   | The 2010 APA-IL State Conference in Bloomington-Normal highlights innovative yet practical solutions to transportation issues faced by many communities. Conference sessions and mobile workshops give you the opportunity to hear details behind these initiatives and how to integrate them into your own practice or community. The League of Illinois Bicyclists has been traveling the state with theIntroduction to Bicycle Planning seminar. Now it's coming to you! Ed Barsotti, the LIB Executive Director, will discuss how to effectively plan for bicycles and implement your strategies.These sessions, along with several others during the 3-day conference, will allow you to earn over 15 CM credits, a great way to fulfill your credit requirements!!!! Register today! http://www.ilapa.org/conf/10/ |
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8/30/2010
American Planning Association Illinois Conference
Peoria County Considering Creating an Economic Development Department
http://www.pjstar.com/news/tricounty/x1903425247/County-could-plan-own-economic-development
8/28/2010
Zoning in America
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8/26/2010
The Block Ground Breaking
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This is a great deal for the Peoria region. It will be our premium meeting place, and will do great things for downtown. Thanks and congratulations for everyone who made this happen.
http://buildtheblock.com/
8/25/2010
Scoop From Arts Partners
Friends of the Arts,
Listed below are just a few of the great arts events taking place in the Peoria area this weekend. For a more complete list of arts activities, we invite you to visit our events calendar at www.artspartners.net.
ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc.
820 SW Adams St. Peoria, IL 61602
p. 309.676.2787 f. 309.676.0290
Nominate a 2010 ArtsPartner of the Year right
Good Scoop From Peoria Magazines
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http://peoriamagazines.com |
Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. is scouting for a new facility
Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. is scouting for a new facility to assemble locomotives, and the company's McCook headquarters is a contender, people familiar with the matter tell Crain's.
The company, which announced June 1 its acquisition by Caterpillar Inc. of Peoria, would need a U.S. facility to assemble locomotives to qualify under the buy America provision of the federal stimulus program, which is pouring more than $8 billion into rail projects.
8/24/2010
Build Illinois Now
BUILD ILLINOIS NOW
State Guarantee Municipal Bonds Infrastructure Stimulus
The State of Illinois could guarantee municipal bonds to accelerate public works construction. This would encourage local governments to build needed roads, sewer & water, curbs and sidewalks, schools, and other important infrastructure this year when we need the stimulus and the jobs. Put Illinois back to work.Build Illinois now!
Contractor prices are low. They need work, and we need infrastructure improvements. This would be a great way to stimulate our economy, and put our workers back to work building our communities.
Most local governments have a backlog of needed public infrastructure improvements. With support and encouragement from the State government, we could have major local programs underway soon. This should be a very simple and low cost way to stimulate substantial public works expenditures this year, and put Illinois workers back to work.
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Background
As the recession deepens, corporations cut back on spending and jobs. This is the correct course of action for them - they have to stay solvent to survive.
At the same time, the Federal Government increases spending in order to slow the recession. Widely accepted Keynesian economics advocates substantial increases spending during recession to stimulate the economy. Government acts in an anti cyclical fashion to get the economy growing again. And our Federal Government is spending.
State and local governments, however, often act like private corporations. They, unlike the Federal government, cannot print money. But for many reasons, this is the wrong course of action. Local governments can borrow money at relatively cheap tax exempt rates, and build needed public improvements such as improved roads, schools, and sewer and water systems.
The State of Illinois should support and encourage local and State government spending. They could do this by guaranteeing bonds, and using the bully pulpit of the Governor to advocate for an aggressive program of local and State government public works expansion efforts.
Strong local governments with AA and better bond ratings have no trouble borrowing money now. But weaker rated governments do have trouble getting good rates. Insurance is hard to get for local governments that don't have top credit ratings.
A State guarantee would ensure good rates for all Illinois municipal borrowers. This would be a strong incentive for local governments to borrow and construct needed improvements now.
This stimulus effort by all levels of government is a safe and effective way to get Illinois back to work. Local governments are good at building local public works projects that are needed and worthwhile. They usually do a good job at cost containment. And they seldom default, so the risk to the State government is quite low.
