This blog is maintained for the sole purpose of allowing the people of Peru and those interested in the cities of the Illinois Valley to express their views.
“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
But Peru is annexing a section of Bureau Cty for the sand facility, isn't it?
50 comments:
Anonymous
said...
As a LaSalle tax payer I am very upset my city is paying over a half a million dollars to run water and sewer there. Fix up downtown and lowers my taxes before you waste money like this. LaSalle has 6 times the tax rate as other area towns and has the lowest bond rating around. Yes they cant match Peru with all the sales tax coming in but why try. I would sell my house in LaSalle if I could and move to Peru or Oglesby but my realtor tells me it will be tough to get a decent price in LaSalle. Very disgusted.
Won't school districts in Bureau County receive taxes from the sand company annexed to Peru. Are there any other taxes that Bureau County will recieve that they wouldn't if there was no new sand process in Peru? This is the 2nd piece of property LaSalle is annexing from Peru in the last few years, the 1st being the Jerry Clear farm and land along the Wenzel Road. Is Peru taking a lot of important issues for granted and in return losing some of its luster which will only appear years down the road? I have always felt very comfortable with a $5M retail sales tax but by this years budget is this total sum just enough to cover city employee cost? How many more employees would Peru need to employ its own water department testing instead of a private corporation? The water lines are supposed to be flushed soon, normally Peru sents out 2 employees and a truck and Chamlin sends out one employee and a truck. Why so many people and vehicles to flush one water line? Why does Peru need 3 men per vehicle to vacuum leaves? Questions such as this could go on and on! What is the average wage per year per city employee and what is Peru present ranking in wages to all other towns of 10K in the state?
Peru pay is at 73 percentile overall. A few positions are at average but most above. Totally incorrect about three employees flushing. That is not true.
ANON 6:42 agreed that it is pretty pricey to run water and sewer to this location. Keep in mind however that this number was calculated by the city of Peru. La Salle does not know the exact amount until they calculate the number for themselves. As for fixing up the downtown yes that is needed. However, La Salle might be thinking on a bigger scale and for years down the road. The businesses downtown alone will not be enough to bring the taxes down. They took a risk last night but annexing in that property but they are thinking for the future and how they could bring bigger businesses into the area. I believe it was a worth while investment that could potentially expand La Salle. We will just have to wait and see what happens
The truth is and it can be verified through a FOIA of their treasures report. LaSalle collects about 3 million a year in property taxes and 2 million a year in utility taxes. They also get about 1 millions in regular sales taxes. That totals 6 million a year. Peru collects half a million for property taxes and nothing for utility taxes. They do get about 5.5 million in sales taxes so Peru has about 6 million to run general fund in big ticket income. Therefore, do the math as LaSalle and Peru have about the same general fund income . Peru does it with sales tax and LaSalle does it with property and utility taxes primarily. I wished I still lived in Peru. Shame on LaSalle for spending a half a million dollars to give some person from Shorewood water and sewer when he already has it. The roads in LaSalle are terrible and we cannot borrow any more money because of our low bond rating.
Please note that the property owner is the one that makes the decision on what city he would like to annex to. If LaSalle has the ability to spend the needed dollars to run sewer and water then good for them. Will the tax base for the property pay for the expansion? And will the sales tax generated pay for the expansion? It would have to be another big ticket seller to make ends meet to validate the cost. LaSalle beat Peru one this one. We hope the decision was based on dollars instead of pride.
Its only $500,000 to run the utilities to the property. And if the property generates the real-estate taxes of about $2,000 a year for the city, it would only take 250 years to get it back. If you add the utility tax it would take that number down to about 240 years payback.
*This blog site is reserved to knock Peru politicians. Please refrain from any critical comments about any other city.
I object to this topic. We want to replace Peru's Officials. Don't confuse us with other city's problems like high taxes and infrastructure and lower than junk bond status. We have more alarming problems in Peru. The parades are not as good in Peru. And those clowns keep electing those bean counters that only care about taxes and business in Peru.
