Sandberg gets it: Debt, not economy, is cause of city’s problems
The Peoria City Council today approved a $165.8 million budget that eliminated 69 jobs, a log of them from the police department:
At-large Councilman Gary Sandberg criticized council members and city officials who have pointed to the slumping of revenue sources during the recession as the main culprit for the deficit problems. He said the city’s increased debt load over the years is a significant issue the council can address.
“You can’t spend your way out of this,” said Sandberg, who cast the only “No” vote on the budget. “It’s not a revenue problem. It’s a debt problem. We have to get out of debt.”
Bingo. Sandberg is talking about the debt the city has to pay for all the TIF districts the city has created. Mayor Jim Ardis dismisses this as “hindsight.”
The reality is that if the city didn’t have to pay off all this debt, the taxes paid by city residents would be lower, perhaps making it more likely voters would support the taxes needed to maintain essential city a services.
And here is more reality: It’s insane for the city to keep piling on MORE debt through new projects like the hotel expansion that the millionaire developers want the taxpayers to pay for.
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 
Floyd Reed
writes that a boy, I think your right, I got a nap now at work