EAST PEORIA, Ill. – East Peoria’s mayor says the state of the city is “very strong.”
John Kahl delivered his annual address on the state of the city Friday morning at the Par-A-Dice Casino and Hotel. The address carried a positive tone as he spoke about accomplishments in the past year.
“We’re fiscally responsible, we continue to grow at, I call it a slow rate, but we keep our city moving forward, with all the city services we provide, I think we do a tremendous job,” Kahl said.
Kahl took time to address the recent decision by the Illinois Gaming Board to approve Boyd Gaming’s redevelopment plans for the Par-A-Dice. Kahl stated that the past two years leading up to the approval were not “easy,” but thanked officials for keeping the “high road” during the process.
Kahl reiterated his statement made after the vote to approve, and notes he never wavered from his position on the matter, in which he says Boyd has the right to choose how to spend their capital, and where they would like to be.
No timeline for construction of the new Par-A-Dice casino has been set yet, but Kahl is hopeful to see updates in either May or June.
Kahl says East Peoria is doing well with businesses, finding new retailers to help fill buildings that have been left vacant by closures. Some of the new businesses he pointed out that have opened up in the past year include Bob’s Discount Furniture and Los Charros. Brienzo’s and CxT Roasting are expected to open soon in BluTowne, and the new Hampton Inn hotel on the riverfront is expected to open May 1st.
East Peoria will also have a new incubator for small businesses, first announced by Kahl during the address. The Elevate Impact aims to have all-inclusive facilities with month-to-month terms that provide either retail suites and individual offices for those looking to start small businesses.
“If you’re starting a business, you don’t want to have a commitment where you’re stuck for five years for a long time with a long-term lease,” said Ty Livingston, Director of Planning and Development. “This gives you an opportunity to try things out.”
A slide from a presentation announcing Elevate Impact indicates that it could create more than 140 new businesses and create more than 195 jobs. The economic impact to East Peoria is estimated at $37 million over five years.
Other updates made by Kahl during the address include a potential groundbreaking later this year on Center Street Crossing, a redesign of the city’s website, and the announcement of plans for a potential new Central Fire Station in 2-3 years.
The one part of Kahl’s speech where he took a concerning tone was over challenges facing East Peoria local government. His main concern centers on unfunded mandates that come from the state. Kahl says that includes requiring additional funds for pensions, healthcare, and paid time off.
Kahl also raised concerns about a reduction in the Local Government Distributive Fund, where a portion of state income tax revenues is shared with cities and counties on a per capita basis. A slide from the presentation claims the amount has gone down from its original share of 10%, to 6.47%.
In addition, Kahl would like to see reforms to FOIA requests made through legislation. He believes cities are getting overwhelmed by numerous requests that must be answered and can be easily addressed through simpler methods, such as a search of websites.
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