I agree, Mr. Nichting, Stop Holding Us Hostage. {Updated}
Friends of the Rock Island Trail posed one question to political candidates at its Monday forum at Paparazzi restaurant:
“What is your position on the Kellar Rail to trail?” asked David Pittman, the group’s acting vice president. “What, specifically, will you do about it in the first 12 months?”
Let me ask a question that was not posed. “What is your position on the Kellar Rail and trail and what, specifically, will you do about it in the first 12 months?”
That question was not posed because this is not just about getting a trail, this is about removing a rail line. Make no mistake, this group does not want any freight moving through Peoria, nor do they give a crap about what happens to Carver Lumber or future business in Pioneer Park.
Want to know why there have been no new users in Pioneer Park? Because these people are restricting it. Any business owner needing rail is not going to locate in Pioneer Park and take a gamble that the Kellar branch will be ripped out. Instead they will move to Pekin or any other number of towns which provide and market cost effective and reliable rail service.
“What has been the resistance of the current City Council to bridge this gap?” Maloof asked, acknowledging that Nichting has been a trail supporter.
“I haven’t a clue,” Nichting said, calling it “an outrage” that three members of the Surface Transportation Board are “holding us hostage” to keep an unused railway in place.
Put the damn trail next to the tracks or reroute it along the river and up Grandview Drive. Remove the cloud hanging over Pioneer Park, stop holding us hostage, stop with the outright lies and we’ll all get what we want – a nice trail for all to enjoy and a thriving industrial park bringing jobs to Peoria – or we can keep spinning our wheels and get neither.
Update:
I took this photo of Carver Lumber this morning to show what an unused railway (says Patrick Nichting) with no businesses using it (says 5th district city council candidate Dan Irving) looks like.
March 3rd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
What role would the Treasurer have in that issue anyways?
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:37 pm
“I haven’t a clue,” Nichting said, truer words were never spoken.
March 4th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Wait a sec. I like the museum, and don’t like the trail. What does that make me?
March 7th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
I raised three children who didn’t act as spoiled as the “trailers”. If I was one of them, I’d scream and hold my breath until I turn blue and eat worms and…….
March 9th, 2009 at 8:31 am
I am amazed at the number of Nichting signs that are popping up on residential properties in the West Bluff. I can’t think of anyone on the city council who has been more diametrically opposed to the interests of the Heart of Peoria and most Peorians, than Nichting. Why reward this man with a Treasurer’s retirement plan?
I am goin with Shadid. He’s a real accountant and seems very enthusiastic about his chosen profession (ie he likes being accountant). Nichting needs to go away.
March 9th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
That is the funniest line I’ve heard in a long time. I may have to steal it.
March 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Mahkno,
Couldn’t agree more with your conclusion regarding Councilman Nighting’s voting record with respect to Heart of Peoria plan. I am curious about the yard signs, but those that I have witnessed are placed on rental properties. Why you ask??? Well it appears that the landlord’s have been taken to task by Gary Shadid in his role on the Propertt Tax Appeal Committee for the Peoria County. He is holding their assessment”s comparable to surrounding properies and NOT lowering their assessments. Several thousand properties owned by landlord’s not liking Gary Shadid’s stance have appealled to the State to get their assessments lowered. What everyone who supports Gary Shadid’s opponent should recognise, if landlord’s assessments go down, home owner’s pay more in taxes.
Are the signs on rental property in the West Bluff??
Gary Shadid has the education and knowledge to be a full time wonderful City of Peoria Treasurer and becasue of that and his hard stance on the Tax Appeal Committee, I support Gary Shadid completely.
His stance and position provides the equallity, fairness, and juatice in tax assessments which should be acknowledged and appreciated. His opponent is using it for yard sign locations.
Gary Sandberg