ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager with a Request to Approve the ANNUAL CITY AND COUNTY JOINT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
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BACKGROUND: Each year for the last few years, the City and County of Peoria have jointly hosted a breakfast for area state legislators. The event offers both bodies an opportunity to network with state elected leaders, ask questions, share concerns and advance local items of interest. This date of this year's event, to be held at the Gateway Building, is scheduled for January 15, 2016 at 9 a.m.
A summary of the proposed legislative agenda items is included below. The agenda is separated into three different areas. There are six issues for which the City and/or County are directly asking legislators to sponsor legislation. There are six issues for which the City and/or County are asking legislators to support a particular position. Finally, there are seven requests for funding of capital projects. Both City and County requests are listed below, as well as any joint requests. Staff is working to prepare a booklet that explains each issue in greater depth. Council is being asked to approve City and joint initiatives.
Requests for Direct Sponsorship
* ?Joint Request - Declare Vacant Land Abandoned: Allow cities to declare vacant land abandoned when its owner ceases maintaining the property.
* ?City Request - State Historic Tax Credit Extension: Extend the Illinois Historic Preservation Tax Credit until 2021.
* ?City Request - Walkable Urban Areas: Funnel the local share of State Motor Fuel Taxes directly to municipalities or require IDOT to comply with local design guidelines and policies when rehabilitating infrastructure.
* ?County Request - Erroneous Homestead Exemptions: Extend authority granted to counties under PA 098-0093 under 35 ILCS 200/9-275 to include all counties, not just Cook County to track down and collect fines from property owners that have multiple exemptions when the...
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