So we are asking for the tax increase so that we can now borrow money for the infrastructure improvements being visualized. The figure I have heard is that we would need to borrow something like 7 million dollars which we will need to pay back plus interest.
If it is true that our debt has been reduced to 38 million within the past 2 years, that would mean that we would being it back up to the original 45 million of 2 years ago.
Originally there was talk of a sunset after a number of years on the tax but now I hear that the present administration will not take that into consideration.
Do you believe that our current economy will improve enough to allow us to take on this gamble, hoping that we will continue to generate enough sales tax to enable this to take place We have heard no plan.
What roads will be repaired first and then last? What other parts of our infrastructure will come next? Don't just put a tax in place without telling us what you will do with the money and when you will do it?
Is it true that we have businesses that are so desirable to the average consumer that they will always travel to the Illinois Valley to make their purchases to produce that needed tax revenue?
At the present time, this is an aging area with the average rising every couple of years and we do not have enough white collar jobs or even blue collar to have families with large yearly incomes that can be counted on to buy and buy and buy.
10 comments:
I see it's on Monday's agenda to approve a police gun range at the landfill. When was this idea initiated and discussed? I don't recall hearing about it before and how much will it cost - over the $5,000 new spending policy?
Did anyone notice that in the lower corner in very tiny print it states that 78,000 copies of the pamphlet "FIFTY NIFTY THINGS TO DO IN THE CITY OF PERU" were printed? What could anyone possibly do with that many copies and who would you distribute them to and how would you distribute them? And, what would the cost be to print them and distribute them and, don't forget this is only one in a series.
Why doesn't the administration of the City of Peru become innovative and create a orginal idea of their own in regards to roadwork and taxation?
It presently wants to saddle the citizens with a debt of over $7,000,000.00 plus interest so they can wave a magic wand and repair immediately what has taken years to create.
In the eyes of public safety there would be so much heavy machinery on our streete at one time that there would be no vision - financial or physical, or maybe this is the idea. The city could endeavor to lower the unemployed brotherhood by financing trades with our $7,000,000.00.
Thinking out of the box I question why our own city employees could not attempt to upgrade our roads. We have a Public Works Superintendent paid $82,000.00 per year who along with the private engineering corporation which Peru has employed for over 60 years (so we know they have expeience in street work). There is a abundance of corporations, local rentals etc. which would supply the equipment needed if the city doesn't already have it, or maybe the city could purchase used equipment.
This would also give the public works superintendent an opportunity to set up a training program for the city employees. If successful this program could be utilized by the city until someone comes up with a better idea. This idea would be improved upon tenfold in time because Peru is supposed to have over 190 miles of road which has a deteriation life of 6 to 8 years.
If the Public Works Superintendent is not qualified to accomplish this project the city administration could hire a city engineer to oveversee this project as well as the many others Peru has in process or will need in the future. This might be more feasible than paying a consulting engineering firm over $650,000.00 every year.
Peruvians we will never have a town with 100% perfect roads but our roads need to be improved. The combination of time and cost analysis is what is important, not just speed alone.
Please remember that we are already financing Parkside Grade School with a 1/2 % increase in our retail sales tax and presently the administration of Peru wants a additional 1/2% retail sales tax increase to support infrastructure improvements. What type of financial catastrophe would this create for property owners and property taxes if retail sales decrease in the City of Peru?
I am sure that many of the citizens of Peru have good ideas of their own on what approach could be made to our street problems. Please send in your comments to this blog as we all could benefit with many and varied solutions. And, better than that, attend city council meetings to make your voice heard. We are the tax payers and we cannot let this city council stand alone......they must hear us, consider what we say and then make the educated decision based upon a cumulative voice rather than just their own. That is government in action!
Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.
To 1:12 p.m. - Your ideas regarding new and innovative approaches to maintaining our infrastructure by training and performing this work with current city employees rings very familiar with me. Of course I agree with you 100% that we must do a better job of utilizing our current workforce in every department.
I suggested those very ideas as part of my campaign for alderman in the 4th Ward.
The potential to improve our city in a cost-effective and efficient manner is there. Sadly, the hard work and determination needed from key elected officials and department heads is to make it happen is just not there.
As "Outsiders", you and I can do little more than talk about it on a blog.
Sorry Steve, your comments are HISTORY.
7:28 p.m. - History is made every day and I'm still here. I won't be discouraged by the likes of you.
Anon 7:28 You nor your comment deserve a intelligent reply which I am sure you would not understand. Steve took the challenge to man up and handled it with extreme professionalism. Have you taken the same challenge?
I sincerely hope that the City of Peru's future is graced with many years of Steve Weberski and others similar to him. From Steves' answer to you 7;28 my advise is to plant your feet solidly into the ground because your going to face a lot of Bad Days in the coming years.
Good Luck Steve and nice hearing from you - just make it more often!
It is too bad the 4th ward didn't have enough sense to vote Weberski in as aldermen, What great ideas would have become known. Potthoff is stagnant. He never can see into the future, its gone past him, its too bad he doesn't have enough sense to hang it up, and just do his job as CEO.
Its funny how Steve and Lois dodge the question of DO you support a tax increase?
3:29 PM
I do not support a tax increase as it is written or at this time.
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