By C.E. Gauf, Peoria Heights, IL

The question is, whether or not downtown Peoria is ready for a museum (Sear’s block) of this magnitude. With only one half of one per cent of the population in the Greater Peoria area projected to attend museum functions, tax payers will be obligated to endure the liabilities of running the museum on a day to day basis. The cost of the museum is projected to have an expenditure of 34 million plus, and expenditures of millions and millions to run the museum yearly for how many years? Let Peoria tackle the daily cost of maintaining the museum, after the subsidized tax money is depleted. There has to be a more beneficial location for this museum than downtown Peoria!

The committees to promote the museum keep referring to Wichita, Kansas, for using taxpayers’ money for the cost of their museum (Cow Town). It’s been a failure from day one. No attendance and no revenue to operate the museum. With all the taxpayers money in the museum, additional tax money is required to manage the museum, with the doors only open a few days a week due to lack of money. Cow Town doors were closed due to insufficient funds the day I was going to take a tour.

¼ of one percent increases in taxes may develop into ½, 1%, or exceeding the cost the taxpayers desire to offset for each student to tour the museum or play in the amusement park. Let’s count on the Peoria County Board, drawing a line in the sand at ¼ of one percent.

The money would be more lucrative to the Peoria taxpayers if the money were offered to the school system. Every citizen of Peoria should read It Didn’t Play in Peoria by Wahl and Bobbitt (missed chances of a Middle American town). The downfall of Peoria started when the city fathers didn’t listen to the people and replaced the old beautiful courthouse (Peoria’s History) with an eye sore.