Unfunded mandates and the use of state funding meant for local government is a growing concern in the city of Peoria and Peoria County.
City Manager Patrick Urich says the use of Personal Property Replacement Tax dollars meant for local government to pay for the Regional Office of Education is a blow to the city and shifts in funding like this need to end. He says this puts the city in a defensive position because those dollars could be used for other purposes and not come to the city or county.
Peoria County Administrator Lori Curtis Luther says provisions in the use of the funding allows for the dollars to be used to pay state bills again in the future. She says this is not just speculation. There were efforts in the last session to divert the funding.
The county recently passed that loss onto the Regional Office by cutting county funding by $35,000. Urich and Curtis-Luther discussed their concerns with state lawmakers from the area late last week.
