Peoria Public School District #150 - Expenditures vs. Enrollment

In 1997-8, the budget for #150 was $107,966,000 and enrollment was 15,258.
In 20o7-8, the budget for #150 was $166,503,000 and enrollment was 13,825.

But then rising costs are not new in the public sector.

For a complete breakdown of these D150 figures, visit C. J. Summer's "The Peoria Chronicle" blog.

Take a good look at your property bill and see where your money goes and consider if you are getting the results you expect. I believe you will notice that your Assessed Valuation (the tax levy has gone slightly down, 0.1186 total in the last ten years) is rising while the SELLING value of your property declines.

Not always of course because of location, location location.

Not to worry, though, the new $92+ million Peoria Riverfront Museum will be holding classes to educate those who don't get educated in #150 classrooms. And the welfare checks being spent by the uneducated, will keep the economy humming. I think, isn't that Obama's plan? Spread the wealth to the havenots?

Read much about the plight of people Chavez in Venezuela and Castro in Havana?

In Peoria County, we are going to build a $55 million dollar nursing home for the "poor", mainly 165 Medicaid residents, while collecting $3,200,000 in yearly escalating property taxes to "maintain" the present BelWood. With a $1.6 million dead records storage under the new BelWood. Like there aren't any vacant spaces and buildings close to the courthouse??

Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to borrow $51 million for the new BelWood and pay interest for 30 years? Or collect $41,600,000 from extra sales taxes ($approx. $4million a year for 20 years) to fund a museum that most people do not want.

Again, not to worry, the "movers and shakers" in Peoria can tell their out of town friends of all the enhancements we have. Includes the Caterpillar Visitors Center while Cat moves most of their manufacturing jobs to "right to work" states like Tennessee, N. Carolina and Texas. While the unions grow more powerful in the Peoria public sectors. And don't forget the "oohing" and "aAhing" over the coming "big screen" and the giraffe; once there were two of them. Unfortunately, these friends evidently don't come to stay as will be shown when the $50+ billion COST census (estimated cost so far, BUT IT CREATED JOBS) figures are announced in 2011 or 2012.

And while in Peoria, visit the E. Peoria gambling boat the Peoria drug dealers. Many of the gambling visitors stay in E.Peoria while the big casino money goes to the "out of town" owners. And taxes to the bankrupt state of Illinois.

I note speeding fines in Illinois are going to rise dramatically to cover the politicians OPM spending. That will help make the poor poorer and people to avoid this state.

Mark Johnson Resignation Re-Visited

When Mark Johnson was hired as the person to oversee Peoria County's stake in the PRM project, Board Member Jimmy Dillon said, "We have to have somebody there during construction process to make sure tax dollars are being appropriately spent", "Johnson already has all the knowledge of the museum project and it's a perfect opportunity."

The JS reported that Johnson is likely to chair the building committee while the facility is being constructed.

Now Peoria County Board member, Andrew Rand, manager of the local ATM medical services appears, to be overseeing the building construction committee.

Interesting. Or could it be that Johnson twice publicly called the project a "mess"?

Johnson announced his resignation effective September 1, 2010.

Gold Plated Shovels Tomorrow??

Probably. Maybe Ransburg will pay for them. Since the Museum has already spent approximately $14,000,000 (that's 14 million)of the money collected for the museum and still have $19 million in OUTSTANDING pledges, about 1/4 of what is needed for the Endowment, I suggest they use plastic or tin shovels.

Photo Op? No, I'll not be there. Maybe I'll drive to Chattanooga and see a wide screen.

The-Peoria-9-12-Project - Oust Kilbride

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Jody Pitcher
To: The-Peoria-9-12-Project-announce@meetup.com
Sent: Sat, September 4, 2010 5:43:29 PM
Subject: [The-Peoria-9-12-Project] NO Kilbride

