The Rise & Fall Of Peoria, IL (Part 2)

Part two of a three part narrative on how and why Peoria is in a sharp decline.

Illinois American Water Buyout
Let's not forget all the hooha about the buyout of the water company. This transaction was stopped, but only after the expenditure of several hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. The concept was that if the city owned the water company, its citizens could be assured that they would not be bilked for unreasonable rates. In turn, the water company would continue to make a profit, which could offset needed tax revenues. Sounds great, but it would never happen.

For starters, it seems the city council and the city manager cannot even handle running the city; what makes any reasonable person believe that they can run a water company. Instead, the council would probably hire a management group to run the water company. And as long as they are getting paid their fee, does it really make a difference to them if the water company returns a profit. It would become a huge bureaucracy and would probably result in even higher water rates. And if the water company did actually make a profit for the city, the taxpayer would never see their taxes lowered because the city administrators and council will find other spending projects to use that money, or fill expanding budget holes.

But the city council tried its best to purchase the Illinois American Water Co. They paid consultants over and over until they could get the answer they wanted. Some of this money came from the Peoria Civic Federation, a group of well to do movers and shakers in Peoria. They loaned the city of Peoria $1 million to research and provide due diligence in the buyout of the water company. The catch was that if it was ascertained that it was not feasible for the city to buy the water company, the Civic Federation would forgive the loan. It was finally estimated that to purchase the water company, it would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $266 million; far more than they ever anticipated.

However, newly-elected councilman Bob Manning, who is also a financial planner, traveled to St. Louis to study Illinois American’s books and he determined that it would be feasible for the city to purchase the water company. This only cost the city a hotel room for one or two nights and a small per diem as opposed to the tens of thousands of dollars in previous consulting research. But strong public pressure forced the city council to pass on making the purchase. After spending thousands of dollars for consultants to do studies, the city has nothing to show for it. If that wasn't bad enough, now the city is being sued by the Civic Federation to be paid back their $1 million loan plus interest.


Increasing Crime
Only second to the failing school system in Peoria, if not the first reason, to why people are moving out in droves is the increase in violent crime. In my 40+ years living in Peoria, I cannot ever recall reading about so many homicides in one year. We are a little over half way through 2006 and we have what, seven or eight murders already. One murder even took place in the Rolling Acres neighborhood, which is in the central-northwest side of Peoria in the 4th district. Just mere hours after the Night Out Against Crime on August 1, 2006 was over, another shooting took place at the 1800 block of Kneer Ave, killing a 23-year old man. And yet, in the wee hours of Aug. 3rd, another shooting took place that injured three people. Good grief, criminals are even going after the copper piping in people’s homes.

What are the police doing? They are cracking down on prostitution, jay walking and parking infractions. That's really going to make this city livable. They need to start going after *real* crimes.

I can't fully blame the Peoria Police Department. We are stuck with a states attorney office that has a revolving door for criminals. I can see how a cop feels that he's jeopardizing his life and wading through mounds of paperwork, only to see the criminal walk free. Not to mention, the city cuts essential services to make way for fitness centers and ball parks. Therefore, they do not have the manpower nor the tools to do their job.

Property values and neighborhoods are in steep decline and there's no end in sight, largely in part to the increase in crime. Mayor Jim Ardis made the crackdown on crime one of his election platforms, but I haven't seen any improvement. What we need are cops to do their job, prosecuting attorneys to do theirs and tough laws on crime.


District 150 Schools
I am a product of District 150 schools, but way back from another day. It was a great school system with many talented and dedicated teachers. That quality school system no longer exists. It has decayed into one massive substandard institution. The school board over the years has totally mismanaged the school system to a point that almost everyone who has the means, have moved out to Dunlap or Germantown Hills school districts.

Despite a number of qualified teachers, the biggest problem with District 150 is the absence of discipline in the classrooms. Its becoming all too common to read about stories of students bringing guns and weaponry to school; as well as an occasional shooting. I can't even begin to think about the other disruptions in the classroom, all because the teachers are too scared, or are not allowed to discipline. This is why students in District 150 fail to learn; these distractions and trouble students need to be removed to ensure a quality atmosphere to be taught.

Another major problem is massive mismanagement of the school board over the past several years. And it only seems to get worse. Past District 150 School Superintendent Kay Royster was very controversial and performed most inadequately. She was eventually let go, but still retained her six-digit salary while leaving the district with a large budget deficit. This summer she has filed suit against current and former board members that it was racism that led to her firing.

The mismanagement of the District 150 school board continues. Today, the board is vehemently and hellbent on pursuing the construction of a *new* Glen Oak School adjacent to the Glen Oak Park. They also mandate that it needs at least 10 acres of land to house what appears to be a suburban type of facility (they actually wanted 15 acres). Discussion with the community regarding this new school has almost been non-existent. And any forums of any kind allowed little opportunity for parents and citizens to voice opinions. To make matters even worse, the school board, behind closed doors and in secret, has already purchased eight homes in the East Bluff to the tune of nearly $900,000 to make way for this new school. There was not one referendum regarding these purchases; the city council was uninformed; the taxpayers knew nothing and these decisions and actions are being made by a small few. Instead, the current Glen Oak School could be razed and a new school constructed for less money and the education quality would be the same.

And when you didn't think it couldn't get any worse, the Peoria Journal Star reported in its August 1, 2006 edition that the estimated price tag for the two new schools the school board wishes to build could cost $10 - $13 million more, reaching a total $21.6 million. Where the additional funds will come from is unclear, though it would undoubtedly be borrowed money. The other new school is planned for South Peoria where Harrison Homes is currently located (which I hear this school is to be furnished with laundry facilities for the community; I know, WTF!?).

Is it any wonder why parents are taking their children out of District 150 schools? Who would want their children to get their education in this mess?


To Be Continued