Peru and LaSalle should be merged into one city. This would create that is larger than Ottawa and would then get more state resources than Ottawa. Resources could be combined and overhead cut - effectively managing the new city with only slightly more than it takes to manage both of them separately.
Anon 11:38 AM You have attempted to correct the statement by 11:27 AM when he has stated that Peru normally sends out 2 employees and a truck and Chamlin sends out 1 employee and a truck for flushing. Your correction states "Totally incorrect about 3 employees flushing. That is not true."Since many others plus myself have witnessed and commented on seeing 2 city employees plus 1 from Chamlin who only watches the other 2 supposedly for quality check purposes performing checking in the evening on overtime. Since many have witnessed 3 people drawing pay directly and indirectly for flushing from the city and you are saying we are totally incorrect and this is not true are you informing me that there are more? If so, how many?
These border wars are a necessary evil. They weed out the bad blood. Makes everyone stronger. We haven't had a good border war with LaSalle in several decades. Its time. I know for a fact that the Seventh Street Ditch is largely unprotected. We may be able to gain the upper hand there. Then there is the soft underbelly. The outpost at Manarie's is shut down. A landing force can easily gain a foothold in Steamboat Landing, take lower First Street and the prize - The Canal Boat and a new mule. Once we have that prize, our borders will be secure and we can negotiate a truce - or drive north on Bucklin and take their bunker under the Kaskaskia. The war will be over by Christmas!
In not too much longer we will not have to merge with Peru, through annexation we'll take it over. Than there will be no more Peru. Everything will be LaSalle, Illinois population 20,300.
Peru city council is acting like a bunch of Whiners! Typical democrats sitting there complaining about who took from them. There will be more to follow as dazell grabs more land from Peru...
This annexation conducted by LaSalle is nothing but a cheap shot processed by Peru's ex neighbor. It fully explains why the two cities have never combined. LaSalle already has land all the way to Utica that will keep them forever to fill in. Why they would do what they did is senseless and proves them to be non-trust worthy. Does anyone have a sound reason why LaSalle council has done what it has done.
All this talk about border wars. Does anyone care about what is happening at LP? The Administration has told the teachers that they are cutting positions due to financial reasons. What did they do last night hire another administrator.Talk about being top heavy. and we the taxpayer pay all their benefits when the teachers and other employees have to pay for their benefits.
In less than 20 years, both LaSalle and Peru will have half the population they currently do. All one has to do is look around. Go to a restaurant or bar. The average age is in the late 40's or early 50's. How many residential properties have "senior homestead exemptions"? Pretty soon, the manufacturing jobs that are still here will be moving away because there is nobody to fill the jobs. Ironic? Not really... It is inevitable. The only way to turn this around is to incentivize businesses that actually produce good jobs - instead of incentivizing retail and tourism. I'm not talking about crony tax cuts to those that can afford to donate millions to politicians. We need tax free zones - free of ALL TAXES - for small to medium size manufacturers hire and maintain a work force. Tax Free Zones for mining and drilling. Tax Free Zones for transpiration and warehousing. Then you will has how does government get funding? Well, from the people that are working. They will pay property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes and all the other taxes. Oh, and one more thing. Its time to do away with two types of handouts that have a direct impact on our schools. The senior homestead exemptions and the absurdly low tax on agricultural land. Agriculture employs very few people. We need to start incentivizing use of land that employs more people. And don't give me any B.S. about food production. Farmers around here don't grow food. The get paid by the government to grow fuel that is forced on a market that does not want it or need it.
Not being in the political inner circle it is difficult to obtain a through understanding of how LaSalle can justify its annexation of Peru property. Surely the farmland with Wenzel Road leading into the Airport Road is a role model of a potential pot of gold but not its present annexation. LaSalle with its past land grab of Utica and now Peru has had to make both towns city officials leery of conducting any business with it. Most of us are hopeful that we are proactive rather than reactive but to be proactive does not indicate we are simply dishonest land grabbers which others have made large investments in. Public Relations and good will must be retained and if I was LaSalle I'd be very aware of whom my next door neighbors are both to the West and to the East. If they join together in developmental thought retribution leaves LaSalle in a dangerously losing position.
