State of Illinois Sends Layoff Notices

This post was not written by Billy Dennis but by Merle Widmer. How it appeared on Biily's site after he worked on my computer, Bill will need to figure out.

From WEEK-TV - "The state of Illinois is starting the process of notifying some 2600 employees that they may be laid off to help balance the state budget.

In Chicago, Governor Pat Quinn says the layoffs are part of the "shared sacrifice" Illinois Government is undergoing.

Illinois began the new budget year July 1 without a spending plan in place."

Here in Peoria we have a lot pf spending plans in place, all of them may not affect the tax rate but they will increase the amount of money you pay in sales taxes and property taxes. Want a list of them? Reread some of my blogs in 2009 or read the news more closely.

One clue - Tomorrow night, the County Board will hire retiree Mark Johnson at a rate equivalent to $108,000 a year to help the county plan the new museum. If you haven't been paying attention, the county will soon be the museum's new owner for at least the next 25 years.

Another clue - When the Library Board stops digging up the dead, they will start spending the $27,000,000.00 most of you voted to give them to build a library for the Dunlap people who already have there underutilized new library.

Another clue - The Peoria County Board approved a new Bel-Wood when the cost was thought by most of the board and the JS reporter to be $27-29 million. How about $41million of which only south of $3 million is in the Bel-Wood building fund? Some board members accuse me of mis-leading the public because there will be no new taxes, (at this time) just a lot MORE of your property tax dollars rising from $1,750,000.00 in 2008 to $4,500,000.00 by year 2042. Peoria County taxpayers also subsidized B-W, at least $1,222,000.00 last year and $......... by year 2042. I'll fill in that figure tomorrow when I get the estimated amount from our county financial officer.

Administration says, no problem to pay of the loan, $72,000,000.00 total, we expect (EVA) property values will go up 3% a year, every year for 30 years.

I'm not a believer. Oh, well, who seems to care as long as your money is paying for a "safety net for the poor". $72 million estimated so far. Plus and plus. A reminder, over 50% of the registered voters in Peoria, do not own their homes. Another reminder; one county board member pays no property taxes, one pays under a thousand dollars and one recently had his real estate taxes cut in half. My own property taxes, $7,000, (all property taxes are a matter of public record) are considered low by some yet I am the 2nd highest property taxpayer on the county board. That includes one who planted at least 700 acres of corn this year and is the recipient of government subsidies as are a majority of farmers.

All these figures are a matter of record and can be corrected by anyone who can prove my figures wrong.