PeoriaStory

"Spelling Bee" amusing, worth seeing

PEORIA -- Would you believe a Broadway musical without pretty women in skimpy costumes? Or handsome leading men who dance and sing? It's here.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee hit the Peoria Civic Center's Broadway Series stage on March 31 and plays again on April 1. It's amusing and worth seeing,

Spelling Bee is basically a comedy with a stage filled with quirky characters. Like a piece of chocolate candy, it's delightful if not very substantial.

The group that played in Peoria is not an Actors Equity company but they did a fine job in their roles, and they are skilled singers.

Spelling Bee is kind of a down home Chorus Line, where the audience learns about the spellers as the play moves along.

It's got audience participation, contemporary jokes and lines, and songs with clever lyrics. It's strictly in the moment, but that's OK. So are sporting events and most other forms of entertainment.

The two-hour play without an intermission is suitable for mature children, and likely will end up being performed in high schools throughout the land once it's released for that purpose.

-- Elaine Hopkins

That museum block...

PEORIA -- Voting for a candidate or a proposition is like deciding to believe in a supreme being --it takes a leap of faith.

Will the candidate do what is promised? Will the proposition -- say the so-called public facilities tax that would fund the museum block on Peoria's riverfront -- work out as advertised?

All we have is a track record, on a candidate or on the museum backers and opponents.

The Peoria establishment on a bi-partisan basis is solidly behind the museum tax, which they say will cost about $17 a year, based on a 25-cent-per-$100 sales tax on non-titled goods. Titled big ticket items like cars and boats are exempt.

Republicans and Democrats alike want the business connected with the construction. Do they care about culture or history? No. Most will eagerly demolish any significant, unique building if they decide they can make 10 cents more out of the property than saving it would generate.

They want the money -- their pals in the construction industry, finance industry and unions will all make money out of building the block.

But the opponents also care only about money. They are anti-tax fanatics -- and see any new tax as evil.

Some of them, though not all, also have a bad track record of opposing the Kellar Branch Recreational Trail, a significant economic development initiative for Peoria at little cost. Why? Who knows. Irrational love of railroads in the wrong places, perhaps. That's the history they care about, apparently.

So how to decide how to vote?

Ultimately I must come down on the side of cultural promise of the museum block, and hope for the best, a leap of faith. The money -- $17 a year -- is peanuts, a small time gamble for a big payoff if the promises for the museums and Caterpillar visitors center are even half viable.

Opponents say the museums will not be economically sustainable, and require annual fund-raising. Well, that's OK -- a good fund-raiser is also fun.

So -- I voted for the tax, and have no regrets. (Early voting ends on April 2.)

I love museums. That's the best reason to travel. Peoria's rich history should make for a great museum. Perhaps it will inspire some of the elites to become interested in Peoria's architectural history, as well, and step up efforts to preserve it.

After all, Peoria has no control over Caterpillar, Inc. Like the weather, it will do what it will do.

But Peoria can control its historical and architectural legacy -- the one thing that separates Peoria from other downstate cities and might save it as a destination, even if Caterpillar moves to Antarctica.

My other election endorsement involves Beth Akeson, who is running for the Third District Peoria City Council seat.

Ironically Beth opposes the museum tax, because the plan is flawed. She's right about the plan, and if the tax passes, and she is elected, I trust her to work to modify it into something better. She also likes museums and favors historic preservation.

-- Elaine Hopkins

NORMAL -- Civil Libertarians may be happy that President Barack Obama is now in office. But they're not taking him for granted.

"We cannot count on President Obama to restore the tattered fabric of our Constitution without our advocacy," the director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington DC Legislative office, Caroline Fredrickson, told an ACLU audience on March 28.

She spoke at the Illinois ACLU's annual Member Action Summit held this year at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center. "There is so much that needs to be fixed and improved," she said.

The ACLU has meet more than 100 times with the Obama transition team, she said, to review every federal agency and its policies. "Now we're getting our phone calls returned. We've had meetings. We went to a signing ceremony."

But "access is not enough," Fredrickson said. She offered a list: "Close Guantanamo." Ban torture and secret overseas prisons, lift the global gag rule, restore the Freedom of Information Act's presumption for disclosure, as examples of what the ACLU has asked Obama's administration to do.

There have been setbacks," she said. Obama has continued to pursue the 'state secrets doctrine' of the Bush administration, to prevent trials for detainees. "We will work to prevent detention without charges."

The Obama administration is also dragging its heels on investigating what may be illegal acts during the Bush administration, she said. The US House and Senate are interested in investigating. The ACLU wants a select committee with subpoena power or a special prosecutor to look into who ordered torture, illegal surveillence, and other such activities. "Understanding what has gone wrong is the only way to assure it will end," to assure "nobody is above the law," she said.

