PEORIA, Ill. — City leaders unanimously approved the biennial budget Tuesday night, and the community will see some changes in fees.
The totals for the budget are over $217.9 million for the year 2020, and then $219.3 million for the year 2021.
The amount for the 2021 budget was decreased with the removal of the capitol project to relocate Fire Station 19.
Councilman Jim Montelongo wanted to remove $2.5 million for the relocation of Fire Station 19 in 2021.
The vote was 9-2 with Mayor Jim Ardis and Councilman Sid Ruckriegel voting no.
However, City Manager Patrick Urich said that the project could be re-introduced in the future.
“If there is any discussion about moving [Fire Station 19] in the future, that will be for the council to take up as we discuss the Fitch Study next year, as we discuss fire department resource allocations, we look at all of that next year,” Urich said.
The Peoria City Council decided to amend the city’s current ordinance when it came to the sale of cigarettes.
Those who have an establishment that sell cigarettes will have to pay a fee of $500 with a non-refundable $100 application fee, and also pass a background check.
Councilman Chuck Grayeb was in favor of more regulations of establishments that sell tobacco products, and to help with the reduction of the products in the hands of minors.
“We feel very strongly from the staff perspective that this fee needed to be raised. It hadn’t been raised in a long time,” Urich said. “It reflects the reality that we have today of trying to go out and enforce some of the tobacco laws [and] liquor laws we have in Peoria.”
The vote to amend the ordinance passed 9-2, with council members John Kelly and Rita Ali voting no. The increase would generate $45,000 in revenue for the city.
Peoria citizens will see an increase in garbage pick up fees. Beginning in 2020, the fee will rise from $19 to $21.
Then in following years, the fee will increase $1 per year to pay for the city’s contract with the Peoria Disposal Company that increases every year.
With the new budget, there will be no increases in property taxes and no employee layoffs.
The biennial budget that was approved was the quickest a budget has been approved by the city council in the past several years.
“This year we’ve been fortunate that we’ve had some stronger revenue streams that have allowed us to look at a budget and develop a spending plan that aligns with what the council has expressed as their concerns and their needs and their desires,” Urich said.
The final step at the next city council meeting with the budget being complete is putting together a final budget book for the council, and file a budget with the County Clerk.
