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 still being finalized but will be in late January or early February.
In the fall of 2014, members of the City Council and individual City department heads were solicited for items to be included in the 2015 legislative agenda. A summary of the submitted items is included below. This agenda was approved by the Metro Peoria Committee of City and County representatives at their December 10, 2014 meeting. The agenda is separated into three different areas. There are eight issues for which the City and/or County are directly asking legislators to sponsor legislation. There are eight issues for which the City and/or County are asking legislators to support a particular position. Finally, there are six 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.
* Joint Request - Non-Ad Valorem Property Tax Item: Allow the creation of a non-ad valorem property tax line for the collection of Peoria's garbage collection fee.
* City Request - State Historic Tax Credit Extension: Extend the Illinois Historic Preservation Tax Credit until 2021.
* City Request - Property Tax Reform: ...
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