"We can not depend on the kindness of presidents" in the future, she said. "We need binding legislation."

The Patriot Act is up for revision this year, she said. "Patriot Act reform is the issue of the year." Also on the front burner: The FISA Amendment, the Military Commission Act that "stripped habeus corpus from people at Gitmo and allowed Bush to determine enemy combatants and define war crimes, and a limit on the state secrets documents, so we'll have disclosure on wrong doing."

The ACLU wants to kill the Real-ID Act, which would require uniform identification cards for everyone and could be misused by business and government. "The struggles will continue," she said.

Democrats control Congress but have been reluctant to act on some of these initiatives, she said. "Some were briefed" on torture, "and might have approved," she said. They fear being blamed if terrorism occurs again in the US. "We say you'll be blamed anyway."

The government is now investigating who destroyed videotapes of torture, she said, without investigating the torture itself. "That's absurd," she said.

Memos that supposedly legalized torture may be a legal defense, but will not immunize someone from prosecution, Frederickson, an attorney, said.

In Illinois, ACLU activists are hoping to pass a civil unions bill, expanding rights to domestic partners, and the Reproductive Health and Access Act, which would allow health care providers to opt out of procedures that violate their religion or conscience, but also requires them to refer the patients elsewhere. It's being fought by the Catholic Church, which has misrepresented the proposal, said Colleen Connell, ACLU Illinois executive director.

The Catholics fear that their hospitals will lose business, she said, when patients learn what services they will not provide and go elsewhere.

Polling has found 70 percent of Illinois residents in favor of the bill. It "protects the rights of people to make their own decisions" about health care.

Gov. Pat Quinn is constantly lobbied by the religious right, said John Peller, director of government relations for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Quinn included $1 million in his budget for abstinence education, he said, while others are trying to get that dropped.

"Why is Quinn saying that it's God's will that he's in office?" Peller asked.

On the other hand, with a deficit of up to $13 billion, Quinn is also trying to protect funding that benefits low income people, he said.

Illinois legislators "get away with what they couldn't in Chicago" when they're in Springfield, he said, citing some discussion and debate he described as "disgusting."

About 150 people attended the event.

-- Elaine Hopkins

To Symphony Board: Resign

PEORIA -- Here’s an ad that is running today (3/26/09) in the Peoria Journal Star. And here is what it doesn’t dare say to certain members of the symphony board: resign now before the Peoria Symphony Orchestra is ruined.

The Board of Directors has abandoned its own bylaws, ignored transparency and usurped powers it did not have by seizing control of the orchestra programming from its conductor/music director David Commanday.

1. It fired Commanday by not renewing his contract without allowing him to speak to the board in his own defense. That’s in spite of the board’s bylaws that require his attendance at every meeting. Instead he was told not to attend and not to speak to board members or the public.

2. Its treatment of Commanday and personnel manager S. Blake Duncan has undermined trust in the institution from the musicians, the subscribers and the major donors.

3. It sold season tickets for the March 28, 2009 program then substantially changed the program later, and it misled the public about what happened.

4. It has ignored the petitions signed by over 900 subscribers and supporters calling for Commanday’s reinstatement.

New leadership and better governance is needed now.

Here is factual information compiled by people concerned about the future of the symphony:

Recently the Board leadership sent a letter to subscribers on behalf of the full Board, in which they ask for subscribers to trust them as the sole source of truth about matters concerning the PSO. Let’s examine their record of “forthright statements” to the Board, players, and public.

Claim No. 1: Music Director David Commanday is responsible for the cancellation of Blake Duncan and March 28 program changes.

Fact: All changes to the March 28 program, including the cancellation of the concerto solo performance by Blake Duncan, were made without David Commanday’s knowledge. His subsequent caution to the Board leadership against such changes was ignored.

Claim No. 2: Program Changes to March 28 were at the guest conductor’s request.

Fact: According to guest conductor Ponti, he never requested a change of program, but was informed the changes were requested by the PSO. (Peoria Journal Star February 25, 2009).

Claim No. 3: the Board commented that the Music Director was responsible for the ‘downturn’ in subscription and single-ticket sales.

Fact: The PSO sent out a letter dated February 28, 2009 stating ticket sales and funding were OK this year and acknowledging subscription sales were down across the industry.

Claim No. 4: David Commanday has not been sufficiently engaged with the community.

Fact: Commanday has been continually engaged with the community. (He has appeared in) over 25 major community events that he participates in each year, and he appears regularly on WCBU, WTVP, WEEK, and WOAM-WMBD in interviews promoting the PSO.

Claim No. 5: Programming needs to be more innovative, appealing to a younger audience.

