“It doesn’t take a majority to win, just a tireless minority that will keep starting brush fires in the mind and hearts of their fellow men.”

Samuel Adams

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Comptroller: If state was a business, it'd be closed - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL

Comptroller: If state was a business, it'd be closed - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL

some very appropriate comments about living within your means for state and local governments and creating a rainy day fund.

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

All of a sudden everyone is so concerned about the state finances, and the internet article by the newspaper did not mention Illinois pension debt. Illinois has been bleed to death by everyone, in fact it appears that the government cities layered themselves into unreasonable small districts in both government and education to allow themselves to ask for more. Peru has no need of asking Illinois for money, many have been ignored when stating that Peru does not have a money problem it has a spending problem.
Peru should be able to give money to the state not asking for money.
Possibly local city representatives will have to slow their spending down for a long time. The last 6 years in Peru have been astounding, with citizenship red flags being raised in warning constantly. It would be great if this action is early enough to attract people to vote and to vote smartly.

Anonymous said...

We need to decide what we want from government and fund it. We can't afford EVERYTHING. Some programs will need to go away completely, others will need more funding. Our legislators and the Voters - you and me - need to understand that resources are limited. We should only fund the most important things. Splash pad grants are not necessary. Sorry to pick on that, but it is close to home and people can understand it. Believe me - there are millions and millions of dollars wasted by the state. And millions more wasted by not keeping up with repairs.

Anonymous said...

I see in the NT that the Governor is going to cut $16 Million from the Amtrack subsidy. Outstanding! Keep going Bruce!

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:17 AM When a splash pad was proposed by some from Peru wanting it to be located in Centennial Park. The estimated cost was + or -$100K and no mention of a state grant. Ottawa, a year before this estimate, constructed their splash pad for $89K. At that time the inner works of Ottawa splash pad plus guidance was available.
A number of years after the group realized it was not going to get a swimming pool at the rate and return on fundraising decided that they would invest in a splash pad.
Today Peru is at the stage of no longer going to pay $100K to $125K. It has now applied to state for a grant and the cost has raised to over $525K and it is to be located in Washington Park with all the bells and whistles.
A city 18 miles away builds splash pad for under $100K which no one mentions that they have gone to see it. Those that have created an interest in a splash pad only because they cannot raise enough finances for a pool end up applying for a grant of over a qtr million dollars which is 1/2 of the cost of what they want.
No wonder this state has no money when it has allowed so many of these nonsensical expenditures. Finally Illinois has a Governor who wants this spending stopped. Just because it comes from the state, does not mean it is not costing you and me anything at all.
Peru should be able to pay for a splash pad and a swimming pool. A city of 10,000 with the payroll it has plus buying a fire truck, a Vactor camera truck and a a a a a a a meeting after meeting should be able to afford more than handicraft, baseball, tennis and pickle ball for the summer.
I emphasize that anyone who believes they want to advise for a move to Ottawa that that is foolish reasoning. The intelligent person would ask why does Ottawa have both a swimming pool and a splash pad and Peru has neither. Along with this Ottawa is conducting a study for a $15K sports complex. Peru has yet to even have a short range or a long range plan for any water activity for its youth.
In conclusion remember Peru obtains more retail sales tax than Ottawa a city twice its size. It is time to start from scratch and analyze what is the cause of Peru lacking so much for all the money it has received. Is it waste, is it payroll and overkill of jobs, is it too much purchasing and unnecessary spending, what is the problem that every time the city officials want something the town can afford it but whenever a citizen wants something the town never has the money. Simply stated: What in the hell is going on in Peru that it needs more official time meeting behind closed doors than it does open to the public. So many questions - so few answers!

Anonymous said...

The amount quoted as $15K sports complex is slightly incorrect. The corrected amount is $15,000,000. Since Ottawa's outdoor pool was built in the 50's and the YMCA pool is getting older their planning calls for a sports complex that would include a pool.
I am not aware whether this complex is considered long or short range planning but it is planning before they have to shut their pool down.
Peru has shut their pool down at least 3 summers ago without planning or a replacement pool.

Anonymous said...

What is the maximum number of days a city employee can accumulate to be off work for vacations. personal days, sick days, holidays etc. before he starts losing them. Is this time off covered by overtime and what is used to verify working time such as a time clock? The last anyone knew of the mayor didn't want a time clock and the Super Burn a Bee said he had a better method.

Anonymous said...

Swimming pools and sports complexes are not something government needs to provide anymore. I would stringently object to any Federal or State money being wasted on Ottawa's project. I don't live in Ottawa - so if they want to take 100% Ottawa tax money then so be it.

Anonymous said...

8:56 - the answer to your question lies in the collective bargaining agreement which is posted on the city web page. Do us a favor and download it and post the answer.

Anonymous said...

There have been a number of very good comments posted lately on this blog. I believe people are beginning to see things as they really are. We seem to have an abundance of money for the things that are really not necessary yet virtually no money for the important things that need immediate attention. We seem to be afraid of allowing a qualified individual into our government because they may interfer with our council's plans. I think people are beginning to see that our government has closed it's doors to anyone who is not one of them (and that even includes some of their own). Citizens pay close attention to this appointed "task" force and their decisions and what our government does with them. We need to become vigilant observers and listeners.

