Local: More excuses for screwing the South Side
I’m 100 percent in agreement with Councilman Clyde Gulley. The city needs to stop finding excuses to not repair and build the sidewalks that are needed on Peoria’s South Side.
As reported in Word on the Street, the council debated and voted to put sidewalk repair (as well as the federally mandated sewage overflow project) on the top of its list for stimulus projects.
Now that some of that money has arrived, sidewalk projects on the South Side aren’t being funded.
And the excuses being given do not make any sense to me:
But the only projects that can be paid for under this round of funding are those that can be under construction within 120 days, said Pat Landes, director of the city’s Planning & Growth Management department. Plus, CDBG money is restricted, meaning the money can only go toward infrastructure projects in low-income areas.
It does NOT take 120 days to replace a sidewalk.
Sidewalks are infrastructure.
The South Side IS a low income area.
This is isn’t about federal rules. This is about a lack of interest in helping residents most in need of help.
What projects DID get funding?
City administration’s suggestion was for the $516,509 to pay for improvements to aging fire stations 3 and 8, the repair of the Center for Prevention of Abuse’s roof and for more handicap ramps to be installed throughout the city.
Excuse me, but the Center for Prevention of Abuse is not a city agency. It’s a private organization that raises it’s own funds. They do good work, but giving handouts to non-profits that have their own fundraising capabilities is NOT an essential government service.
Arguments can be made in favor of the fire stations and the handicapped ramps.
But the South Side has needed these sidewalks since there has been a South Side. And the council voted to make the sidewalks a priority. Then, the renegged on that promise, for no good reason I can see except that they decided to make other people happy.
Oh, don’t worry. There will be MORE stimulus money. Better luck next time.
But next time, some group with more electoral clout and more friends on the council will have their hands out too.
In other words, screw the South Side. Business as usual.
Something we agree on.
Good view Billy. Agree with you 100% on this one. I don’t think that using the funds to support a non-profit or even for handling building maintenance issues that the City has neglected are the best use (appropriate perhaps…but not BEST) of these funds.
Installing absent infrastructure where needed would be a visible sign that the funds are being used well, and provide a lasting improvement to the neighborhoods.
I think everyone is on you with this one, Billy.
In other torn-up-streets news… am I the only one who is terrified to drive into the Kroger and Taco Bell on Sterling? I was pulling in one night and I swear that there was literally a pothole big enough to swallow my car. As if my axles and brakes didn’t wobble and screech enough as it is…
you want to see alot of potholes , go out in the 4 th district by Big Hollow and fall in by Target, Steak n shake , i hop . Etc the list go on and on .Over by Rockwood . Its awful out that way. That suprised me . I thought Mr. Spears took great care of his district.
Michael: re Taco Bell on Sterling, at least you did not have to worry about being held up and pistol whipped by the son of the City Manager…….a C. Ingersoll blast from the past.
Billy: check out how much in taxes and fees the average residence on the South Side of Peoria generates each year? The way I recall sidewalks working in my neighborhood was the property owners actually had to pay a significant portion on the sidewalk repair.
I’m a bit jaded from seeing brand new sidewalks even while the kids insist upon walking down the middle of street.
i gotta go with billy on this. while true that the s side does not generate taxes and fees (least not in the way most people think, but they pay plenty in mostly bogus fees like ordinance violations, traffic and parking tickets, etc.
regardless, the council decided, when they needed something that sounded good to get the fed’s money, to go w sidewalks. now, money in hand, a change of mind. elections are coming up and money to fire stations always has a good return on investment in votes.