Fact: PSO programming under David Commanday has been and remains innovative and appealing. In its January 16, 2009 press release, the PSO Board President is quoted as saying “Under his direction, the orchestra has enjoyed ten years of excellent concerts and innovative programming”.

Claim No. 6: The Music Director has been insubordinate and unprofessional.

Fact: A careful review of the letter sent confidentially by David Commanday to the Board in November clearly shows that he did not issue an ultimatum demanding resignations. Rather he asserted that the Board leadership who sought to take over his Music Director responsibilities should take responsibility for their actions and errors and act to correct them, or step down from their positions of leadership on the Board. He had contractual and ethical responsibilities as Music Director to uphold and foster the artistic health and integrity of the PSO.

Claim No. 7: The PSO Board leaders have implied they have the PSO’s future well in hand and are competent to shepherd the organization through this difficult economy.

Fact: In actions, publications and statements, it seems this leadership has revealed that they are confused, disoriented and careening from one plan to another, publishing self-contradictory statements on the future of the PSO. They have done so while marginalizing dissent within the Board, and without allowing a fully informed Board to agree on a unified, considered and successful plan and course of action.

Conclusion: The PSO Board Leadership seriously departed from the proper and customary rules and guidelines of the PSO. They should resign, as should those who went along with them. This Board has put in jeopardy this century-old PSO institution. New leadership is required by other board members who will return transparency and sound governance, taking seriously their responsibilities as fiduciaries to our community and the PSO they serve.

If you want to see more documents and stories on the Peoria symphony, click on ‘Peoria Symphony’ in the list on the right hand column.

You also can write to the Save our Symphony Committee (include your name and address):

Save Our Symphony Committee, P. O. Box 3152, Peoria, IL 61612-3152 or email at [email protected].

-- Elaine Hopkins

Black teens turned away from basketball tourney: NAACP

PEORIA -- African-American teenagers were turned away from the high school basketball state tournament last Friday in Peoria while white students were admitted to the event at the Peoria Civic Center, a leader in Peoria's black community said on March 23.

Jackie Petty, who is an elected member of the Peoria Park District Board and an official in Peoria's NAACP chapter said the black students were in tears, as were the Civic Center workers who were ordered to keep them out.

The issue came up as part of a candidate forum sponsored by the NAACP and the African American Leadership Alliance. All the city council candidates attended the event, at the Ward Chapel AME Church.

Mayor Jim Ardis said police and Peoria District 150 Supt. Ken Hinton decided last week to require every four teenagers to be accompanied by an adult at the event. Teens were defined as age 18 and under. An accouncement was made at the schools, he said.

The decision was made because of youth trouble at the tournament the previous weekend, he said. He could not explain why this policy was not announced to the public via the news media.

As a result, many parents didn't learn of this policy, and they dropped their teens off at the event and planned to pick them up, Petty said. So teens appeared without parents, and black teenagers were refused admittance, even if they had tickets, she said, while white students without parents were allowed in.

"I do know white children dropped off got to go inside. One white was turned away because he was with black students," she said.

She also was told that a black teen was not allowed to enter, even though he was accompanied by an adult, because the adult was not a parent, she said.

Petty said she learned of the situation from civic center workers who were told to keep "gang bangers" out.

The candidates said this discrimination was unacceptable. But Ardis also said the council "has no authority over... the Civic Center." Afterward he promised to look into what occurred.

"It's easy to drop the kids off and hope they behave," Ardis said. "We've had problems with roving groups of kids."

"Black children were singled out in implementation of this policy," NAACP president Don Jackson said.

Others at the event complained of discrimination in city services. Barb Pendleton asked the candidates why trees were butchered in low income neighborhoods by Ameren/CILCO tree trimmers, and said that some neighborhoods also are not able to get city recycling services.

Incumbent 2nd District council member Barbara Van Auken said the recycling issue occurs in older neighborhoods because city contractor Waste Management does not have recycling trucks small enough to navigate alleys. The city is negotiating with WM on this issue, she said.

Trees are butchered in low income neighborhoods because people don't complain like they do in other neighborhoods, she said. The disfiguring saves Ameren money, she said. "I have complained."

Third District candidate Beth Akeson defended the city's trees and said "the city needs to have a conversation with Ameren. Trees are an important part of the public space. I can't imagine having to run the city by screaming and yelling" at Ameren, she said.

Fifth District candidate Gloria Fitzgerald said "I've seen these trees. Negotiate change."

Both Jackson and Earnestine Jackson complained about the city's lack of enforcement power in job discrimination involving small businesses. Every other city in Illinois has an ordinance to protect their residents except Peoria, they said. Peoria's was quietly dropped years ago and has not been reinstated despite requests.

