It seems like the recent closing of Steve's Bakery has brought forth many comments about the lack of jobs in our city and the desire for the city to seek out businesses that they might be encouraged to set up here.
I realize many people might live in Peru but work in La Salle, Oglesby, Ottawa or Spring Valley. Does it make a difference or is a job a job? We talk about the need for businesses to locate here but should this be more of a regional development group working for bringing jobs into the area?. Is the Chamber of Commerce an effective tool for this purpose? Does an economic development director make a difference to a city?
So many small towns are concentrated in a small area that it beings to mind should the cities be working together instead of working only for themselves. Are small town governments literally working against the population by working for themselves?
I realize that no matter who is working on the job situation, the state of Illinois is having a difficult time retaining businesses making it more difficult for small cities to entice them to their specific town.
Instead of pride in your city, maybe time for pride in your region or do they go hand in hand?
23 comments:
The entire state enacts job killing measures, thanks in large part to democrats who favor large government, which as we all know, is something that businesses (job creators) do not favor. The sooner we get in people in office who are interested in business growth and not how much their elected position pays, the better.
@11:21
I'm shocked that you actually still believe that. If you look at corporate profits and CEO pay that are at record highs then you must either be one of those CEO's or just brainwashed by FAUX News.
Right now the difference in CEO pay compared to the average middle class pay is at an all time high since the CEO's get the raises and the middle class pay has been stagnant for years.
And that's why, thanks to this great country, ANYBODY can become their own CEO. Their is no law saying you can't start a business, you can actually start a business legally before you can even drive.
Our local municipalities compete against each other and offer redundant services. I firmly believe that we do not need so many independent towns. We do not need a police force in Peru, LaSalle, and Oglesby - it should be one. Same with fire departments and public works deparments. Independently, the cities are to small to do anything. Combined, there is more clout and the ability to put a more attractive package together.
1:30 PM You must be union employed and not be self sufficient with your own business and I feel easy saying you have Never had the thought or initiative to try sticking your neck out and taking the risk! Show me your picket sign, I bet you have a lot of them!
6:03 PM
It will either take someone with great leadership skills or for the continued decline to reach critical mass. I do believe that more and more people are beginning to see the value of combining some forces for the survival and financial stability of local towns. Also sure we are in the minority yet.
@ 1:30
11:21 is spot on. Those democratic politicians that have the "common man's" back keep implementing new taxes and making the cost of doing business in this state more and more uncompetetive. Their solution as told to business owners: "pass the added cost on to your customers".. I.e. the aforementioned common man. Quite the catch 22.
I expanded my business 3 yrs back and was building a $400,000 building and increasing my workforce by a dozen people. I'm not from peru but live in a neighboring town but wanted to build in peru. Needless to say city hall was less than cooperative and I got the run around from Taylor. I built in a different town.
7:30. I couldn't agree more. I have started a couple of businesses, the state didn't ask "what can we do to help?" Instead they said "this is what we're going to take."
8:25 May 2nd: Sorry to hear about your encounter with Mr. Taylor but it's apparently not the first time that has happened in Peru. We can't afford to force businesses and people to expand in our surrounding towns because we can't and won't accommodate or work "with" them instead of "against" them.
Justin, I don't believe the state should be involved in asking what can it do to help as it should supply simple guidelines and a fair and equal distribution of guidance to all.
To me it is more important to discontinue the states attitude of "this is waht we are going to take" than it is to give out their help. You most likely pay many times over what it would cost you individually when you recieve help from the gov't.
It is very important to keep government expenses as small as possible because once initiated they are a never ending thing and only increase. Most politicians and citizens today do not even know why governments where first created and have snow balled their mission with many unimportant schemes.
Congratulations on your endeavor in the 4th ward it is always a pleasure to hear from you and hope you will lead the path for many others of your age to become interested in local politics.
Anon 8:25 Hope your expansion is so successful that you will reconsider Peru as a possible location in the future. By than those in charge may realize the harm of having the wrong personnel in important positions and supplying them with hands off management. A scary thought that in a couple of years when Frank retires with the necessary 8 years of tenure Peru will replace him with another Assistant Building Inspector of the same characteristics. Frank is exactly what some of the important people of Peru desire to have in that position. He reminds many of a little dog with a wiggly tail who is always under your feet at $30.00/hour and a oncoming pension expense.