I have a question. The land annexed by La Salle was in an unincorporated area of the county. Peru has more than enough on its hands to deaal with at present and we have never heard about anyone coming to Peru wanting that land to be annexed into Peru. Is this how it happened?, the property owner asked La Salle to annex this land and provide water and sewer and undoutedly electricity will be provided by Ameren.
What is the problem if this land has a contiguous connection to La Salle as well as Peru? If you want to talk about a previous annexation on Airport and 36th street where Peru just about handed the land to La Salle by refusing to deal with the property owner, that is a legitimate conversation. Or the fact that we paid our atty to go to La Salle just to express our diasapproval, now that is also a legitimate conversation.
As to the one on La Salle Rd, I will be happy to see that property improved and I don't care of it is La Salle or Peru doing the improvement. The area has looked like a slum for a long enough time. This is nonsense talking about evil La Salle and honest Peru being taken advantage of because having 2 cities with thriving economies would be of benefit to both cities and all the residents..
Does anyone remember a comment made recently at a Peru City Council mtg where a member said that he heard in the community that Peru is not business friendly and the mayor replied that other cities were just jealous. That comment does not exactly build bridges either.
Anon 9:04 AM Much of what you say makes sense but when it comes to taxes I am not for a increase in rates nor the making of more. We both know that no matter how much a politician promises to take away or reduce a tax it never happens. I am sure you agree with me that taxes do not need any form of increase but a decrease of spending does,
8:42 I read the article. They are not adding an administrator they are replacing one position with another. That's not adding. Just saying. It also has nothing to do with this topic.
Our border with LaSalle is NOT secure. Chief B. needs to implement a plan to control this border and stop the thousands of LaSallieans from entering our city every day!
LP is on a spending spree. Nice of the to build the $10,000,000 sports complex before telling us they need $80,000,000 or $90,000,000 to "fix" the school. By the time they are done, it will be a brand new school for $200,000,000. But, alas, there will be not high school kids because this area is drying up faster than a water spilled on a hot concrete sidewalk in Phoenix Arizona. But don't worry folks. The interest rate will be low !
Hey 12:06 who cares this blog talked about signs for months on end. I just wanted to bring up another topic that the public could comment on. This effects all our Kids, Oh wait it not bashing the elected officials of Peru.
La Salle Road will be renamed Annex Ha Ha Road and will be put in the TIF zone to help benefit the millionaire who is moving in. I have a question: why is that valuable farm land a TIF? I thought tifs were for blighted areas. Another ha ha.
TIF's are no longer for blighted areas. That is why the law needs to be abolished. As far as taxing agricultural land goes - this needs to be change. If I had my way, there would be very little "farm" land in LaSalle County that counted as agricultural property. I would tax most LaSalle County "farms" at the same rate that an oil well or sand mine is taxed. LaSalle County "farms" are paid by the government to grow fuel which is forced on a market that does not need or want it. LaSalle County "farmers" are nothing more than welfare queens.
Didn't Hall build a new high school for 33 million? Why does L=P have to spend so much? They should build a new school across from the new sports complex and have all repairs and updates eliminated for a long time. It would also utilize more daily use for the complex and make it seem that it was a good decision.
Anon 7:16 PM Why is this and many other very lucrative properties declared a TIF and are they legally a TIF? Your question is a very good one. It appears that TIF's are the same as Home Rule. Both of their success for the betterment of the city depends upon the honesty of those involved.
I agree LP should build new just like Peru Schools did. The long term cost savings from this planning is great but keep in mind that LP is several times the size of Hall so the numbers do add up. A new LP High school would be be $80-$100 million minimum.
then we would have another rat trap building to tear down. The school is fine as is. just make sure the roof doesn't leak and the bricks don't fall off the walls.
and just who is going to attend this school? the population is going to tank because the short sighted politicians are only interested in retail and tourism. We need heavy industry!