Van Auken said the city didn't have enough complaints to justify someone to investigate them. But Jackson said people are coming to the NAACP. "We end up doing your job," he said.

Ardis said "it comes with a price" of "$100,000 per employee. Nobody wants their taxes raised."

Candidate for Mayor General Parker said the city spends money on studies and consultants, then shuts down commissions such as the Heart of Peoria Commission. "You can find money to do what you want when it needs to be done," he said.

He added that the mayor's race relations commission was established last year. "I can't think of one thing they have done."

Ardis said "I appointed that commission. I don't have all the answers. I do have an open mind. I've earned the opportunity for four more years."

-- Elaine Hopkins

COMMENT 3/24/09 by Ed Dentino: I was at the South Side Neighborhood Association meeting last Wednesday. Chief Settingsgaard spoke about the Peoria police internet site providing map information about crime reported. He also mentioned the problems teens were causing at public events in the past year including the current Civic Center tournament. The meeting was attended by fewer than 15 people.

I recall there was an article about the teen problems and the school announcements made to the students last week. If the parents did not get the information, and the students ignored the information, they were part of the problem - not part of the solution. It was not about racism, it was about behavior and responsibility including vandalism and intimidation.

Unfortunately, a large part of the teen population are not conforming to the responsibility to the community. They are largely responsible for the litter, vandalism, drug traffic, theft, intimidation that diminish life in the city for residents and those who attend events such as the river festival and basketball tournaments. Looking at those responsible and noticing that a disproportionate percentage of these people are black is not racism. It is the observation of behavior and attitude.

Sunday morning, I picked up litter at the Knoxville and Illinois intersection at Dunkin Donut. Going inside, I noticed a handgun sticking out of the back pocket of a young man who had walked in with two girls. They were in the line waiting. I went back to my van, called the police non-emergency number and waited until police arrived. The people had left and walked up Knoxville. Apparently, the officers saw them and apprehended the young man.. Presume he is charged with carrying a weapon, etc. He was a black person.

Dave Schaab, of Waste Management, participates on our Mayor's Litter Committee. He went to considerable effort to provide waste receptacles at the tournament that were enhanced with bank boards to entice litter disposal and reinforce the idea of litter disposal. The sign was damaged by vandals the first day and had to be replaced.

I understand that areas of the city are selected to try waste container and recycle stradegy. It is desired that the efforts prove successful and the services extended throughtout the city.

I would like Barb Pendelton and Gloria Fitzgerald to show me the problem trees that they considered damaged. My observation of the poor neighborhoods is that there is a considerable lack of grounds maintenance by property owners and a higher than normal number of trees left untrimmed that interfere with power wires. If anything, the tenancy of these neighborhoods to have wind and weather related tree damage that interrupts power service is higher than the north side areas of the city. I observe more tree shooters and uncut weed trees in the poor areas of the city than the north and west sides of the city. Also considerably more discretionary litter, bottles, food wrappers in the streets and alleys of these parts of the city. Apparently, the residents can afford designer tennis shoes, beer, and whiskey but not yard maintenance tools.. Kind of tells a story by itself.

I am familiar with a business that hired a series of black workers. The workers were not responsible and created theft problems. The owners now only hire non black workers. Too bad.

Like the Irish, Polish, Italian, and other nationals who came to the U.S. the black population has to endure some bias. They also have to overcome the bias on merit, honesty, and responsibility. The discrimination arguments and protective arguments being made are logically indefensible. The people of diverse race and religion, that I know will say: race and religion are no excuse for the lack of responsibility of the problem people. Accepting race and religion does not mean accepting misconduct.

The NAACP feels that people are being targeted by race, and makes an argument that there is not a problem when it is shown that there is a problem by age and race that is clear and demonstrable. The rules are not race specific. The actions and reactions may very well be. The NAACP could be leading and inspiring the population they represent and improve that side. Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Tiger Woods, Gwen Ifil, and Bill Cosby have made the point. It should be the high banner of change for ethnic improvement. -30-

COMMENT 3/24/09 by Elaine Hopkins: If an announcement was made of this policy for the kids at the tourney, I totally missed it, and I'm probably not the only one.

Surely something could be done to allow these teens to enter. The problems came afterward, and police could control them if necessary. This looks like blatant discrimination against black teens, not fair even if some have behaved badly in the past. No wonder that as a group they are alienated.

On the trees: I have seen these trees, and did stories on them when I was at the PJStar. They're awful. Ameren ruins these trees. Many then die, and the rest look terrible. They're all over the lower income areas of Peoria, not in the higher incomes, including my middle class street. In fact, my street had a wire actually rubbing on a tree limb and Ameren wouldn't do anything about it.

