Today’s news: Civic Center once again wants a handout from the taxpayers

January 26, 2007
By Billy Dennis

If you stop and think about it for a second, the Peoria Civic Center’s request to be included in the proposed Ware House District tax increment financing (TIF) district is a unique opportunity for the Peoria City Council.

It marks the first time that this particular council has an opportunity to actually stop a rancid PCC boondoggle before it really costs city taxpayers any serious cash.

Last month, the council voted to not let the Peoria Housing Authority weasel its way into either of the TIFs now on the drawing boards. Both these TIFs are pretty much what TIFs are supposed to be: A way to spur private economic development in a blighted area that would not see the development but for the TIF. The Eagle View TIF would help to clean up a brownfield along the city’s riverfront and otherwise improve the aesthetics of the citt’s “Southern Gateway.” The Warehouse District TIF would help the developers who own those abandoned commercial buildings immediately south of downtown renovate the structures and repair the infrastructure, creating places to work, shop and call a home.

It is a completely different situation from the civic center. First, the specific area is NOT blighted. It also fails the “but for” test. Economic development and construction is happening all over this neighborhood, including two separate medical facilities within a block’s walk.

Second, the PCC would use the TIF to create a hotel that’s going to take business away from existing hotels, at least one of which would be expected to close because of the competition, this depriving the city and the schools of tax revenue.

As I recall, the civic center was sold the public as something that would become self sufficient after its original bonds were paid off with the city’s tax on hotels, restaurants and amusements. But that HRS tax hasn’t dies because the PCC has learned that it’s never going to be big enough to attract the big acts. So, they keep building onto the place, in the hopes that suddenly, Peoria is going to get the big ticket shows and conventions. Never mind the advice of experts who say cities like Peoria are losing their shirts chasing after the convention/tourism rainbow.

These two proposed TIFs are like two beautiful purebred dogs who gone into heat. It’s not enough to keep them them locked up behind a fence. You’ve got to lock the bitches inside the house, or some mutt of going to jump over, dig or tunnel and knock down the fence to have it’s way with them.

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2 Responses to “ Today’s news: Civic Center once again wants a handout from the taxpayers ”

  1. Scott J on January 26, 2007 at 7:16 am

    When you give a mouse a cookie, he wants a glass of milk. When a city creates TIF’s for development, every business wants to be included. It’s BS, and I hope the City Council stop the PCC in it’s tracks.

  2. tsheets on January 26, 2007 at 11:47 pm

    I could be mistaken, but, I don’t see many warehouses around the civic center. Certainly not enough to call it a district of warehouses.