I agree to start over would be great but where are you going to get the money? What are comparative costs of remodeling to building new. It must be considered that the Illinois Valley has not and still isn't considered a high income area and many live off of their savings and social security. It would be fine if the high school was the only one needing our money but everyone else also has their hand out. Has anyone spoke to the residents of Hall Twp. to find out if their high school building is going to affect their life and what they can spend in the community?
$90,000,000 to $100,000,000 and maybe more. Are we all going nuts? This a area where the majority are making minimum wage to $14-$15/hour when working. Since wages are low so is the elderlies Social Security.
11:57 thats funny. Parkside is a perfectly built modern building. It is handicaped accessible and climate controlled and spacious. LPHS is largely crap. I get so tired about hearing about auditoriums and football fields and gyms. The classroom facilities are in terrible shape. Comparing it to one of the newer schools in the area is a joke and says only one thing. You've never been in any of them beyond the front door! I have grandkids in several area schools and you can't begin to compare. Peru schools are all set for ages. HaLL HS is going to be very nice and I wish LP would do the same.
LP, and the People in LaSalle and Peru, are more interested in entertainment, not education. They would rather spend MILLIONS of dollars on a sports complex and literally flush money down the toilet restoring a piece of crap organ.
You know this are is shot? You all want to dump money as fast as you can into video poker machines and not invest in education. We have an area here that is DYING and all we want to argue about is the LP track and an organ that was restored by dontations. You all do not have an idea how to run a school or a school operates BUT you all act like you know because your tax dollars (not the entire bill mind you) goes to LP.
@6:12 PM When the athletic associations have a fund raiser do they all band together or do it one at a time? At Ottawa High School the association is a combination of all and the revenue is donated to all. The Chess Club, the band, speech club etc. and all other clubs receive as well as sports teams. This has worked well and fund raisers accumulate huge amounts of voluntary help and money. Also groups such as this, and I am sure that the majority of us from L-P, realize that schools main focus is to educate and always want it to be this way. I do agree that presently there is no need of additional baseball fields as L-P already had Veterans Park but in return how old is the football field and I have never heard of it being replaced but it would take a out of townee to mention it and for their best they would be a out of townee again.
I agree with 8:32 why is their not an uproar over the schools not giving the schools the state fndinng? That is our tax dollars that they the state has wasted. And people get on teachers salary and retirement? At least the teachers worked for it. And for those of you think that education is waste? YOU ARE THE PROBLEM AND YOU AR EWHY PEOPLE WITH AN EDUCATION LEAVE THE AREA.
there was a four million dollar sports complex (phase one only) built by LP last year. They want additional phases adding up to eight million dollars. But they are having trouble finding that money. Wonder why.
I have heard nobody on this blog ever complain about teacher's salaries. What I have heard is people complain about paying $100K to a "Athletic Director" and wasting money on many other non-education things. Oh... and that piece of crap organ... the restoration was not paid for by 100% donations. They did use some sate funds and they are trying to get more so flimflam the organ man can come back again.
There is so much waste in public education that can be cut without effecting teachers salaries, benefits or retirement. The problem is the administrators refuse to find it.
Consolidation. Not School Consolidation, but Administration Consolidation! LP High School, LaSalle Grade Schools, and Peru Grade Schools can be one district with one Administration!
Now I'll wait for some school district employee to tell me I don't know what I'm talking about and we absolutely need three superintendents with staff to run the schools in a Podunk little burg like LaSalle-Peru.
Oh.... and LaSalle-Peru should consolidate to one Council and one Mayor!
If Peru is contemplating joining La salle they had best hurry up as LaSalle in many ways is taking over Peru . LaSalle has annexed and put a stranglehold on Peru from further expansion in the northeast when it took the Clear farm from Peru.
7:36 have you ever worked in a school? I have and their is NO WAY one person can do that job for all of those schools. I have been a teacher and a superintendent in and out lasalle county and Illinois and Missouri. NO WAY
Just wondering what makes you qualified to say that?
50 comments:
As a LaSalle tax payer I am very upset my city is paying over a half a million dollars to run water and sewer there. Fix up downtown and lowers my taxes before you waste money like this. LaSalle has 6 times the tax rate as other area towns and has the lowest bond rating around. Yes they cant match Peru with all the sales tax coming in but why try. I would sell my house in LaSalle if I could and move to Peru or Oglesby but my realtor tells me it will be tough to get a decent price in LaSalle. Very disgusted.