Isn't it odd that the telephone company long ago buried its wires so it wouldn't have these issues. Why wern't the electric wires buried along with them? Stupid planning.

Oh, and only black workers steal? Come on. Last time I looked Bernie Madoff was white!
-30-

Democrat announces possible challenge to Schock

PEORIA -- A candidate has announced an exploratory committee to challenge Republican congressman Aaron Schock for the 18th District seat next year. Here is his news release:

PRESS RELEASE from Carl Ray Exploratory Committee
For immediate release
March 23, 2009

Democrat Carl Ray to Launch Exploratory Committee for Congressional Bid
Healthcare experiences and District’s economic needs drive Gulf War vet's decision

Carl Ray of Washington, Ill, is announcing today that he is forming an exploratory committee to consider a run for Illinois' 18th Congressional District, currently occupied by U.S. Representative Aaron Schock.

Ray served in the U.S. Air Force and is a veteran of the Gulf War. In peacetime, he was based at RAF Lakenheath UK where he worked as an avionics technician for F-111F strike bombers and was named the Maintenance Person of the 3rd Air Force (which, at the time encompassed all of Europe). He was also selected for the Base Honor Guard and was nominated for Base Honor Guard Member of the Year. In Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Ray supervised a team of 12 to 24 airmen. He received decorations, awards and early promotions while serving.

In civilian life, Ray has worked in strategic planning and technology with Union Pacific Railroad, has been a software consultant, has led process improvement teams and performed capacity and capital planning for the US Operations Division at Caterpillar (where he now works in the Advanced Systems Division). "I’ve worked with people from all walks of life and led groups in both civilian and military life, peacetime and wartime", Ray said.

Ray graduated with Highest Distinction in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to earn an MBA at Illinois as well.

Ray has been married for 14 years to his wife Kristin, and they have two children.

Potential Platform:

Jobs – “In the global economy, everything is portable except labor. We need to ensure that besides having good infrastructure for manufacturing plants to use, we have a highly skilled workforce in place to attract them. If someone loses their job, they need to have the opportunity to retrain. And we need to find jobs that are a natural fit for downstate Illinois and won’t move – like new wind farms and agriculture jobs.”

Single-Payer Health Insurance - Ray favors a system of private, not-for-profit hospitals and a national health insurance program run by the public sector, mirroring the Canadian system which enjoys overwhelming support in that nation.

"Health insurance for all is a very personal subject for me. When our son was two, we were devastated to learn he was autistic. But there was hope because we had caught his condition at a very young age, giving him the best chance for recovery. The experts told us that the window of opportunity doesn't stay open long, however, and the benefits of treatment rapidly dwindle to almost nothing by age six. We had to take action right then, or risk losing him forever to his mental prison. We were already financially stretched, due to my wife's recent illnesses. But what choice was there? We resolved to push ahead and find a way to pay for my son’s care. But despite our good intentions, best efforts and the fact that we paid $400 every month for health insurance, we were soon crushed under a mountain of medical bills and forced to file for bankruptcy protection.

Over half of all bankruptcy filings are now due to medical bills and the number is growing. Americans know the system is broken and in desperate need of change. Though I was faced with a choice between risking financial ruin and having a child who would never speak, that was only because I had insurance. The uninsured don't even get that horrible choice. Their child is unable to get treatment, out of the race before the starting gun. I have witnessed this for myself and in a country with the best health care technology the world has to offer, this is beyond unacceptable."

National Pension - "I believe we need to increase Social Security payments from 38 percent of past earnings to 65-70 percent. This will ensure that all Americans can have peace of mind in their working years and dignity when they retire.” As a first step toward achieving the goal of a dignified retirement for all Americans, Ray has proposed supplementing Social Security with funds raised by charging a fee for stock transactions. Experts estimate a 0.25 percent fee on all transactions will easily raise $150 billion. Other measures could be brought in over time to enhance this supplement while keeping it solvent.

“Conservatives often criticize government agencies, saying that they never go away once they’re created. I can’t think of a better argument for a national pension – it won’t go away. More and more we’ve seen companies do away with pensions and the recent stock market collapse calls the reliability of 401Ks into question. A public solution is the right solution."

With the formation of the exploratory committee, Ray will begin meeting with members of state and local government, as well as community leaders, to gain a better understanding of the needs of their areas. “But the key activity will be reaching out to voters all across the district to identify what qualities they consider essential in their congressman.”

