That is exactly what the city council is doing especially in the East Bluff. The city council is in effect withholding funds that are to be used for small short term loans to home owners to fix and repair their houses and even buy and invest homes in the neighborhood. So you know what Councilman Riggenbach suggests?
He says that the money should be used to pay for extra police protection instead and when he told their committee (East Bluff Neighborhood committee) that, they almost hung him with a rope. His response? Well if the city can’t spend it on police then we will put the money in escrow until our next meeting in January and see how things are then. In other words, nobody gets the funds.
This is the biggest crock of shit that has been pulled ever by the city and council on a promise to a neighborhood association. If this damn bunch of clowns didn’t value museums, warehouses, shiny new hotels more than it does it’s citizens, then we are in deep deep shit.
A city, is in the business of providing for it’s citizens first and foremost. It’s not a bank, yet our city makes loans. It’s not a hotel yet our city invests in hotels. It’s not a recreation club, yet our city invests and builds the RiverPlex in direct competition with private health clubs and guess who ends up with the VIP passes? OSF and CAT. You and I pay out the ass for a membership.
A city should provide fire, police and streets. Only when they do this correctly, will crime be checked, insurance rates will drop for homeowners and cars and people will want to come. This in turn attracts small business which pays taxes and in turn draws bigger businesses. Giving tax breaks to the big places like CAT and OSF is bullshit. There are so many loop holes now that these places pay little or none as it is and OSF is supposed to be non-profit. They pay nothing but enjoy all the city services.
Wow, all I can say about this East Bluff finance thing is What a bunch of dolts and the biggest one is Riggenbach. Has it come down to the point now where we as citizens will be required to slip an officer a twenty when we need help? Will we have to pay to get or streets cleared of snow? Wait, we pay now for this and if it isn’t happening, then these people better starting cutting out the glitter and dump the hotel! I’ll be damned if I have to pay yet another idiot fee for something we all are entitled to via our property taxes, like the frickin Garbage Fee. Get with it and start living within our means city council. That shiny new car is going to have to wait. People first!!!!! Damn!
14 comments:
One has to wonder in awe at the audacity of the council as well as wonder how much financial abuse the citizens will tolerate as well as poor decisions on spending various funds! No accountability (or integrity) for such blatant misappropriation.
If someone could answer this, I would appreciate it. Do you know what is going to happen with the garbage fee hike for the ones that do own their own PDC totes? Since I am on a low budget, I found it cheaper to buy it for $60 then to rent it for 2.50 per month as after 2 years I would own it and never have to pay a rental fee again for it. So are we now going to have to pay to lease what we already own? I also only put out garbage once a month as I am elderly and don't have much.
RE Anonymous post above: Apparently Peoria has not considered senior/fixed incomes and low garbage volume! Contact your representative and present this status loud 'N clear. It seems they do not care, but at least "make them aware" people are angry and let-them-squirm over their rampantly irresponsible decisions!
Thanks foxcat. So, do we now pay to rent what we own?
Anonymous
you will be charged regardless. you will be given a new toter. If you choose not to use it you can return it, but you will be charged each and every month.
EM,
East Bluff housing services has not a loan in years. 2 years ago at their annual meeting they stated they were not going to make loans. They did a flowery presentation on how they would be using those dollars to "rehab" houses and sell them to homeowners. they convinced the city council to reserve first time buyer funds. They haven't sold a single house. When they rehabed the houses, they didn't get the proper permits, had code violations etc. They rented them out. One of the board members oversaw this process of rehabbing and renting through his own property management business. Nothing like greasing your own palms. City council members went along with this. The housing services changed their bylaws so that the residents who have to pay the special assessment, have no say as to how their money is spent or who is on the board. If you go to the "public meeting" adgendas were not made available, you were not allowed to speak, they would take their business into "execuative session" so that you couldn't hear anything. Any board members who dissented were removed and replaced with more cooperative people. THey employ a full time staff member for $40,000 a year plus getting room/utilities from the headquarters they own, but there are no office hours. Rumor has it, the full time staff has another job somewhere else as well, but not confirmed.
The residents tried to get rid of the special assessment because the organization was not meeting their needs, not providing the loans for which it was designed and they do not want their tax dollars to support more rentals in the Bluff. The council sets up the East Bluff TIF, residents wil maybe some day be putting proerty tax dollars into that fund (due to lower EAV's unlikely anytime soon). They then can apply for loans/grants out of that money. So they are being charged a special assessment to pay for a loan service they don't get and then have to pay property taxes to the TIF for loan funds and Rev. Holly has the balls to stand up and be incensed about the residents being charged twice for a service. BTW. I believe Holly still lives in Bloomington.
Riggenbach's concern over crime should have been discussed during the budget talks. You know, where they raised the garbage tax to pay for the $3.8 million in toters, but then gave $3.8 million to Ware house district. Odd those numbers are exactly the same, and robbed the retirement funds for Matthews and the hotel, and cut laid off code enforcement workers, police support staff, and/or essentially forced into retirement a host of other staff that had some piece of public safety.