A 'used car salesman' making decisions that experienced engineers should be making is a major mistake and in many cases it's affecting the city bigtime.
9:21. I couldn't agree more. The point I was trying to make though is the state isn't encouraging when it comes to people starting businesses. I wasn't looking for handouts, but the state is just a leech. I would like to see our state and local economy increase revenues because they have created programs that encourage investment, rather than by raising taxes. Creating those programs is going to force people to start thinking of creative ways to solve problems, because let's face it, raising taxes is easy.
He couldn't even handle selling used cars. He failed at that too!!
The position of Building Inspector is till open and only the position of Part Time Assistant Building Inspector is filled. The Assistant Building Inspector has been filled by the present occupant for the last five or six years. Not being considered or promoted to the position of Building Inspector when that position has been open for years shows the lack of confidence that the Mayor and Council Members have in the Asst. Bldg. Insp. Do you think he cares? Where else would he get paid $30 per hour and a good pension? Has it ever been disclosed who Franks immediate supervisor is? His position is very similar to Perus' retired horticulturist - everybody wonders what he does but nobody cares as long as he is out of their way and they do not have to answer for him! The problem is that his occupational skills have and are doing some significant harm to Peru.
I heard Taylor wanted Steve's bakery to buy a building permit whenever he was making a cake! And Harl wanted free donuts! That's why they left!!
There will never be good paying jobs in this town until we bring in more than the cheap retail and low paying restaurants that our leaders just love! The only people people that made money on those deals were the crooks that owned the land, the lawyer that wrote the deal, the the engineer that designs and fixes, and fixes, and fixes, and fixes poorly built infrasture.
Anon 7:56 Have you ever considered that without the retail and restaurants landowners would not be selling the land, lawyers would not be evaluating the contract nor would the engineers have roads to design. All businesses depend upon one another and hopefully Peru obtains a equal portion of each. What form of good paying jobs are you referring to?
Remember that the production facilities are now either in the South or overseas and the ones that are starting up do not pay near as well as they once did.
You know what 3:07 I never really comment, but I have to respond to your stupidity. All landowners are crooks huh? All deals are a scam to "line the lockets" of a few people, right? It's called business and commerce, not that you would have a clue how a free market enterprise system works here or anywhere else. I've been a landowner and a business person and I have never benefited from one thing other than my own hard work and risking my own capital investment. If it is so easy, then go make it happen for yourself. This is America.
Do you think think that our city leaders would not bring in better paying jobs if they could? The competition is fierce and the mayor or council don't get to hand pick, they get what they can and a highly competitive environment. Take a look around and you will see that we are still better off than anyone around.
It is not perfect here but I read these comments from people who blame everything on the city or this person or that. How sad your life must be that you think every deal is shady or that "crooks" must be involved. Get out from under your shell and make a difference. I work with good, decent people and I would put my business in Peru before anywhere else.
And obviously most agree with me as they do the same. Steve's Bakery closed and you want to blame the city? Please..............
10:03 AM
"Take a look around and you will see that we are still better off than anyone around"
Are you referring to the city being better off than any other cities around?
The failure of Peru to put knowledgeable people into positions who can help the city is not the fault of those who live here. The failure of Peru to be transparent is not the fault of the people.
Look around the county and also regionally in northern Illinois and you will find progressive leaders who are indeed putting their cities on the map.
Peru has put many road blocks before small businesses who are the backbone of this economy.
You either are a part of the problem or you must benefit from the problem because it appears you do wear blinders as to what is really taking place in the city.
This is a city currently falling behind many others in the local area like it or not, it is happening.
Anon 10:03 Considering that you hardly ever respond a word to the wise is that you learn to address whom you are responding to.
Your comment cannot possibly be to 3:07 which you state. I'd think you wanted to answer 7:56.
Are you having problems collecting credit by mail, if so make sure your using the correct address in your business. All that bragging and sassin and than blowing it!
Anon 10:03 How could you obtain such a know it all attitude when you can't accomplish a correct address.
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