Anonymous said...

8:56, foia their contract, it's all in there.

Anonymous said...

It appears someone from city hall gave authorization to retain outside from Peoria to defend the city on the flooded basement lawsuit. I went through minutes of finance, regular council and pub works and no where is it mentioned or approved to hire a high priced firm from Peoria. If this is a case to be heard in Ottawa why would the city spend top dollar for a firm to travel over an hour to court? One trip to Otrawa on an attorney hourl fee will be outrageous. If the city atty is to incompetent to handle a city case why not hire an atty from Ottawa?? Let me guess, someone from City hall needs to line a friends pocket. That case will cost us taxpayers thousands more than if the city just settled. Let me guess- another fine call by chairman Waldorf?

Anonymous said...

9:47 Is this a fact? Who from city hall has the power and the legal right to make such a decision? Shouldn't that be a complete council decision? Is this another "closed session" decision? This is getting really, really old. If indeed this is true, we as citizens need to start demanding answers to the wasteful usage of our tax dollar. Why do we have our own attorney if he can't handle a simple case such as this? Indeed we would have been money ahead if we just paid them from the very beginning. Once again someone took matters into his own hands and blew it by acting inappropriately.

Anonymous said...

To 9:47 AM - I am not surprised the city will be shelling out tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands to a Peoria law firm to do Peru's dirty work. The city should just do what they committed to do in the first place and pay for the damages to the homeowner who has had to file suit for all the flood damage they sustained. I was informed recently that Waldorf and Lukosus are the ones who are driving the decision not to settle with the homeowner because he really put those two aldermen in their place after they confronted him after a council meeting. I also heard about how Waldorf and Lukosus approved more than $100,000in taxpayer funds last summer to repair a city owned transformer that was destroyed by faulty equipment inside the James Hardie factory. So they will spend $100,000 to bail out a Billion Dollar corporation but they refuse to help a Peru resident whose basement was flooded with raw sewage because of a faulty city sewer line. What "genuine guys" we have in these two phony aldermen. Anybody else heard about the James Hardie bailout?

Anonymous said...

I hate everyone on this blog including myself

Anonymous said...

What is the lawsuit about a flooded basement?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I heard about the James Hardie bailout and it's a fact. But, they were told if it happens again they will have to pay.

Anonymous said...

10:46 Is this a homeowner trying to fleece the City? Should these guys give a blank check out to whoever for whatever they want?
Maybe those two guys want the whole story. Don't tell me that this story involves Alderman Rodney Perez?

Anonymous said...

What if the city would settle with everyone that claims a loss?

Pothole damage--settle $700
playground fall---$1000
bad water taste--$500
salt in grass--settle $250 reseed
garbage bag torn--$100 settle

Please......know all the details before you point out the faults

Anonymous said...

pickle ball noise - $500

Anonymous said...

@1:02 if it involves the city then yes it would involve Alderman Perez and all the others. This was the one in the paper when they said Perez was the only one listening to them. (Go figure that huh?) Yes Perez is for the people and the only one the city has who listens. I sent Rodney a text message asking about the city hiring a Peoria atty. Rodney had to check then called me back within 5 minutes and confirmed there is a Peoria atty on that case. I asked if the council approved it and Perez said this was the first he heard that the city retained an outside firm to handle that case.
On another note. News released today that Office Max in Peru is closing. I guess Harl can't do anything besides chase non union companies out of town.

Anonymous said...

A call center in the area layed off 200 people today. Don't know the particulars

Anonymous said...

Are we really going to blame the mayor or council for the call center closing? Really?

Blog = for those who don't understand basic economics.

Anonymous said...

People can't run fast enough to get out of Dodge (Peru), or the Illinois Valley. Let someone dispute that. 200 jobs, that's huge.

Anonymous said...

Say 200 people spent $50 a week in our retail/business district. That's $40,000 a month. How's that tax revenue working for us? Gone.

Anonymous said...

It was my understanding that the homeowner with the flooded basement already received a settlement from their homeowners policy. Will they have to pay that money back if they get money from the City too? Wow, hire a lawyer and make a few threats and live high off the taxpayer. If the City prevails in this issue, then I would hope that the City goes after the homeowner for all costs associated with defending this case. Enough already.

Anonymous said...

7:41 from what I've heard from a friend of a friend of a bird which I tend to believe the friend and the bird is that the homeowner is suing for what the insurance company wouldn't cover. I would think the homeowners insurance premium increased due to a filed claim. So if the city was at fault which according to city officials it indeed was, then the city will have to pay back those people's insurance company back. Most flood policies like that only cover like 5,000.00 for damages anyway. If they never got rid of the mold in walls and floors etc. then the city is really screwed.

Anonymous said...

@9:14 you are correct, policy's for basements are usually $5,000 coverage. Unless a homeowner takes out more coverage that exceeds the $5,000, usually they don't if their home has never had a water issue. If the city is at fault and it can be proven then the city should pay homeowner.

