Saturday, January 31, 2009

Some Surprising Numbers

I will be taking the following and posting it again once or twice before the election on April 7. These numbers are too important to get lost within the blog.

My mayoral opponent has been beating the drum of "they're spending too much money" almost since the day he left office in May 2005. There was a reasonably well drawn cartoon in the Examiner, showing dollars flying out of the top of the Observation Tower, and lying around on the ground. To my opponent, I'm certain, that was meant to show that we were throwing money around like there was no tomorrow. To me, it showed that we were bringing more money in. Go figure.

Well, I have some important news for my opponent, his followers, and everyone else in the Village of Peoria Heights. When comparing how much was spent, to how much was generated in revenue, my opponent oversaw more spending, percentage-wise, in his last 4 years than I have in the past 3.

That's right. I'll say it again. "When comparing how much was spent, to how much was generated in revenue, my opponent oversaw more spending, percentage-wise, in his last 4 years than I have in the past 3." And, it's true. I hate to burden you with numbers, but they're a necessary evil in this case. Figures don't lie (for the most part), and they certainly don't lie here.

These numbers are gleaned from the budgets and the audits performed from fiscal year 2001-2002 to fiscal year 2007-2008 (the latest we have).

From fiscal year 2001-2002 to fiscal year 2004-2005 (the last one under my opponent), the Village revenues totalled $10,573,803.00. The expenditures for the same period totalled $10,239,130.00. Again, this is over a 4 year period. The net result? 96.83% of the revenues received were spent.

From fiscal year 2005-2006 (my first) to fiscal year 2007-2008 (the latest we have), our revenues have totalled $8,816,669.00. Our expenditures have totalled $8,466,338.00. Again, this is over a 3 year period, because we only have audits for these three years. The net result? We have spent 96% of the revenues generated. Isn't that something? The guy who has been pounding the drum for nearly three years about how we are "spending the Village into the Stone Age" actually oversaw more pumping out of the dollars than I have.

Now, let me clear something up. I don't think that a proper measurement of how good a mayor and a board of trustees are doing is how much they're putting "into the bank." We already have three fine banks in the Heights. We are here TO GET THINGS DONE. At the best price possible, but mostly TO GET THINGS DONE. And yet, somehow, my opponent feels that we've been spending too much on silly things like: curbs, sidewalks, police squad cars, fixing roads, alleviating drainage problems, marketing, brightening up Christmas... you know, silly things like that.

The point is this: I guess he wanted as much money put away as possible, because... just in case he might get back in, well you know, that Streetscape was going to cost at least $5 million dollars...

But, in the end, here it is: he oversaw more spending. Period. I guess what we have to make clear is that there is a huge difference between he and I as to what we wanted (and want) those Village general funds to be spent ON.

More on that later.

3 comments:

  1. Keep on keeping on, Mayor Allen. You are one sharp chief executive, and yes, keep on with those "silly" things like "the general well-being of the Heights... sidewalks, curbs, streets, employees... police squad cars, fixing roads, alleviating drainage problems..." --Fire, dept, Ambulance, etc., and the already staggering lists of accomplishments below on this blog and in the records. ! ! ! And with less spending in 3 yrs than the other guy in 4!

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  2. And that tower park woodpecker picture above, `poking holes in the peoples party hierarchy and its "newspaper" `......IS GREAT!

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  3. And here it is from below: 26th Jan I believe--

    "Just Some of the Things Happening in the Heights Over the Past Four Years
    Resurfacing of Forest Park Drive
    Painting Observation Tower
    Labor Agreements with the Public Works Employees and the Police Department
    Tower Park Music Fest
    Old Glory Days
    Duryea Days
    Recycling Program in the Heights
    Resurfacing of Monroe Avenue
    New Ornamental Streetlights on Prospect
    New Ordinances and Increased Enforcement
    Police K-9 Unit
    School Resource Officer Returned to our Schools
    New Parking Spaces on Kelly Avenue
    Changes in “No Parking” Areas to Create Additional Parking Spaces
    Renewed Partnerships with Dist. 325 and the Chamber of Commerce
    New Christmas decorations for Village and Tower Park
    New Elevator Car Interior at Observation Tower
    New Police Building
    Over $400 Thousand Spent on Curb and Sidewalk Program
    Establishment of the TIF District
    Prospect Road Enhancements
    24/7 Ambulance Service
    New Street Sweeper Purchased
    Automatic Front Doors Installed at Village Hall
    New Police Vehicles
    Columbus/Moneta Drainage Problems Fixed
    All Payments Made on New Fire Dept. Ladder Truck (Over $550 Thousand)
    School Caution Lights Installed on Glen Avenue
    Finish Out of the Village Hall basement for EMTs and Volunteer Firepeople
    Crosswalk Caution Signs along Prospect
    Installation of Street Lights for Safety of Residents
    Neighborhood Watch Meetings
    Town Hall Meetings
    Joining the Peoria County Economic Development Council
    Joining the Heartland Water Resources Council


    By having the festivals and the events in Peoria Heights, we not only bring people into our Village as customers, we also provide opportunities for our residents to gather together. Often, we see friends we haven’t seen for some time at these events. It’s a way of bringing the Community together again. This is an area that had been ignored for several years before the new administration came in."
    ________
    Your administration Not "silly" at all!

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