Maybe sales tax involved. That would ruffle a lot of feathers.
completely different issues
Won't school districts in Bureau County receive taxes from the sand company annexed to Peru. Are there any other taxes that Bureau County will recieve that they wouldn't if there was no new sand process in Peru?
This is the 2nd piece of property LaSalle is annexing from Peru in the last few years, the 1st being the Jerry Clear farm and land along the Wenzel Road.
Is Peru taking a lot of important issues for granted and in return losing some of its luster which will only appear years down the road?
I have always felt very comfortable with a $5M retail sales tax but by this years budget is this total sum just enough to cover city employee cost? How many more employees would Peru need to employ its own water department testing instead of a private corporation? The water lines are supposed to be flushed soon, normally Peru sents out 2 employees and a truck and Chamlin sends out one employee and a truck. Why so many people and vehicles to flush one water line? Why does Peru need 3 men per vehicle to vacuum leaves? Questions such as this could go on and on!
What is the average wage per year per city employee and what is Peru present ranking in wages to all other towns of 10K in the state?
Peru pay is at 73 percentile overall. A few positions are at average but most above.
Totally incorrect about three employees flushing. That is not true.
ANON 6:42 agreed that it is pretty pricey to run water and sewer to this location. Keep in mind however that this number was calculated by the city of Peru. La Salle does not know the exact amount until they calculate the number for themselves. As for fixing up the downtown yes that is needed. However, La Salle might be thinking on a bigger scale and for years down the road. The businesses downtown alone will not be enough to bring the taxes down. They took a risk last night but annexing in that property but they are thinking for the future and how they could bring bigger businesses into the area. I believe it was a worth while investment that could potentially expand La Salle. We will just have to wait and see what happens
The truth is and it can be verified through a FOIA of their treasures report. LaSalle collects about 3 million a year in property taxes and 2 million a year in utility taxes. They also get about 1 millions in regular sales taxes. That totals 6 million a year. Peru collects half a million for property taxes and nothing for utility taxes. They do get about 5.5 million in sales taxes so Peru has about 6 million to run general fund in big ticket income. Therefore, do the math as LaSalle and Peru have about the same general fund income . Peru does it with sales tax and LaSalle does it with property and utility taxes primarily. I wished I still lived in Peru. Shame on LaSalle for spending a half a million dollars to give some person from Shorewood water and sewer when he already has it. The roads in LaSalle are terrible and we cannot borrow any more money because of our low bond rating.
Please note that the property owner is the one that makes the decision on what city he would like to annex to. If LaSalle has the ability to spend the needed dollars to run sewer and water then good for them. Will the tax base for the property pay for the expansion? And will the sales tax generated pay for the expansion? It would have to be another big ticket seller to make ends meet to validate the cost.
LaSalle beat Peru one this one. We hope the decision was based on dollars instead of pride.
Its only $500,000 to run the utilities to the property. And if the property generates the real-estate taxes of about $2,000 a year for the city, it would only take 250 years to get it back. If you add the utility tax it would take that number down to about 240 years payback.
*This blog site is reserved to knock Peru politicians. Please refrain from any critical comments about any other city.
I object to this topic. We want to replace Peru's Officials. Don't confuse us with other city's problems like high taxes and infrastructure and lower than junk bond status. We have more alarming problems in Peru. The parades are not as good in Peru. And those clowns keep electing those bean counters that only care about taxes and business in Peru.
Peru and LaSalle should be merged into one city. This would create that is larger than Ottawa and would then get more state resources than Ottawa. Resources could be combined and overhead cut - effectively managing the new city with only slightly more than it takes to manage both of them separately.
12:15 PM
roads in Peru are bad , try Peoria St.but that is not all.
Hey your city looks clean, must be keeping the sweeper busy.
What's with Becks just sitting there, looks bad..