Also see:
Build America Now
Contact Craig Hullinger at
craighullinger@gmail.com
craighullinger@gmail.com
309 634 5557
for more information or comment
Senator Dave Koehler
From the Illinois Senate
State Senator Dave Koehler
Dear friends,
As everyone knows, Illinois government is facing some steep challenges. In my opinion, we still have not adequately addressed our budget situation, and I intend to continue to work on this issue. However, we did accomplish some good things in Springfield this year. I was especially pleased that we passed a historic preservation tax credit pilot program. I believe this tax credit is an essential economic development tool with the potential to create jobs, revitalize downtown business districts, and make Illinois more competitive with our neighboring states.
We also passed legislation that will help the Peoria School District replace some of its most outdated facilities. Read on to learn more about these initiatives and some of the other legislation I sponsored in the General Assembly this year.
Legislation
•Economic Development
Though our national economy continues to recover, I believe that there is always more that we can do to improve Illinois’ business climate, create good, middle‐class jobs, and make us more competitive with our neighboring states. Earlier this year, I proposed a historic preservation tax credit. During the course of legislative negotiations, the tax credit was scaled back to a pilot program that will benefit the Peoria‐area (Senate Bill 2534). Getting the bill passed took a lot of effort, and I want to thank Representative Jehan Gordon for her work as cosponsor in the House.
The pilot program creates a tax credit equal to 25% of the cost of restoring or rehabilitating a historic hotel, and it should ease the costs of the Hotel Pere Marquette / Marriott Hotel project in downtown Peoria. Unlike some other economic development incentives, it has an immediate effect and does not rely on potential profits. I believe that the pilot will be successful and that we will be able to extend the program to the whole state for all historic restoration projects in the future.
13 S. Capitol St.
Pekin, IL 61554
309-346-4646
Learn More at:
8/23/2010
Green Plays in Peoria
Sustainable "Green" Economic Development
Green Plays in Peoria
Peoria Sustainability Commission
My writings on Sustainability
8/21/2010
Peoria Promise
Peoria Promise is a great program that provides scholarships for the graduates of the City of Peoria Public High Schools. Congratulations and thanks to all the individuals and companies who made this happen.
"This spring and summer, over 20 graduates of the Peoria Promise program will have earned a degree from Illinois Central College. "
Read the rest of the story at Peoria Magazines at:
8/20/2010
Illinois Planning Conference
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|              | July 1, 2010 Greetings! Welcome to Uptown Normal, where we hope you will join us for the 2010 Annual Conference of the American Planning Association - Illinois Chapter. This will be a perfect time to visit Uptown Normal, where most of the redevelopment dust has settled. New streetscapes and utilities have been installed, the traffic circle is working very well, and the central water feature is fully functional. By September, the federal TIGER grant-funded “Multimodal Transportation Center” will be under construction near the conference event. You will see the fruits of more than ten years of planning labor! We’re fortunate to be able to use the new Marriott Hotel and Conference Center for our annual event. It’s an outstanding facility, located in the midst of a vibrant and historic commercial center and adjacent to the beautiful Illinois State University campus. Within a three block radius, conference attendees can enjoy a variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities. Bring the kids, and you can walk down to the Town’s very popular Children’s Discovery Museum or attend a movie at the historic Normal Theater. If conference attendees want to hop onto a local bus or stroll down the Constitution Trail, there are also many great businesses in our sister city Bloomington’s historic downtown. Please be sure to notice the “green” elements of the annual conference. Environmental sustainability is a core value for planners, and it has been at the heart of the Uptown Normal project since the earliest days. Notable design elements in Uptown Normal include “Silva Cells” that permit healthy tree root growth under the sidewalks, a water feature that cleanses stormwater runoff with wetland plants, and three LEED Silver buildings. These features played a key role in the U.S. Green Building Council designating a portion of Uptown Normal as “Silver” under its new LEED-ND program for Neighborhood Development. We look forward to meeting all of you this September! Sincerely, Conference Co-Chairs: Phil Mercy Phil Dick, AICP, Director Mercy Davison, Town Planner McLean County Dept. of Building and Zoning Town of Normal, IL | | ||
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I will be speaking of Friday morning at the conference on Sustainable Economic Development in tough Economic Times. http://www.ilapa.org/conf/10/conf2010.html http://www.ilapa.org | ||