CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

13. Please identify the three most important large infrastructure projects in the City of Pekin. How do you propose to pay for these projects?

Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce: Court Street improvements, Front Street reconstruction, Derby Street improvments, and Veterans Drive North. For the most part, the Front Street project is already funded by federal programs and local funds. For the other projects, funding will need to come from a State capital bill and/or federal transportation program. In order to take advantage of these funding sources the City needs to prioritize them, have a plan to get them close to shovel ready, and then advocate for the funding.

Rick Hilst: Did not respond to the questionnaire.

Karen Hohimer: Pekin needs to have welcoming entrances. Simply offering TIF money to some business owners on the main drive into Pekin for a facelift on their facade is huge. Keeping trash on the roads cleaned up by using people that need to complete community service hours (free to the tax payer). Make sure our roads are kept drive able, free from potholes and flooding. This is a street department mandate.

John Abel: Upgrade Court St., resurface, new curbs, sidewalks, etc. Finish Veterans Dr.

Upgrade main arteries in Pekin first, blacktop not oil & rocks. 40% of traffic in Illinois travels on local roads, municipalities only get 21% of road funding.

Local road funding from state must increase. Also the gas tax has not changed since 1990. If it is to change it should be indexed to the CPI or inflation, etc.

David Nutter: 1) 2nd St storm water project; EPA loan and surplus waste water fees.
2) Continued street overlay; Sheridan Rd. (14th to Parkway), Court and Parkway intersection, Derby St.; use MFT funds.
3) Broadway Farms project. Funding from Shire St. loan balance, impound fees, utilization of Street Dept. resources and State grants .

Matthew T. Tucker (Tyler): The first large infrastructure project of The City is the condition of the streets, sidewalks and curbs. We can begin to pay for these projects through the funds already allocated to The Street Department.  We can stop allocating money ear marked for set projects to other projects. When we rob Paul to pay Peter, we don’t make both Paul and Peter rich, we make them both poor.

The second large infrastructure project is the overall appearance of The City of Pekin.  We have far too many buildings and vacant lots in disrepair.

The third large infrastructure project is the riverfront.  The pier and park at the riverfront are nice.  It is my belief the riverfront can use some sprucing up.

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