Anonymous said...

the basement is most likely not considered living space. So even if you have actual flood insurance, the only thing covered is the furnace and electric panel. and the actual cleanup costs of course - limited to disinfecting the concrete, etc. Not replacing carpet and furniture.

Anonymous said...

I think the point here is that once again a decision was made to hire a Peoria firm to defend the city and no one seemed to be aware of this decision (including some of the aldermen). Apparently a small group somewhere is making decisions behind closed doors and not informing all involved. And why get an attorney all the way from Peoria?

Anonymous said...

9:30, because in any law suit you get a firm that specializes in the problem at hand. Every city does this, it's not something new. A city attorney doesn't have expertise on every problem, that's why they refer another attorney for TIF or another firm for a different problem. A city attorney can give advice on most problems which may include getting an expert for certain things.

Anonymous said...

And 10:22 we don't have any lawyers in the LaSalle, Peru, Oglesby, Spring Valley, Mendota, Ottawa, area that handles these cases? Give me a break.

Anonymous said...

Something is very smelly about this whole deal? You have a insurance claim, a lawsuit, alderman, lawyers, flooding. And many comments that don't tell us much about the event.

Anonymous said...

Based on what I read in the paper and on the blog, the flood damage that occurred was the homeowners problem. Where the city erred was when an individual said that the city would take care of the problem. If the city didn't mistakenly say it was the city's problem, would the problem have truly been the homeowners issue to deal with?

Anonymous said...

these people seem to like to get other people to pay for their problems. if one were to look back around july 2013 or so one would see where they went to a city meeting to try to get the city to pay to fill their pool when they had to replace their pool liner. how many people have swimming pools at their place?

Anonymous said...

12:32, Under recommendation from the city attorney, who should know who is the best firm to get, what difference does it make if it's a firm from Peoria, Oglesby. LaSalle or Ottawa, they are all out of town firms, you don't make any sense with your post.

Anonymous said...

9:16 you're silly for making such a foolish comment. So you really believe there's no difference where you retain an attorney from? I assure you an attorney who has to drive from Peoria to Otrawa then back will start his or her watch from the time they leave their door to the time they get back plus mileage. It will all be in their fees. An atty from Lasalle county has their fees based on appearing in Ottawa. So yes, there is a huge difference.

Anonymous said...

@8:07. Yes, the billable hours start from the time the attorney leaves his office until he gets back to his office. Also, if an attorney is retained from Peoria, are we getting doubled dipped with attorney fees because our city attorney is billing us hours that he will be working with the peoria attorney for this case????? Plus, don't we contract our city attorney per year for representation for a flat salary?

Anonymous said...

Everybody's pockets get an extra lining, except taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

No 8:07, but I do like the fact that my tax payers money is being spent on the best representation, no matter what city it comes from, you don't understand this is between insurance companies not a family from Peru against the city of Peru.

Anonymous said...

Wrong 10:23 the city has a moral obligation to its resident whom the city screwed over. If that issue was the homeowners issue than the city should've stayed clear from touching it and left it to the resident to take care of. But the city got involved and screwed up with promises to repair their screw up. So yes it is a resident vs city issue something you may not understand. Alderman Dave Waldorf made it a city vs resident issue.

Anonymous said...

8:03 Duh, The lawsuit by the property owner made it a city vs resident issue. It looks like some alderman got involved and that screwed it up, and it wasn't Waldorf.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:03 AM No, it is never Waldorf the Knight in Shinning Armour. Waldorf may be a alderman who has the city at heart and loves Peru as one comment previously stated.
Sir Dave also is the alderman of who possess' the poorest judgement of any member of the council and has cost this city millions and millions with improper business practices.

Anonymous said...

"If we get a time clock the troops aren't going to be happy."

Anonymous said...

11:02, the city went that route, it didn't work.

Anonymous said...

Yes,11:02 AM, that is a statement made at a city council meeting before the scheme of "No show compensated pay" investigation by the FBI.
Funny that the same person who they said didn't understand how his Saturday Payroll was not illegal. Who or what intervened that was so important that it fooled a retired judge and a national investigative unit and at the least did not re-leave the office holder of his elected position?
To many this situation only proved that if you have the "correct" backing you, you can do almost anything with the taxpayers money and not be punished. As long as its for the good of the cause!

Anonymous said...

12:27, you just showed how misinformed you are, to think a Judge and the FBI can have the wool pulled over their eyes, you are living in a different world.

Anonymous said...

It is called prosecutorial discretion. Neither issue is worth the time to bring to trial.

Anonymous said...

Is prosecutorial discretion a law or is it arbitrary, depending upon who you are, who is backing you and their influence, and what organization is backing them decided by any of the above? Seems to be very similar to another questionable practice labeled "Super Majority".
Incidentally the word prosecutorial not in my dictionary, and under spell check comes up as "add to dictionary".

Anonymous said...

Always seek counsel involving the law outside of the county. The payroll investigation should not have been looked into from a lasalle county retired judge.