At-large councilman Eric Turner was happy as he left a city budget open house at Woodruff High School this afternoon.
Turner was happy because he talked to a few Peoria citizens who felt raising taxes was an appropriate way to handle at least part of a looming $10 million city budget shortfall for 2010.
“I’m hearing that a tax increase is not something they are too concerned about,” Turner said. “They said, ‘Do what it takes.’”
 But, that sentiment is not one shared by 5th District councilman Dan Irving.

Scared, unafraid
Turner said this budget scares him.
“I have 16 years on the council. This is the most frightening budget I’ve ever seen. Our situation is exacerbated because we haven’t increased taxes in 10 to 12 years. The other problem is we have let government continue to grow,” Turner said.
“We can’t continue to do that. The public is being very vocal. They think we should have started this kind of opportunity for input earlier.”
Turner said what he is hearing from constituents is they want the council to  make public safety a priority. He added citizens recognize that takes money.
Irving said his constituents also want basic services. But, those services, he said, are snow removal and good streets and sidewalks.
“That’s what they want taken care of,” Irving said. “They also want to know they can count on a voice to say no to higher taxes.”
Irving said despite this being his first municipal budget cycle he is not frightened.
“Budgeting comes down to priorities. We, as a council, have to set those priorities,” Irving said.
How they arrive at a budget, both said, seems to center on cost-cutting measures and revenue enhancement.
Cost cutting ideas include:
• A wage freeze if agreement can be reached with the unions. A wage freeze is expected to save the city $4 million.
• Raising medical premiums for city employees 5 percent would save the city about $800,000.
• Forced furlough days would save the city about $200,000.
There are also revenue-enhancement ideas. Those include:
• A property tax increase would bring the city $200,000 for each penny it was raised.
• A package liquor tax of 2 percent would raise $700,000.
• A water utility tax of 5 percent would raise $1.2 million.
• A motor fuel tax increase would generate an additional $400,000 for each penny it was raised. It is currently $.02.
• Raising the base fine of a parking ticket to $15 would raise $90,000.
Irving took a quick glance at a chart outlining cuts and ways to boost revenues posted at the open house.
“The cost-cutting measures shown here are exactly what the business world is doing,” Irving said. “Cost-cutting measures should be addressed before any revenue enhancement measures are undertaken.”

The citizens
Karl Zdansky of the 3rd District, and a woman from the 5th District who would give her name said the council faces some tough decisions..
“This is hard. A lot of people don’t have any money right now,” Zdansky said. “Some of the revenue-enhancing ideas seem reasonable. I guess higher parking tickets would be OK.”
But, on the cost-cutting side, he said, forced furloughs are not attractive.
“I wouldn’t want that done to me,” he said. “Why would I want it for others? A pay freeze, I guess, is better than losing a job.”
He said he would give the city council and administration an A for its efforts to handle this budget.
The woman from North Peoria said she would give the city council and administration a B for its efforts.
“There’s always room for improvement,” she said.