Today’s news: High taxes play in Peoria, as least as far as Peoria legislators are concerned
Links are via the Journal Star. The snarky commentary is my own:
- We’re one step toward an involuntary county-wide tax to pay for a regional museum no one wants to pay for voluntarily. All it needs is approval from the House of representatives and the governor. Aaron Schock and David Leitch are already on board. I would suggest that individuals who think this is a profoundly stupid idea to send an email to the governor. It’s very important that this happen, because as C.J. reminds us, the proponents are organized, while the people who think it’s a dumb idea are not.
- Once again, I am forced to remind my fellow city residents that the old vaudeville saying “Will it play in Peoria” is not, I repeat, NOT, intended to be flattering. What it means is this: Peoria is culturally 20 years behind the times, and something is the slightest bit new and original, Peorians will reject it because they are closed-minded. Why are we bragging about this?
- Look at it this way, dude: For $50 you get to be a martyr. A lot of these folks had it much rougher. And by the way: Stuff hanging from your mirror DOES block your vision, as I’m sure this police officer was aware. Try putting a Jesus Fish on your bumper instead.
- Remember back in the good old days where they actually bothered trying to regulate casinos? Well, why should the state actually set hours for what’s apparently a wide-open business in Illinois again. I mean, it’s not like they actually try to keep people from playing poker machines in the open at bars and restaurants anymore.
- I saw this corporate cocktail mixing clown on WEEK yesterday. And now Peoria’s one and only daily newspaper of record devotes precious column inches to a puff piece on this booze company shill whose job it is to get the name of his company’s product in the news media. Mission accomplished. I’m surprised the PJS didn’t run a Krispy Kreme press release, verbatim, right next to the article. And shame on Lakeview Museum for getting in on the act. Is this the kind of crap we can expect if they ever do get to move into a new facility on the riverfront?
- Funny, there were incidents more severe than this outside of downtown bars, but I don’t recall there being newspaper articles that seriously discusses taking away their 4 a.m. liquor licenses. Gee, I wonder what makes Club Apollo different that these other bars? End sarcasm.
- Just the other day, a wise commenter mentioned that because all the old-time editors have left the Journal Star, they tend to let things slip through that wouldn’t. I blamed the lack of institutional memory. This lack of knowledge of Peoria history is also to blame for this wildly inaccurate headline: “Lyons has new plan to fight drugs.” Oh, sweet Lord, I almost fell out of my chair. There is NOTHING slightly new about this plan. Folks, as I have pointed out in a previous post, Lyons was OPPOSED to this sort of thing. He thought it was waste of time back when neighborhood activists were fighting to get this done. I’ve listened to Lyons speak to neighborhood activists. As far as he is concerned, the only role private citizens play in fighting crime is to report it to police, and then he and he alone is qualified to do anything. And now that he’s fighting his toughest election ever, suddenly Lyons is supposed to be fighting for neighborhoods? It is to laugh.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Firstly, I would like to say that your discussion on the “Will It Play in Peoria?” slogan is quite just. I don’t believe people understand that it is a stab at our town, not a complimentary phrase. We should not be pushing this to the forefront when there are so many other and better things/events/people from Peoria to be highlighting.
As for the small article on the mixologist from Canadian Mist and his display at Lakeview Museum, I don’t seem to be in agreement with you at all. I find the fact that a media source was finally willing to put in an article in the paper that actually demonstrated some bit of happiness or interest outside of bloodshed, violence, drunken teenagers, etc. is a decent contribution. Also, as a fellow bartender and mixologist myself, I’m not necessarily sure if the only reason that the article was in the paper was to get Canadian Mist’s products and name out there. The reports would be in error without all the facts, this one just happening to be about an alcohol company. You may just brush off this guy, but bartenders and mixologists really do perfect the science of drinkiing, which, as I recall, is still America’s favorite pastime, right up there with baseball. In fact, I don’t know many who do one without the other.