Em, if want to get pissed then learn the whole story.
Anonymous
You a dead on with that info.
Also EM, East Bluff NHS INC. is NOT a assocation they a busness. Sandberg was the lone "no" vote to extend the SSD tax last year. and so it goes...
Yes I got some eduction but it still smells of bullshit. If the EBNHS is so corrupt, then why hasn't the city council stepped in and ended this bullshit? Why are these people in the bluff being assessed an additional tax if the money isn't going for the purpose intended. Why hasn't the city council stopped the funding (basically they have) and removed the assement? Either way or whatever, money already in the bank shouldn't be going to extra police services for the neighborhood. That to me is almost double taxation. If the money does go for extra police, then how long before the council starts the same crap in other areas? Then how long before the money simply falls to the general fund and ends up putting new sidewalks and ornamental lights in the uplands? Or wherever. In other words, How can we trust these people on the council with the checkbook?
EM, Good questions. The City renewed the tax to get there final paymnet for a "loan" they provided the EBNHS when the started up. Now that money is paid in full.
AS for ending the tax what tax goes away once inacted? Insted of putting it to use for police the COP could take the funds and put it toward the new "fix up TIF" loans, and other programs direct to the hood, less having to pay a director and free room to live in.
I disagree, if the housing service is not meeting what the original intent then it needs to be dissolved. They could look at another entity to sell the loans that are outstanding, and would also make the collections. If someone wants to create a policing organization, then let them get the signatures to implement it. Get rid of the tax or provide the service for which the tax was intended..period. It is a special assessment, that is a specific contract for a use of extra money. The housing service and quite frankly the city are in breach of that contract.
Em: Why doesn't the EBNHS end? Because the city council does not have the testosterone or estogene to vote NO ... other than Sandberg.
They are always telling people that there are three or four solid people on the EBNHS Board and only if they can get some more people ... hasn't happened in the past ... isn't going to happen in the future ... it seems that the dark side always gets a majority and takes over and leads this organization down the wrong path.
Mr. Riggenbach, when I went to EBNHS meetings to advocate for the citizens there as they are very scared to buck the system and fearful of retaliation for speaking out ... said that the new way to go was to go into the Rental Rehab business. Mr. Hansen, a current board member, doing the rehab work with no bid contracts which he oversaw as a board member ... have all the documentation to prove my statements written here. Can you say conflict of interest?
Monies paid for new furniture and curtains and so on ... the bylaws changed and the taxpayers lost their voice.
Annual audits, for which thousands of dollars have been spent to conduct, some of which were done by the accounting firm which Mr. Hansen has his accounting done ... can you say conflict of interest?
Each year, an annual audit is required and a copy is supposed to be on file in the City Clerk's office. Many years of audits are missing ... oh because they have not been done. Now, almost to the end of 2011 and I have been told but have not verified yet, the 2010 audit has not been submitted...
why not?
Now, two or so years later, mortgages taken out on rental rehab properties which I have been told are vacant or for sale (still need to varify these claims) ... when two years ago, the only mortgage, to my understanding, was on the EBNHS office. Projections by Mr. Hansen for rental income of $900.00 per month to cover said mortgages have not materialized ... one property has been reported to have been vacant since June 2011.
I sat in amazement at that EBNHS board meeting when only one board member voted no. After the vote, board members asked how long the loan would be for? AFTER the vote, then the answer was given ... 15 years.
What funds are being used to pay these mortgages?
Additionally, board members are appointed who also have connections to OSF, which is great ... but seems a possible conflict of interest ... getting suppport of EBNHS prior to the East Village TIF creation ... just my two cent opinion. At the same time, vocal opponents who reside in the EBNHS taxing area, are not deemed qualified to serve on the board, because they ask too many tough questions and would not fit in ... and so it goes on and on ...
Seriously, stop the insanity and close down the place. Try to short sell the properties and give a refund of any monies left over to thesee taxpayers and decrease the property owners' tax bills.
Anonymous has it correct ... just too convoluted to be believed ... you feel like you were part of a soap opera ... as the East Bluff turns each time you went to a meeting.
And, why did Riggenbach not bring up this new policing idea at the EBNHS annual meeting, which is the only meeting that any residents usually attend? Where they might have voiced an opinion?
I agree that it is double taxation and not in concert with the original concept why this organization was created.
What a mess!
"...if the [public body] is not meeting what the original intent then it needs to be dissolved...."
Peoria City Council???
Four words: Bring back Bob Manning!!!
Bob Manning backed this debacle.
EBNHS had a Year to meet the terms of the last agreement with the City of Peoria. Now they get another extension per the proposed city council action for the 13th. When will the end be? Either end the tax or put it to use in the hood, not for director pay,buy homes to rent out, new drapes, food for board members.
Post a Comment