Contact Info:

Web Site: http://www.CarlRay2010.com

Carl Ray Exploratory Committee
P.O. Box 261
Washington, IL 61571

Voice Mail / Fax: WILL NOT GO ACTIVE UNTIL MARCH 24th

E-Mail: [email protected]
-30-

This week and beyond in River City

PEORIA -- In the spirit of publicizing underpublicized events, here are some interesting items coming up, in chonological order:

Tuesday, March 24: 7 p.m. Retired ICC professor Mike Foster will present "God's Grandeur: Poems for Lent & Easter" at the lower level of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 904 E. Lake in Peoria Heights. Since Foster often writes prose in poetry, this might be interesting even for non-believers.

He will read his own poetry and read and comment on poems by George Herbert, Richard Herrick, Gerard Manley Hopkins, G.K. Chesterton, Thomas Merton, J.R.R. Tolkien (a rare translation of "Hail Mary" into Elvish), C.S. Lewis, Mary Oliver and others in a poetical pilgrimage from Ash Wednesday to Easter morning.

Sunday, March 29: l:30 p.m. A free 'antiques roadshow' with antique dealers Bill Hoey and Jim Bartell, who will "offer estimates to show who bring an antique to share." Not real appraisals, apparently. At the GAR Hall, 416 Hamilton, Peoria. Wow -- and just in time for the recession!

April 4 (deadline March 30): The not-for-profit organization Look. It’s My Book! is holding a gala fund raiser with dinner, music and literary entertainment beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 4 at the Mt. Hawley Country Club, 7724 N. Knoxville, Peoria.

The event, which is open to the public, costs $50 per person, with reservations due by March 30.

Joe Smith, singer and guitarist for Waylon Jennings will perform, joined by best selling mystery author Dorothy Cannell, a former Peorian who will present literary entertainment.

Look. It’s My Book! is committed to providing six new books each year to every Peoria School District pupil in kindergarten through fourth grade.

Children select the books with Look It’s My Book! from a list vetted by Accelerated Reader, a program used by District 150. Research shows that the only way to get children to read more is to make it fun for them, while at the same time a child’s reading skills and school performance improve if there are books in the home.

For reservations or further information visit the website www.lookitsmybook.org or
call 309/691-9266 or email [email protected].

Contributions to Look. It’s My Book! are tax deductible.

-30-

Candidate forum: the BAUs versus the STUs

PEORIA -- Suddenly it hit me, at the March 21 League of Women Voters candidate forum: in the mostly non-partisan April 7 municipal elections, there actually are two parties contending for power.

They are the Business-As-Usual party and the Shake-Them-Up party.

The BAUs are affable guys (most are male) who also assert their toughness at times. Example: "I can make tough decisions," and "I'm not emotionally attached to schools" (so closing them is OK).

Those were the words of Lonnie Whisker, 34, who is one of three candidates for an open seat on the Peoria District 150 School Board to replace Mary Spangler. A grant writer for the Tri-County Urban League and a 1993 Peoria High School grad, he has been a substitute teacher, has a daughter attending a District 150 school and a wife who is a teacher with District 150. (How do you say 'conflict-of-interest!')

Lonnie Whisker (photos by Al Harkrader)

His best idea, in response to a question: individual learning plans for all students.

A second candidate, Laura Petelle, 30, is an attorney in private practice who also teaches philosophy and ethics at ICC. Obviously pregnant, she expects her first child to be born in May. She's a STU-er, and mentioned her training in negotiation and mediation.

Laura Petelle

Her best idea: skilled trade apprenticeships in District 150, for non-college bound students. But beyond that, she spoke out against hasty school closings made "in a last minute budget panic."

She made a forceful advocacy for comprehensive sex education and questioned multiple superintendents and consultants in District 150.

"We spend a ridiculous amount on administrators and consultants. That needs to change," she said.

She also questioned closing solidly built historic schools while building new ones, and said no one has looked at upgrading those schools to be "green."

Whisker was less forceful on these issues. "I'm for new schools," he said. "We need a more holistic approach," he said of sex education.

The third candidate, Sandy Farkash, 62, didn't appear. He's a former principal of Manual High School and has taught special education and been an administrator.

The Peoria City Council candidates also fall into the two parties: Tim Riggenback is a BAU and Beth Akeson a STU. They're competing for an open Third District seat.

Beth Akeson displays a map of downtown Peoria showing all the parking lots and non-taxable properties.

Akeson took a quick shot at Riggenback, noting that he voted to expand "the toxic waste dump" as a Peoria County Board member. She also called for stronger code enforcement, while Riggenbach said he is running to "revitalize core neighborhoods, fight crime and work with District 150."

He's been endorsed by the local political/business establishment.

Mayor Jim Ardis, seeking re-election, didn't appear, the second candidate forum that I have attended that he ducked. But his opponent General Parker did show up and read a statement blasting the Peoria Journal Star for its biased coverage of his race and "character assassination."

The newspaper endorsed his opponent without interviewing him, he said, and likely won't publish his written answers to candidate questions.

