PEKIN, Ill. – You’d think having more money than projected would be a good problem to have, but in this case, it resulted in a heated discussion among business owners and members of the Pekin City Council.
The City had capped funding requests for Tax Increment Financing District money to $30,000 per eligible business project. But, several council members this week wanted that money boosted for some projects after learning that more TIF money than collected has come in, raising the ire of Council Member Becky Cloyd.
“We decided, as a council, to put the cap at $30,000,” said Cloyd, Monday night. “Now we are changing it once again, with this amendment. What are we doing?”
Other council members said the process just wasn’t fair.
The owner of Maquet’s Rail House in Pekin, Dustin Maquet, has just about had it with the Pekin City Council.
“I’m taking time out of my day to do all of this stuff, when I feel like I’m a hamster in a spinning wheel,” said Maquet, to council members. “I’ve never had this issue in the last nine years, ever. I’ve delivered on every single thing I’ve told the city I’d deliver on.”
Maquet wants to have his parking lot resurfaced, and claims he’s been trying to get city help for three years, including last year, when the city may have lost his application.
Mayor Mary Burress says city officials have talked too long about being more helpful and friendly to downtown businesses, but have done nothing to prove it.
“We go on and on about beautifying downtown, what we need to do to bring in businesses downtown, how we need to help the businesses in downtown…beautify it,” said Burress. “Why are we not helping an existing business that is bringing in thousands of dollars for the City of Pekin?”
After a number of changes, and a very extensive discussion, the increased funding requests were approved.
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