Anon 11:38 AM
You have attempted to correct the statement by 11:27 AM when he has stated that Peru normally sends out 2 employees and a truck and Chamlin sends out 1 employee and a truck for flushing.
Your correction states "Totally incorrect about 3 employees flushing. That is not true."Since many others plus myself have witnessed and commented on seeing 2 city employees plus 1 from Chamlin who only watches the other 2 supposedly for quality check purposes performing checking in the evening on overtime.
Since many have witnessed 3 people drawing pay directly and indirectly for flushing from the city and you are saying we are totally incorrect and this is not true are you informing me that there are more? If so, how many?
These border wars are a necessary evil. They weed out the bad blood. Makes everyone stronger. We haven't had a good border war with LaSalle in several decades. Its time.
I know for a fact that the Seventh Street Ditch is largely unprotected. We may be able to gain the upper hand there. Then there is the soft underbelly. The outpost at Manarie's is shut down. A landing force can easily gain a foothold in Steamboat Landing, take lower First Street and the prize - The Canal Boat and a new mule. Once we have that prize, our borders will be secure and we can negotiate a truce - or drive north on Bucklin and take their bunker under the Kaskaskia. The war will be over by Christmas!
In not too much longer we will not have to merge with Peru, through annexation we'll take it over. Than there will be no more Peru. Everything will be LaSalle, Illinois population 20,300.
Peru city council is acting like a bunch of Whiners! Typical democrats sitting there complaining about who took from them. There will be more to follow as dazell grabs more land from Peru...
This annexation conducted by LaSalle is nothing but a cheap shot processed by Peru's ex neighbor.
It fully explains why the two cities have never combined.
LaSalle already has land all the way to Utica that will keep them forever to fill in. Why they would do what they did is senseless and proves them to be non-trust worthy. Does anyone have a sound reason why LaSalle council has done what it has done.
All this talk about border wars. Does anyone care about what is happening at LP? The Administration has told the teachers that they are cutting positions due to financial reasons. What did they do last night hire another administrator.Talk about being top heavy. and we the taxpayer pay all their benefits when the teachers and other employees have to pay for their benefits.
In less than 20 years, both LaSalle and Peru will have half the population they currently do. All one has to do is look around. Go to a restaurant or bar. The average age is in the late 40's or early 50's. How many residential properties have "senior homestead exemptions"? Pretty soon, the manufacturing jobs that are still here will be moving away because there is nobody to fill the jobs. Ironic? Not really... It is inevitable. The only way to turn this around is to incentivize businesses that actually produce good jobs - instead of incentivizing retail and tourism. I'm not talking about crony tax cuts to those that can afford to donate millions to politicians. We need tax free zones - free of ALL TAXES - for small to medium size manufacturers hire and maintain a work force. Tax Free Zones for mining and drilling. Tax Free Zones for transpiration and warehousing. Then you will has how does government get funding? Well, from the people that are working. They will pay property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes and all the other taxes. Oh, and one more thing. Its time to do away with two types of handouts that have a direct impact on our schools. The senior homestead exemptions and the absurdly low tax on agricultural land. Agriculture employs very few people. We need to start incentivizing use of land that employs more people. And don't give me any B.S. about food production. Farmers around here don't grow food. The get paid by the government to grow fuel that is forced on a market that does not want it or need it.
Not being in the political inner circle it is difficult to obtain a through understanding of how LaSalle can justify its annexation of Peru property. Surely the farmland with Wenzel Road leading into the Airport Road is a role model of a potential pot of gold but not its present annexation.
LaSalle with its past land grab of Utica and now Peru has had to make both towns city officials leery of conducting any business with it.
Most of us are hopeful that we are proactive rather than reactive but to be proactive does not indicate we are simply dishonest land grabbers which others have made large investments in. Public Relations and good will must be retained and if I was LaSalle I'd be very aware of whom my next door neighbors are both to the West and to the East. If they join together in developmental thought retribution leaves LaSalle in a dangerously losing position.