General Parker

Parker has a Illinois felony on his record from years ago and still hopes to get a pardon if he wins the race so that he can serve as mayor.

He said he opposes the museum tax, the Marriott Hotel project, more TIF districts, and wants a better agreement with cable TV provider Comcast. He's obviously a STUer.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Museum block, tax issues

PEORIA -- Local business leaders persuaded -- or intimidated -- Peoria County educators into dropping their plans to ask voters for a sales tax increase to support their schools, an activist against the proposed museum tax said on March 20.

Karrie Alms, a founder of Citizens for Responsible Spending, held a news conference to release letters from officials of Caterpillar, Inc., Illinois Mutual Insurance Co. and the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce to local school officials.

The letters "claim that 'combining the museum's sales tax referendum with a sales tax increase to fun capital expenditures for Peoria County schools would doom both efforts to failure.' " They conclude the museum tax should be the only tax on the ballot," Alms said.

"We have talked to superintendents. They have spoken off the record. There was some pressure to go along" with the business community, Alms said.

So there's no tax referendum on the April 7 ballot for schools, only the museum, which is being touted as very educational.

The group believes the museum block plan is flawed, and the only way to stop it is to vote against the referendum.

Voters are being asked to approve a sales tax increase of 25 cents per $100, with titled items such as cars not included. Proponents have estimated the average person will pay an extra $17 a year in sales taxes.

The money will pay off the bonds used to construct the museum complex. Caterpillar plans to build an elaborate visitor center nearby, and an IMax theater is planned for the site -- a city-owned block near the riverfront where Sears once stood.

The revelation that local museum block supporters are playing hard ball is no surprise. These are business types that probably still believe in the cruel capitalist ideology that has brought us the current economic meltdown. "My way or the highway," has been used to describe them.

Caterpillar, especially, has claimed that it won't build the visitors center if the referendum fails. Whatever plan B may become, they're against it.

There's also money to be made from the museum block, by the people building it, selling the bonds, and who knows who else. The project has been described as Peoria's own stimulus plan.

That said, the plans look enticing, and $17 is not enough money to worry about for most Peoria residents. If you think disposable income has vanished, just look around. Good restaurants are packed, traffic is bad, there's usually a line at the drive up Starbucks at War Memorial and Prospect. I still see help-wanted ads around town.

Peoria has suffered significant layoffs, but apparently not enough to impact the community severely. I personally know two Peorians who recently bought nice new cars. Paid cash! (At lease they can enjoy their cars, as opposed to watching their IRAs crash.)

It's hard to oppose a new museum. Peoria's history is fabulous, and should make for great museum fare. The Caterpillar center also looks terrific.

And yet, the track record of most of the business/political establishment in Peoria pushing this project is terrible.

They allow historic buildings to be demolished to make even more parking lots, and seem to have no interest in Peoria's architectural history. They have invested public money in projects that are supposed to be self supporting but aren't, and require more public money: the Gateway Building, the riverfront parking deck, Cub Foods plaza and the Riverplex come to mind quickly.

Museum opponents fear the project will not be self supporting, and end up requiring tax subsidies, like the others above.

Alms and others, especially Third District city council candidate Beth Akeson, argue that the museum block needs a commercial component to be successful. Then it won't need public tax funds.

But the city council just approved a Mariott Hotel for a historic prime downtown Peoria block, where historic buildings will be demolished.

Why not send that hotel to the vacant block, as part of the complex?

And where are the gardens, the skating rink and other amenities that would make the museum block even more appealing? Chicago's Millennium Park comes to mind.

So the museum vote dilemma is this: do we trust the local establishment to get it right this time?

Or do we vote it down and hope for a better plan?

Guess early voting isn't an option yet for me. I'm still making up my mind on this one.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Akeson- Riggenbach debate: Akeson wins

PEORIA -- The most interesting race for the Peoria City Council pits a seasoned local office holder, Tim Riggenbach, against a community volunteer and activist, Beth Akeson.
Both are registered Republicans.

They are running for an open seat in the highly diverse Third District, which stretches from the mansions of Grandview Drive through middle class suburbia to the modest houses on the East Bluff. Early voting has begun. The election is April 7.

Peoria's political and business establishment has endorsed Riggenbach, who only last November won another term on Peoria County Board. He has said he's now running for the City Council because he had not earlier known the seat would be open. A few years ago, when he lived in Tazewell County, he ran for the Illinois House but lost in the primary.

So Riggenbach appears to be an ambitious comer, and likely is being groomed for higher office if he can win the Third District Seat.

Akeson, the wife of a physician, has served on the Heart of Peoria Commission and on other volunteer but powerful commissions and boards. She's a social liberal and a fiscal conservative, she said.