Why Vote NO Kilbride?
Our State Government is just like our Federal. It is a Tri-partite system made up of Executive, Legislative and Judicial. Many of us are working hard to elect a new Governor and new legislators that better represent our views and values. But what are we doing about the Illinois Supreme Court, the highest ranking legal body in the state?
The IL Supreme Court is comprised of 7 members. 3 are elected from District 1, entirely within Cook County. As you can imagine each of those members are hopelessly Democrats. However, the rest of Northern Illinois has conservative Republican Bob Thomas from District 2. The Springfield area in District 4 elects Republican Rita Garman. The Metro East and Southern Illinois territory of District 5 elects conservative Republican Lloyd Karmeier. So who is the tie-breaker on the court? Who holds the balance between the Republicans who are pro-family, pro-business, and pro-Constitution and the Democrats who put trial lawyers, labor unions, Michael Madigan and Richie Daley on their favorites list? It is Justice Tom Kilbride of Rock Island.
Kilbride won election in 2000 by defeating Sen. Carl Hawkinson of Galesburg by 53-47. Chicago Democrat boss Madigan pumped over $600,000 in campaign cash into the race to win it for Kilbride, who has been a loyal and reliable Democrat vote on the court for the entire decade. The most important vote Kilbride cast was this last February when he provided the critical 4th vote to overturn Illinois’ tort reform law which had prevented jackpot justice by capping non-economic damages in lawsuits at $500,000. This decision is terrible for the Illinois business community and the medical community. Rural doctors and other medical providers are being driven from the state as malpractice insurance becomes unaffordable thanks to judges like Kilbride. Another important reason to oust Kilbride? According to www.justpac.org, Kilbride is the worst Supreme Court Justice on law and order cases. He has voted for the interests of convicted felons over the police in 81% of split decision cases. That is frightening.
What does Kilbride need to do to get another 10 years on the court? To be retained on November 2nd, 60% of the people who vote on his name must punch “yes.” Our job is to ask for a Vote NO. If he does not receive 60% then the seat will be declared vacant until the 3rd Tuesday of March election of 2012 where there will be a Republican and Democrat primary to see who will face off in the November, 2012 election for a 10 year term. There are plenty of good conservative attorneys and judges in the 3rd District who could run for the position if it opened up. Among them are Tazewell County State’s Attorney Stu Umholtz, Henry County Judge Ted Hamer, and Appellate Justices Dan Schmidt and William Holdridge.
Any questions on the basic premise of this campaign, please visit www.vote-no-kilbride.com or call Chairman and Founder of Vote NO Kilbride, Jon Zahm, at 815-483-4710.




--
Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list (The-Peoria-9-12-Project-list@meetup.com)
This message was sent by Jody Pitcher (monkeysmiles75@yahoo.com) from The Peoria 9-12 Project.
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Meetup, PO Box 4668 #37895 New York, New York 10163-4668

"The Peoria Chronicle" Blog Today

C.J. Summers questions how Peoria County can use "Build America Bonds" established, I believe, in 2007 to fund the museum.

Good question and perhaps our county administrator will answer for all our readers.

Museums Rising Tax Collecting - And Spending

Review of the PRM request for forced (forced, yes, the 15,000 no voters didn't want the extra $4 million a year) tax collection: Originally $600,000 spread out over 6 years. I voted yes. Then $24 million, then $34+ million,(this is when the county asked to own the museum that I voted "no") then $40 million, then $40,600 and now $41,600,000 as stated in Peoria County news release to the board yesterday.

Like Dirksen said, a "million here and a million there" and .... Cancelled pledges must be near $2 million as $556,000 were noncollectable in 2008 and $744,000+ in 2009. 2010 noncollectable have not been released even though the museum's 2010 year ended June 30.

The PRM will continue fund raising drives every year ($500,000 a year projected; if the Endowment isn't at least $11 million, they will ask for more) for the lifetime of the museum building. Even though donations will be private donations; the museum each year will be submitting requests for grants as they do now, private donations that could have gone for more worthy causes, will be lost.

I predict this project is going to one very costly liability to the taxpayers; and the donors, for an ordinary lifetime in years.

And then, if there is no IMAX???

Peoria County Board Consultant Resigns

Mark Johnson, ex-Caterpillar Manager and Caterpillar spokesperson for the river side projects and later, Peoria County liaison between the Peoria Riverfront Museum Committees, has resigned effective September 1, 2010.

Another sign of the times?? Has anyone talked to Erik Bush, former County Financial Manager about his reflections on the new museum?

Might be interesting.

Peoria Riverfront Museum - Read the "Peoria Chronicle" Blog Today

C.J. Summers raises questions about the switch by PRM and Peoria County from what was promised before the referendum to taxpayer backed General Obligation Bonds today.

Most people do not understand what a fiasco this museum project has been and do not understand what the cost will be to taxpayers in future years.

Facility Tax in Peoria County

The 1/4% will take as much as $80 million out of the economy over 20 years. When Mr. Urich talks of "debt certificates" costing extra money of from less than a million to $1.2, that is NOT additional taxes as that money is already being collected as approved by last years referendum.

By changing the language to General Obligation bonds, the burden of failure is shifted to tax payer however slight that possibility could be.

Did everyone forecast that we would go into a depression and Caterpillar stock would drop as low as $20 a share. Or that this fiasco museum would not have an IMAX and be 70+% supported by taxpayer dollars??

$17.9 million is the lowest figure quoted on debt service paid by the taxpayer on the museum.

Mrs. Obama and the PRM Endowment Shortage - A Perspective

Think of the extravagance of this spending. Then consider the PRM and Peoria County has already spent 56 times that amount of money on the Peoria Riverfront Museum ($14 million) and not one spade of earth has been turned.

The letter below is fake. The figures are not.

Merle

For only the second time in my adult life, I am not ashamed of my country. I want to thank the hard working American people for paying $242 thousand dollars plus additional expenses for my vacation in Spain . My daughter Sasha, several long-time family friends, my personal staff and various guests had a wonderful time. Honestly, you just haven't lived until you have stayed in a $2,500.00 per night suite at a 5-Star luxury hotel. We only booked 70 rooms for our friends, staff and family. Thank you also for the use of Air Force 2 and the 70 Secret Service personnel who tagged along to be sure we were safe and cared for at all times.

