Are All Local Politicians On Crack?

Consider the evidence:

Peoria District 150 School Board renews Edison contract, submits plans for a swank new school in a controversial area, guaranteed to produce numerous lawsuits, while trying to find it's way out of an $17 million dollar deficit.

City Council has cut back on the most essential of basic services, fire fighting. In the wake of disasters like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, the lesson our Council has learned is that Peoria must be immune from horrid disasters. This immunity allows Council to be completely comfortable gifting a TIF to one of America's most profitable corporations to fund an underground parking lot for a museum no one (okay, a few CAT executives and local politicians) really give a rat's ass about.

Peoria Park District just has to have a bigger, better zoo. BTW, have you seen the very tacky, albeit very expensive, "Get Behind The New Zoo" billboards in town? The Park District thought donations would come pouring in, but they haven't. Instead of taking the hint that citizens, otherwise known as TAXPAYERS, don't desire a new zoo the Park District has decided to pursue forced donations, also known as TAXES.

If it is legal for companies to require drug testing as a condition of employment, I think periodic drug testing should be mandatory for public "servants" as well.

Caterpillars Can Be Such Parasites

Ouch. That's got to hurt. I speak of the enormous chip on City Council's shoulder. Said chip apparently requires ten members of City Council to bend over and give Caterpillar whatever it wants whenever it wants it. Hey, Guys (and Gal) ask yourselves, "If the City were to have a referendum asking Joe and Joan Blow Taxpayer to help chip in for a museum- let alone a hoity underground city owned but not operated parking garage, would such a measure pass?" NO! IT WOULD NOT! WHY WOULD WE GIVE A TIF TO CAT, OF ALL COMPANIES?! It's not like CAT is going down the toilet with GM, Delphi, or most airlines.

You know the only guaranteed profitable, crowd pleasing, major draw and attraction of the museum will be? The CAT center. You know why? Very few people would be motivated to turn off a re-run of Saved By The Bell in order to take an in depth tour about Peoria. Might be sad, but it is true. Now, getting one off his or her lard ass to take little Junior down to the CAT center to play with virtual tractors... Now, that's a good time! Get to use my new camcorder too! In fact, I would like to book Junior's tenth birthday party now, thanks. Lil Junior will be the envy of Peoria Academy, I tell you. Er... but I digress.

Why can't we build what we can afford ("we" defined as the very profitable company that is CATERPILLAR), and then and if it turns out to be the overnight, stunning sensation/success everyone ("everyone" defined as a handful of CAT executives and local politicians) says it will be, add on to it?

If CAT wants a friggin visitor's Center, and frankly I don't blame them- big tractors and dump trucks are really cool, plus John Deere has a "pavilion"- why do they need tax money/TIFs to do it? They don't. But what the hell, why not ask?

When I turned sixteen I asked my parents for a new car. What warm, happy memories I had of that conversation as I rode my bike to my job at McDonald's for the next two years. Nothing wrong with asking. Can't hurt, right? My parents still have a chuckle at my expense now and then. "Remember that time when Pol asked for a new car? Just because she was 16 and wanted one? What a crazy kid. Thought she was dropping acid for sure."

It does hurt when CAT asks for fluff because the City gives and taxpayers fund this unnecessary crap while schools and sidewalks crumble and Peoria's most dangerous neighborhoods continue to spiral downward. After tonight, does anyone really think we won't be subsidizing a swank hotel?

I'm thinking most of City Council must be toking it up with the majority of the School Board. Did you ever wonder what became of the Stoners at your high school? Now you know. They "grew up," got elected, and for some bizarre reason they are still desperately trying to please/suck up to the popular/rich kids. Puke.

Did everyone remember to renew their memberships at the Riverplex? Yeah, that's what I thought.