I have a question. The land annexed by La Salle was in an unincorporated area of the county. Peru has more than enough on its hands to deaal with at present and we have never heard about anyone coming to Peru wanting that land to be annexed into Peru. Is this how it happened?, the property owner asked La Salle to annex this land and provide water and sewer and undoutedly electricity will be provided by Ameren.
What is the problem if this land has a contiguous connection to La Salle as well as Peru?
If you want to talk about a previous annexation on Airport and 36th street where Peru just about handed the land to La Salle by refusing to deal with the property owner, that is a legitimate conversation. Or the fact that we paid our atty to go to La Salle just to express our diasapproval, now that is also a legitimate conversation.
As to the one on La Salle Rd, I will be happy to see that property improved and I don't care of it is La Salle or Peru doing the improvement. The area has looked like a slum for a long enough time.
This is nonsense talking about evil La Salle and honest Peru being taken advantage of because having 2 cities with thriving economies would be of benefit to both cities and all the residents..
Does anyone remember a comment made recently at a Peru City Council mtg where a member said that he heard in the community that Peru is not business friendly and the mayor replied that other cities were just jealous. That comment does not exactly build bridges either.
Anon 9:04 AM Much of what you say makes sense but when it comes to taxes I am not for a increase in rates nor the making of more. We both know that no matter how much a politician promises to take away or reduce a tax it never happens.
I am sure you agree with me that taxes do not need any form of increase but a decrease of spending does,
8:42 I read the article. They are not adding an administrator they are replacing one position with another. That's not adding. Just saying. It also has nothing to do with this topic.
Our border with LaSalle is NOT secure. Chief B. needs to implement a plan to control this border and stop the thousands of LaSallieans from entering our city every day!
LP is on a spending spree. Nice of the to build the $10,000,000 sports complex before telling us they need $80,000,000 or $90,000,000 to "fix" the school. By the time they are done, it will be a brand new school for $200,000,000. But, alas, there will be not high school kids because this area is drying up faster than a water spilled on a hot concrete sidewalk in Phoenix Arizona.
But don't worry folks. The interest rate will be low !
1:36 they did not build a $10 million sports complex
Hey 12:06 who cares this blog talked about signs for months on end. I just wanted to bring up another topic that the public could comment on. This effects all our Kids, Oh wait it not bashing the elected officials of Peru.
La Salle Road will be renamed Annex Ha Ha Road and will be put in the TIF zone to help benefit the millionaire who is moving in. I have a question: why is that valuable farm land a TIF? I thought tifs were for blighted areas. Another ha ha.
TIF's are no longer for blighted areas. That is why the law needs to be abolished. As far as taxing agricultural land goes - this needs to be change. If I had my way, there would be very little "farm" land in LaSalle County that counted as agricultural property. I would tax most LaSalle County "farms" at the same rate that an oil well or sand mine is taxed. LaSalle County "farms" are paid by the government to grow fuel which is forced on a market that does not need or want it. LaSalle County "farmers" are nothing more than welfare queens.
Didn't Hall build a new high school for 33 million? Why does L=P have to spend so much? They should build a new school across from the new sports complex and have all repairs and updates eliminated for a long time. It would also utilize more daily use for the complex and make it seem that it was a good decision.
Anon 7:16 PM Why is this and many other very lucrative properties declared a TIF and are they legally a TIF? Your question is a very good one.
It appears that TIF's are the same as Home Rule. Both of their success for the betterment of the city depends upon the honesty of those involved.
I agree LP should build new just like Peru Schools did. The long term cost savings from this planning is great but keep in mind that LP is several times the size of Hall so the numbers do add up. A new LP High school would be be $80-$100 million minimum.
then we would have another rat trap building to tear down. The school is fine as is. just make sure the roof doesn't leak and the bricks don't fall off the walls.
and just who is going to attend this school? the population is going to tank because the short sighted politicians are only interested in retail and tourism. We need heavy industry!
Your never done patching old and remodeling. Start over!
I agree to start over would be great but where are you going to get the money?
What are comparative costs of remodeling to building new.
It must be considered that the Illinois Valley has not and still isn't considered a high income area and many live off of their savings and social security.
