outstanding and noncollectable pledges, the absent $5 million promised from the bankrupt State of Illinois, the nearly $14 million already spent by the PRM, the money secured by LaHood in 2007 not yet "in the bank", the shrinkage of space, the questionable exterior design, etc.

It is this type of no research politician and sensationalized reporting that has put Peoria in the no growth "pickle" they are in.

To cap the false statements made by Turner and Montelongo and publicised by WEEK, the release erroneously reports "The official ground breaking of the $41 million building project is next week." $41 million?? How about a $92+ million project not including the Visitors Center; a $145-7 million overall project, as reported by the County in recent days.

Apathy, big egos, and a suspect press dominate the scene in Peoria. Where are these "characteristics" getting us?

As previously reported, Turner is the guy that put his name on a letter requesting millions to expand Lincoln Library, particularly noting that the basement is "dank and dark" while admitting to me in a email which I saved that he had not set foot in the basement of this underutilized library which is NOT DANK AND DARK and, if so deemed, could have been corrected by a humidifier and better lighting. Maybe a thousand dollars or so.