A new state law sets guidelines for the dissolution or consolidation of townships. Peoria Township is entirely within the boundaries of the city of Peoria, and the city council sits as the township board of trustees.
With dissolution, the city would assume the township duties - general assistance, property assessment and tax collection among them. But township attorney John Redlingshafer told council members Tues. the city also would absorb taxing responsibilities.
“Peoria would step into the place and be responsible for all those township obligations, all the while keeping and utilizing the existing tax levies and presumably using those same powers if it so desires, to raise those levies because townships can raise their levies just like a city, in different capacities, but it can happen," Redlingshafer said.
That poses an issue because there are parts of five other townships within the city. If the city raised taxes for its new Peoria township operations, it would affect the residents of those five townships who reside within city limits. That might raise a question of fairness - the city imposing a tax on residents of those five townships without receiving benefit. The council took no action on the matter.
Portillo’s Special Service Area
The Peoria City Council has set in motion the process to create a Special Service Area that would help bring a Portillo’s restaurant to the city. Last night’s (Tuesday night’s) action established a public hearing date of November 14th. The SSA would allow Portillo’s to impose an additional one percent sales tax to reimburse the developer for acquisition and construction costs. Portillo’s would lease the building. The council will vote after the public hearing. If the SSA is approved, Portillo’s could open by next spring on Sterling Avenue in front of Westlake Shopping Center.
There will be another public hearing that same evening to amend an already existing SSA for that shopping center. Westlake businesses already apply an additional point-75 percent sales tax. With council approval, the tax would jump to one percent. It would be used for beautification and security purposes.