Also, I’m just curious as to your comment about other bars in the downtown area having something worse happen than 30 pepper balls from a pepper gun to disperse a crowd of 100 or so people? This was one article that did intrigue me, and I was hoping that you could provide some examples or citations. In my mind, there isn’t much worse that could really happen, other than murder. Last time I was downtown, and being fresh out of college, I’m pretty sure I frequent there a bit more often than the average Peorian, I don’t remember anyone getting in a fight (other than what song to play on the jukebox) or getting shot (unless it was Irish Whiskey on St. Pat’s).
You want examples?
http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/08/06/wake-up-people-peoria-does-have-a-racism-problem/
http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2005/06/21/peoria-doesnt-need-any-new-police-officers-nope-now-move-along-nothing-to-see-here/
About the tax — the sales tax would actually require a binding referendum. So it not only has to pass the House and get the Governor’s signature; it also has to be put on the ballot by the county and approved by a majority of the voters. But as I pointed out on my blog, the trick is going to be how they propose it — will the referendum be just for the museum, or will it be combined with other necessary infrastructure, like Bel-Wood Nursing Home or other facilities in need of repair/replacement? They could use a combine-and-conquer strategy.
And then there is this video:
http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/07/11/no-blacks-allowed-in-downtown-peoria/
C.J. If 51 percent of the voters approve the tax, that means that 49 will pay against their will.
My solution is for the percentage who WANT to pay for this museum to do so and leave the rest of us out of it.
All a tax is is a way for Group A to be charitible with Group B’s money.
I don’t disagree with that, Billy. But you said (emphasis mine):
That’s simply not accurate. It also needs to be put on a ballot and be approved by over 50% of the voters.
Maybe I’m reading different interpretations or different parts of the stories that you gave as examples, but I’ve only seen one reference to something of this nature (the after party for the rap star at Club Reign). Every bar is prone to its isolated acts of violence as in Club Reign’s case, but I’m curious as to how many of these incidents (maybe not 100 people, but just a few) happened at Club Apollo? If it was only this one in the history of their existence or even in the short term, then I eat my words. However, I recall many stories from my roommate, who has spent time at Club Apollo, and has lived in Peoria for more than 20 years, clearly displaying the rough nature of the crowd and the bar.
Now, I will agree with you that I think there are definitely some uneducated and ignorant people out there that are doing nothing but being racist in this regard. I also can’t deny that some of those people might be on our police force. However, I do think that with Club Apollo being on “probationary/temporary” status with their license, the owners and the patrons would want to keep the peace in order to obtain that license and would want to take the steps in order to preserve that.
I oppose third party guilt. I don’t think that the owners of Club Apollo are responsible for this violence. These folks run a respectable joint. If there was a history of this sort of thing, there would be a reason to remove the 4 a.m. license. But if they cooperate with police and take steps to prevent violence and keep out the riff-raff (and by that, I do NOT mean “black”, then I see no reason to remove their license.
I think that the responsibility lies with the patrons as well.
Its taxation without representation that is tyranny. If your elected representatives vote to tax you, that’s called democracy.
A comment on the cross hanging from the rear view mirror. I am always amused when “libertarians” are willingly accept this kind of abuse of police power. Obstructed windshield, seatbelt violations, etc. are more often mere pretext for the police to stop a vehicle on a fishing expedition. Given the facts in this story, it appears the police stopped this car not for the alleged obstructive view, but as a pretext to intrude into the guy’s privacy and see if he was up to something in that neighborhood. This story has all the markings of execssive intrusion into privacy by police power and nobody seems to have a problem with it. They don’t need to pry your gun from your cold dead fingers; they’ll just confiscate it after they arrest you for the fuzzy dice hanging from your rear view mirror.
I agree with Billy Dennis on all points presented here except that tax on the museum. It has to be voted for and I am sure it will fail unless they twist it. They will twist it and our elected reps know what we need, just pay your Garbage Fee.
