Our View: Let's get behind multicounty regional planning commission
Cities to our north and northwest realize that they need a loud and unified voice to attract business to their area. They state that cities cannot do this all by themselves that they need to work as one. This is done in contrast to the Lone Wolf contracts and deals the city of Peru is attempting to use. Which one will work? Time will tell as will the determination and work of a unified organization.
9 comments:
There are way to many salaries on the line if we do something like this. How many "economic development" entities do we have?
Lets see. There is old Timmy from Chicago, Bobby V. and his cadre of friends and new business, MCS Advertising, IVAC, and more that I'm forgetting right now.
My point is - "economic development" has become an industry which feeds on the desperation of small towns - sucking up revenue that could be used for other things. Pitting small towns against each other and encouraging the private sector to gorge themselves on TIF's and other tax rebates - further starving infrastructure and schools of badly needed funds. Think of the movie theater fiasco - the developer thought he could demand almost a million dollars from the public coffers to build a movie theater. This is the culture we have developed - governments bribing business to locate in their little fiefdom. I'd rather go back to the old days when private businessmen bribed public officials - not the other way around like it is done now.
Lois,
Where do you come up with stuff, yes the city of Peru has an economic director and a lobbyist. they also belong to IVAC. Ottawa has Lobbyist and a chamber that works with ours, Princeton also has their own chamber that works with the neighboring communities.
All you have are negative comments about the City of Peru.
8:19, we need a paradigm shift. The old ways of doing things are not working. Like 6:39 said, we have created a monster. We need one and only one entity acting on behalf of the entire region. From Ottawa to Princeton and Mendota to Streator. Maybe even larger.
If I said it once, I said it a million times - it does not matter if they put a factory in Ottawa or Mendota, people from Peru can work there. Every town needs to play the same tune and speak with one voice.
What is the expression? "United we stand. Divided we fall."? Makes sense to me.
I heard there was an attempted burglary early this morning near Church and Fourth Street. Person was caught climbing into a window.
Ma'am/Sir I don't understand how informing the citizenship of other avenues of job recruiting information that is taking place in other close by areas are negative comments about the City of Peru.
Conveniently, you have listed 3 of Peru's private sources of job recruiting services hired by Peru. Conveniently, I am sure that you have forgotten Mayor Harl, City Council, Frank Mautino, Sue Rezin, citizens and business people and MCS plus local unions, newspaper and radio.
Exactly how much Mr. Wilson works with Peru I am not sure of but I do know that the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce big womba is MR. Boyd Palmer, owner of the now demolished Jewel grocery store which he was highly involved in their moving on.
You have stated that Princeton has its own chamber. Could you donate some of your info as to how it works with Peru's chamber. I mean specific help not a in general cooperation.
Lois, a lifelong Peruvian as well as many similar others are now looking back to their younger days and comparing them to now and thinking years ago Peru was a family town with family activities and social gatherings, a town where their were more jobs than citizens and the stores were owned by local people not big box stores owned by Wall Street, a town in which if you had a need without the necessary cash you paid a little each week until there was no more balance left.
Lois, as myself and many others realize that today's Peru has had a long term build up to reach todays level and the result is not Mayor Harls fault but we do hope that he continues with his efforts to correct it.
10:18, I'm not quite sure what your point is or who the comment is directed at. Do you agree that we need one regional voice to coordinate economic activity or do you advocate the opposite?
10:18 more nonsense about family activities and social outings! A town with more jobs than residents? What a crock of honey you are sampling. 1. Don't rely on government to raise you family. 2. The big employers are gone everywhere. We all remember Westclox and the great $1.75 a hour employees, they left town before they had to pay wages that could raise a family. They employed 4000. Blame whoever you want. Machines take up most of those jobs. The bottom line is that Peru survived because they diversified with many smaller companies and big box retail areas. Whatever they did has worked. Towns wish they had property taxes like Peru, new school paid for by shoppers, and still have a small town appeal. Your fortunate to have city officials that make finances, infrastructure, and economic interest a priority. Send them to my town.
11:57, the retail area of Peru is being paid for by the Social Security Administration, pensions, and private savings. In other words, unless we get real jobs here, there will be no retail district. With Diamond Star shutting down, the price of Oil at all time lows - impacting Frac Sand Mining things are about to get dicey around here again.
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