Full disclosure: I'm a volunteer in Akeson's campaign. Her vision for Peoria is the most likely one to save the city from turning into East Saint Louis. She favors historic preservation, a form based zoning code and other measures that would save and enhance Peoria's historic inner city, and make it a desirable home destination for families.

The two candidates appeared at a Third District debate on March 19 where the differences between them became apparent. They were asked to answer questions submitted earlier to the organizers of the debate.

Akeson won the debate because she gave specific answers to the questions. Riggenbach, a genial guy, spoke mainly in safe generalities.

He's the more conservative and conventional of the two, and emphasized how he helped balance the budget of Peoria County. "Tough times demand tough leaders," he said.
He also wants more "faith based" groups working with the public schools, a questionable proposition for many people.

Akeson spoke eloquently about improving the quality of life for all of Peoria's residents, and about problems with local leadership.

"I see decisions make in isolation," she said, adding "then we wonder why we didn't get what we expect." She mentioned the riverfront parking deck and the failure of the Cub Foods store project on Knoxville.

The two also differ in their approach to the red-hot issue of an increased sales tax to construct the museum block downtown. Akeson stressed that she supports museums and the arts and has served on arts boards, but she disapproves of the current block plan and will vote against the sales tax. The block lacks condos and retail, and will not create the "energy" it needs to survive as a project, she said.

"We could get 100 percent private financing. I do not believe this necessitates public financing. I don't believe it's lost forever," if the referendum fails, she said.

Riggenbach noted how he helped lower county taxes, but then said he supports the museum sales tax. "This project needs to move forward," he said. The plan isn't perfect, he said, but the city-owned block has been vacant for years, and no other projects have been proposed.

"If the referendum fails, the plug has been pulled," he said. That's because Caterpillar, Inc., which has promised to build a large visitors center on the block, has said it won't build it unless the museum complex is built.

Akeson earlier had referred to "my way or the highway" thinking by some local officials, a charge that also has been leveled against Caterpillar on the museum block project. She supports negotiation and consensus building.

Riggenbach said the city needs "better plans" to save its historic buildings. He confessed to a "conflict of interest" because his church, Riverside Church, wanted to buy and demolish the historic AmVets building next door. After conflict over this project, it stalled.

Akeson said saving Peoria's architectural heritage is essential. "I don't understand how there was friction with the AmVets building. You could see it should be preserved. Where there's a will there's a way," she said.

Akeson called the much disliked $6 monthly garbage fee a regressive and unfair tax. Council members have run and won on a pledge to get rid of it, but so far it remains.

"If we need to raise taxes for services that is what we should do. A regressive tax like this is not a good idea," she said. The fee is added to water bills and applies to every household, regardless of how much garbage they put out.

Riggenbach said "people using the service need to pay for it," but offered no realistic way to manage that option. "Look at the costs and pay for what you use."

Garbage pickup once was considered part of city services and collection was free to encourage a clean city. With Peoria's poverty rates, a fee-based pickup system, using pre-paid stickers, for example, likely would result in bags of trash thrown into alleys and ditches.

Riggenbach should know that. A libertarian approach to garbage and other public necessities may ultimately work against the public good, such as a clean city.

-- Elaine Hopkins

3/20/09 Ed Dentino comments:

The idea of individuals paying for the garbage service would definitely add fuel to the downward slide of most of City of Peoria. In Washington, Il, about 22 years ago, I noticed bags of garbage accumulating on the side walk and around a house. It was a Joseph Company rental house. Apparently, the rent was not inclusive of the garbage pick up and the residents did not bother to pay the fee.

The side story to the Washington rental house was that Joseph Co. owned 2 of these side by side properties. They wanted the city to let them tear down the existing property to built apartments on the 2 lots. I think that they ignored the tenants misbehavior and the property maintenance conditions to psych people into thinking that anything would be better than the junk houses. They lost a battle with the neighborhood residents and the city council to get the zoning, sold the property, and it was restored to a livable and decent residence. One house had a fire, was replaced by Joseph Co. with a really poor design for the lot and neighborhood. It was a good example of how capitalist greed tries to override citizen and community interests.

Having picked up a couple of bushels of litter from a single vacant lot and the nearby alley on Tuesday this week, by Lincoln and Western, I can tell these candidates that if they would participate in the Western Avenue clean up effort in April, they might realize that most of the old city is borderline East Saint Louis and some of the city is as bad or worse.

In an ideal world, the city would be clean, the sewers would not overflow, people would have living wages and benefits.... Government is necessary to cope with a less than perfect place - not to pretend that it is already ideal.

Ref: http://prideinpeoria.com/schedule.shtml

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