Look this blog up by entering "$60 million Peoria Park District budget", Enter in the upper left hand corner of this blog or any of my 2600 blogs I've posted to date.. Read on to reach my prediction of a $60 million yearly PPD budget . Of all the predictions I made over the years almost all have come true or will soon come true.You will find that in 2005, I predicted that the Peoria Park District was spending beyond it's means. I predicted an upcoming $60 million dollar PPD budget. The JS says it is now $52.5 million with a defict of $1.36 million this year and no way out but to close at least one golf course, close the Central indoor pool, and reduce employees. Renovating the vacant Lakeview Museum building cost more that $2.75 million and maintenance costs to this 33,000 square ft. structure will far exceed the cost of maintenance occurring when they occupied the Pavilion, their old headquarters now being remodeled to become the Peoria Playhouse. This playhouse was originally scheduled to open in 2007 and is still not totally funded and with no indication it will be endowed by the private sector.
Meanwhile, erosion runs rampant through 8500 acres of parkland with no money allocated by the PPD for erosion control. Note the growing delta in the Illinois River coming from soil from park grounds in the area north towards Chillicothe.
The PPD 40 acre sports complex wasn't built partly because of the drain of debt from the RiverPlex, the $1 million lost per year by poor decisions regarding PPD golf, once a profitable ventures, Kirk Wessler points out that some tennis courts have cracks big enough to break an ankle, growing high fees are out of reach for long-time park golfers. those in poverty can't afford the rising costs of most park activities and the African Zoo highly touted spectacular entrance off Prospect never materialized. But Queen Bonny got her magnificent renovated headquarters that will soon be needing a new expensive roof, while the Old IDOT building on Knoxville owned by the PPD is deteriorating.
Meanwhile, the amount of money the park can borrow (bonds) has shrunk considerably despite the protestations of the Peoria Journal Star that that the park is very solvent. But they do not print how much is borrowed from who and what money they can yet borrow. Just like the public doesn't know how much is still owed on the PRM or the size of it's endowment and how much of the meager endowment fund was created in a clever accounting maneuver, paid by the taxpayers. While Dave Ransburg's pledge to "personally" raise $10 million, was a bad joke.
Meanwhile, population in Peoria County is shrinking and sales tax missed estimates by ONLY $1.5 million and the PRM actually lost close to $2 million when operating costs are included.
Then there is the large deficit at Peoria County with only Board Member Bob Baietto asking questions about the performance of the relatively new Heddington Oaks which rumor has it as "losing it's ass".as the deficit is made up by property tax payers. Then there is still the deteriorating old BelWood Nursing Home and the mess out at the old deteriorating Hanna City Correctional Center, whose ownership was taken over by Peoria County without a plan for its use.
Not true, some say? Then prove me wrong with facts. Just don't let ACTUAL facts get in your way.
Meanwhile the more "committees" are being formed to study the problems as so many of the old committees turn out to be just that. Committees. Like many like me don't know? Big, bigger and huge egos all the way from the B & G Club up. and down.
So sad
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