Air Force 2 only used 47,500 gallons of jet fuel for this trip and carbon emissions were a mere 1,031 tons of CO2. It costs only $11,500 per hour to operate Air Force 2 and each additional plane for the other members of our party group. These are only rough estimates, but they are close (who's counting?). That's quite a carbon footprint as my good friend Al Gore would say, so we must ask the American citizens to drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars and drive less too, so we can lessen our combined carbon footprint.

I know times are hard and millions of you are struggling to put food on the table and trying to make ends meet. I do appreciate your sacrifice and do hope you find work soon. I was really exhausted after Barack took our family on a luxury vacation in Maine a few weeks ago. I just had to get away for a few days. Will write more from Martha's Vineyard where we will spend our sixth vacation this year with more of our family and friends.

Cordially,

M. Obama

Private Funds of $8 Million Never Received But Ground is Being Broken Anyway

Note the next to the last sentence about $8 million in private funds to cover the gap. Even with more taxpayer dollars the gap was not covered. A meeting was held today (or yesterday between Dave Ransburg and Mike McCord and others to see how they were going to raise more funds, both private and taxpayer dollars.

Interesting.

Three weeks after Mr. Beasley from Caterpillar told the County Board that the "PRM and Caterpillar were intense negotiations with IMAX"; at that meeting I asked that he forward to me one small item to show the what he said to the County Board was in good faith, I have not heard from Beasley nor did I expect to.

Merle


A resolution from your Finance/Legislative Study Committee recommending approval of an Agreement for the retention of Mark Johnson as Owner's Representative for Peoria Riverfront Museum Project.




A resolution from your Finance/Legislative Study Committee recommending approval of an Agreement for the retention of Mark Johnson as Owner's Representative for Peoria Riverfront Museum Project.

Dillon moved to approve the resolution and Rand seconded. Dillon stated that Mr. Johnson worked on this project for Caterpillar until his recent retirement, so the County is lucky to have someone who is so familiar with the project. It will also allow County staff to concentrate on County business. Baietto asked what will happen if the funding needed for the project doesn't meet its goal. Where are we with Mr. Johnson? Mr. Urich replied that currently the commitment for private funding is $8,000,000.00. If the funding is not there on the private side, the project will not go forward. The County is currently committed through the referendum for $34,700,000.00, with the caveat that that commitment could go up to $40,000,000.00. However, in recent meetings, County staff has made it very clear that the current commitment is only $34,700,000.00.

Pearson left and returned to the meeting.

Widmer noted that since he was opposed to the county being involved in the museum business, it's nothing personal against Mr. Johnson, but he will be voting no. Elsasser asked if the project is put on hold whether the County will still collect the taxes beginning January 1, 2010. Mr. Urich replied that the tax was passed for a period of 20 years; regardless of whether the project goes forward, the tax will be collected. Prather noted that he worked with Mr. Johnson, and he is a class act. Elsasser asked about the timeframe for the parking garage and visitor's center. Mr. Urich replied that staff is working on a modified redevelopment agreement; the second step is to have a management agreement in place. There will also be a construction management agreement. The parking deck is a separate project. Plans are being drawn for that, and IDOT has agreed that the bid can be done locally which should speed up the process. However, Mr. Urich has made it clear that ground will not be broken, even for the parking deck, until there is $8,000,000.00 in private funds to cover the gap.

The resolution passed by a roll call vote of 15 ayes and one nay, with Widmer voting nay.

"Opponents are nit-picking museum efforts"

So says Gary Panetta, JS columnist. Go to Gary's site and see what he wrote and what Karrie Alms and I answered for the "truth" nit-picking of this museum fiasco. Some writers on the JS have sometimes not been bothered to look up facts or let facts get in there way when trying to "make the news" rather than report it.

You should know why 24 County Board and City Council voted for the project. Sure, my educated "speculation". You need to understand that once people are elected to office they burst with ways to spend your money. Look no further than Peoria, than Springfield and then Washington, D.C. When an elected official brags about saving a taxpayer money, they mean they now have more money to spend.

To say that "special interests" didn't enter into the vote, you must remember that the unions "pledged about $600,000" to the museum in return for the use of all union labor. Also, that 12 members of the County Board are Democrats with union bosses Marty Clinch and Mike Everett sitting looking at these Democrats at every meeting.

Republican Stephen Morris was named a committee Chair and already Democrat "appointed to chair" of the Land Use committee, Carol Trumpe, was named to the museum construction board.

Republican Baietto, big supporter of IHSA who donated $2. something million of taxpayer dollars to the project and and Democrat appointed Judicial Chairman.

Did I see City Councilwoman, Van Auken, almost weep when her accolades about Mayor Ardis's leadership for the "yes" vote or "Jimmy", as she called him, almost caused her to weep? And for me (and some others) watching, to almost throw up.

The politics of this whole mishandled museum project is enough to make sane person ill.