From C.J’s blog:
The Journal Star reports that “The Civic Center Authority on Thursday approved an approximately $8 million 2010 fiscal year budget that calls for across-the-board 2 percent wage increases” (emphasis added).
So, let me see if I have this straight: The fire fighters won’t get a raise. And the library staff won’t get a raise. And exempt city staff won’t get raises. And the city is asking the police department to give up their raises. But the Civic Center, which didn’t even pass a balanced budget (”The budget’s approval includes a $115,000 operating budget deficit”) is going to give raises to their workers?
I would have been surprised if the CCA had implemented a wage freeze. And I’d be extremely surprised if there are any concerns expressed about the unfairness of it all from the Gang of 11 (Gary Sandberg excepted). There is something about sitting around the horseshoe that turns normally reasonable people’s brains to mush when it comes to the Civic Center.
No one in city government seems able to grasp the idea that while firefighters and cops are providers of essential government services, the Peoria Civic Center is NOT essential, and that its inability to survive based only he revenue it generates means it is a drain on taxpayers.
And if I was a firefighter — someone who risks his or her life on a daily basis — I’d be contacting my union rep and demanding my raise back.
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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 
Let’s hope the Civic Center doesn’t catch fire.