It would be fine if the high school was the only one needing our money but everyone else also has their hand out. Has anyone spoke to the residents of Hall Twp. to find out if their high school building is going to affect their life and what they can spend in the community?
Yes, I agree. Lets give ALL of our money to LP.
$90,000,000 to $100,000,000 and maybe more. Are we all going nuts? This a area where the majority are making minimum wage to $14-$15/hour when working. Since wages are low so is the elderlies Social Security.
I say if they are going to spend 90 to 100 million, put it into a new school and not the old one. I do not want my money spent on junk.
L/P's main buildings will still be standing when Parkside and North View are being torn down.
11:57 thats funny. Parkside is a perfectly built modern building. It is handicaped accessible and climate controlled and spacious. LPHS is largely crap. I get so tired about hearing about auditoriums and football fields and gyms. The classroom facilities are in terrible shape. Comparing it to one of the newer schools in the area is a joke and says only one thing. You've never been in any of them beyond the front door! I have grandkids in several area schools and you can't begin to compare. Peru schools are all set for ages. HaLL HS is going to be very nice and I wish LP would do the same.
LP, and the People in LaSalle and Peru, are more interested in entertainment, not education. They would rather spend MILLIONS of dollars on a sports complex and literally flush money down the toilet restoring a piece of crap organ.
You know this are is shot? You all want to dump money as fast as you can into video poker machines and not invest in education. We have an area here that is DYING and all we want to argue about is the LP track and an organ that was restored by dontations. You all do not have an idea how to run a school or a school operates BUT you all act like you know because your tax dollars (not the entire bill mind you) goes to LP.
@6:12 PM When the athletic associations have a fund raiser do they all band together or do it one at a time? At Ottawa High School the association is a combination of all and the revenue is donated to all. The Chess Club, the band, speech club etc. and all other clubs receive as well as sports teams. This has worked well and fund raisers accumulate huge amounts of voluntary help and money.
Also groups such as this, and I am sure that the majority of us from L-P, realize that schools main focus is to educate and always want it to be this way. I do agree that presently there is no need of additional baseball fields as L-P already had Veterans Park but in return how old is the football field and I have never heard of it being replaced but it would take a out of townee to mention it and for their best they would be a out of townee again.
The football field was redone in 1997
I agree with 8:32 why is their not an uproar over the schools not giving the schools the state fndinng? That is our tax dollars that they the state has wasted. And people get on teachers salary and retirement? At least the teachers worked for it. And for those of you think that education is waste? YOU ARE THE PROBLEM AND YOU AR EWHY PEOPLE WITH AN EDUCATION LEAVE THE AREA.
I meant the State not giving the schools their funding
there was a four million dollar sports complex (phase one only) built by LP last year. They want additional phases adding up to eight million dollars. But they are having trouble finding that money. Wonder why.
I have heard nobody on this blog ever complain about teacher's salaries. What I have heard is people complain about paying $100K to a "Athletic Director" and wasting money on many other non-education things. Oh... and that piece of crap organ... the restoration was not paid for by 100% donations. They did use some sate funds and they are trying to get more so flimflam the organ man can come back again.
There is so much waste in public education that can be cut without effecting teachers salaries, benefits or retirement. The problem is the administrators refuse to find it.
Consolidation. Not School Consolidation, but Administration Consolidation! LP High School, LaSalle Grade Schools, and Peru Grade Schools can be one district with one Administration!
Now I'll wait for some school district employee to tell me I don't know what I'm talking about and we absolutely need three superintendents with staff to run the schools in a Podunk little burg like LaSalle-Peru.
Oh.... and LaSalle-Peru should consolidate to one Council and one Mayor!
If Peru is contemplating joining La
salle they had best hurry up as LaSalle in many ways is taking over Peru . LaSalle has annexed and put a stranglehold on Peru from further expansion in the northeast when it took the Clear farm from Peru.
7:36 have you ever worked in a school? I have and their is NO WAY one person can do that job for all of those schools. I have been a teacher and a superintendent in and out lasalle county and Illinois and Missouri. NO WAY
Just wondering what makes you qualified to say that?
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