As for the cross on the mirror, well dd, normally I can take your dribble that it is a liberal view to accept police power. Only driving is not a RIGHT it is a Privilege in Illinois which can be revoked if you don’t play by the rules. No rights were violated here. These laws are on the books. Would you have the police enforce only the laws you wanted enforced? Don’t like the driving laws, then like Billy said, put a fish on your bumper or (Like I say) take the bus.
Billy,
Maybe if we require a much higher percentage of affimative over negative votes cast on any issue you could possible make the case of what the will of the people is on that particular issue.
If we made the threshold for passage of a law 100% then the issue is said to be fair since all voted for it. If one person votes against the issue then you have a veto by a single voter, something like a one one person super majority. If you take the % and slide it back toward the common 50% +1 where do you draw the line.
If it is 60% then 40% +1 is a supermajority and stops the issue from proceeding. The combinations are endless. We in this country except 50% +1 as a standard of majority ruling.
So who is going to draw a more fair line that we as a community will except as fair on every issue?
except should be accept my goof.
Here’s what I don’t understand: “Conservatives,” when you talk about raising their taxes a buck or two, they get all “don’t tread on me” about it: proposing supermajorities and other such undemocratic measures. But if someone mentions protecting our constitutional rights to privacy from excessive police power, why that is just so much dribble. So when I get in my car, I leave my constitutional rights at home? Really, I wasn’t aware of that. There a boatload of court cases out there that say you do have rights, even when you are drivig your car. I guess I would just like see the same amount of vigilance when it comes to freedom from unreasonable search and seizure that I see from you guys when you might have to pay a couple of bucks for that goofy museum.
It’s drivel, not dribble.
Don’t feel bad. A Journal Star intern wrote several years ago that police read a suspect his “Carmen Miranda rights.” The city editor said, “What the hell is that? The right to wear fruit on your head?
Despite your loud protestations to the contrary, the phrase “Will it Play in Peoria?” is not a negative comment toward Peoria and it most decidedly a positive reference to our historical role as the litmus test for the nation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_it_play_in_peoria for more info).
Note today’s use in the PJ Star in the article regarding the Hallmark Movie Channel launch:
“”If it plays well in Peoria, it will play well across the United States,” said Hallmark CEO Henry Schleiff to applause from 90 students from the Fine Arts Academy at Peoria High School and 100 others who gathered in the Civic Center’s Great Hall for the ceremonies.”
I’ve traveled all over the nation and most places, when I tell someone (over the age of 40) that I’m from Peoria, they almost without pause reference the phrase “Will it play in Peoria?”. Seems to me we should play up this connection (it’s free unlike the new logo), and the exposure it brings to us.
Emtronics — Wrong. Driving is not a privilege. It is a Constitutional right.
II Am.Jur. (1st) Constitutional Law, Sect.329, p. 1135.
No CJ you are wrong. As an American, name me one time when all my Rights can be revoked short of renouncing my citizenship. Driving can be revoked at anytime by the Secretary of State making it a “Privilege”.
And it’s dribble to me!
This is an interesting debate. As C.J. proved, the right to drive IS a right, as it’s related to the constitutional right to travel at will (a right not found in most communist counries).
Of course, the government has a legitimate interest in promoting traffic safety. We regulate speed and other behavior on the roads. But at what point does the government’s power to REGULATE become the power to BAN travel?
My opinion is that it does promiote a legitinmate government interest to keep people from driving while their view is obstructred. The fact white that a white, obviously Christian family man got a ticket while driving in this part of town is not evidence of profiling. It’s evidence of the opposite. Tell the average black teenager that a white guy got ticketed and is blaming profiling and see what reeaction you will get.
Now, if you want to talk about violating drivers’ rights, let’s look at so-called safety checkpoints where all they want to do is check your license for warrants or see if you have an insurance card, or to haul some, but not all, peoeple out of their car wile drug-sniffing dogs see if you MIGHT be holding drugs.
It’s an interesting debate.