Peoria City Council

Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said Tuesday the city is still waiting on federal assistance to help address its budget shortfall from the COVID-19 pandemic, while at-large council member John Kelly said he doubts a real estate tax intended to help close the deficit would pass.

After months of absorbing one bad piece of budgetary news after another, the Peoria City Council got a slight reprieve Tuesday night.

The Peoria City Council has approved an early retirement incentive aimed at reducing the need for layoffs from the city workforce.

By a narrow 6 to 5 vote, the Peoria City Council voted to cut 45 jobs by August to address the city's $50 million budget deficit.

Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said the civil unrest in the wake of George Floyd's murder could make the city council reconsider its budget considerations in terms of police and fire cuts.

The city of Peoria isn't much closer to closing the $50 million hole in the 2020 budget caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After weeks of deliberation, the Peoria City Council is authorizing the city manager to draft operational cuts of up to $10 million to balance this year's city budget.

There are several options on the table, but none of them were palatable enough to members of the Peoria City Council to move forward with plugging the city's gaping $50 million budget hole on Tuesday.

The Peoria City Council asked city manager Patrick Urich to create a variety of potential borrowing and cutting scenarios for them to consider next Tuesday to balance the city's budget.

Unionized Peoria city employees were notified Wednesday of potential layoffs as the city seeks to plug a $31 million hole in this year's budget created by COVID-19's economic fallout.

As part of the Peoria City Council’s efforts to cut expenses, expect to see grass reach new heights.

The Peoria Fire Department will start charging a fee when care facilities call for lift assistance. The department has determined that the approximate cost of each lift assist incident is $1,250.

The Peoria City Council talked at length Tuesday about the grim options available for plugging the $31 million budget hole created by COVID-19 and its accompanying economic turmoil.

The COVID-19 economic shutdown threw the city of Peoria's once-balanced $218 million budget out of whack.

Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis is asking residents to call the non-emergency police number if they spot large gatherings defying the governor's extended stay-at-home order.

With half of the council attending via phone, the Peoria City Council updated the emergency powers of the mayor last night.

The Peoria City Council will decide whether or not to regulate Airbnb's and other short-term rentals. 

The City Council voted Tuesday to add a letter of support as the Peoria Housing Authority continues its efforts to finance the redevelopment of Taft Homes. 

The Peoria City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance to fund a microloan and financial services organization.

The Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission gave its OK Thursday to a craft cannabis grower to start up business in South Peoria. But that vote on the Grow Trust's application didn't come without some scrutiny.

The Peoria City Council is considering new truck parking ordinances.

The Public Safety Pension Fee bills generated some buzz at Tuesday's Peoria City Council meeting.

The bills landed in property owner’s mailboxes last week.

City Manager Patrick Urich estimates they’ve received 100 calls a day. With 47,000 bills sent out, he says he doesn’t consider the call volume to be that significant. The new fee funds Peoria’s portion of police and firefighter pensions for the state.

The amount owed is based on the size of the property with a majority paying $25 for 2019.

The sale of recreational marijuana in the City of Peoria moved a step closer to reality last night. 

The Peoria City Council is set to vote Tuesday on approval of a final plan to revitalize the MacArthur Highway corridor.

The plan drafted by IDG Architects calls for murals, new housing, a workforce training center, and a health center for Peoria's South Side over the next five years.

First District Councilwoman Denise Moore said at a Planning and Zoning meeting last week that she hopes this only the beginning.

The Peoria City Council will hear Tuesday how the city is progressing on its diversity hiring goals. 

A site on Peoria’s southside that has been a problem bar in the past will get a liquor license, but with a change. 

The Peoria City Council approved next year’s budget in less than one hour last night. 

The Peoria City Council last night gave an initial okay to three sources of income to help balance its budget for next year. 

The business community is offering its own suggestions for the city of Peoria’s 2020 budget. 

The City of Peoria could see the sale of recreational cannabis next year. The city council last night approved an ordinance to allow adult-use marijuana dispensaries.