News & Updates

Dear Friends:

There is a lot of public discussion regarding the West Main Street project and Millikin University. I want to make sure you understand my position and the reasons for it. I'm confident that my efforts will result in saving you, the taxpayers, several hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When the City staff first presented the West Main project, they were given a budget by the Council. When they brought the project back for funding, it was over budget about $400,000. Councilman Laegeler and I voted against spending so much money on one street project. Interestingly, the staff didn't disclose the additional $300,000 we were obligated for to match the $1.5 Million federal grant Millikin University secured for their project.

Now, after a year of planning, the City has presented to the Council bits and pieces of a plan that is at least $500,000 over our original obligation. This plan includes expensive elements that a Millikin spokesperson now agrees they can do without.

Now you know why I'm questioning this project in its current form. My objection is the same as before. The City has presented a project that well exceeds our budget - again. Instead of being cost conscious, they are trying to push through this project piecemeal, withholding the full scope and expected cost.

I support a reasonable and necessary project that will meet the needs of Millikin. I will also defend the tax payers of Decatur from wasteful and poorly thought out spending. Significant projects that are not fully vetted with the Council and the community will not be supported.  We don't have unlimited resources and must carefully choose the projects we invest in.

Dan Caulkins
Councilman

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Just Vote No

A research report refutes claims that the cost of either the Strong Mayor or Commission form of government is more expensive than the council manager form of government. The research studied 504 cities over 20 years (populations of over 50,000). The study found that there was no appreciable difference in the cost of operating a city under the alternative forms of government. Click on this link to see an abstract.

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In the debate last week, we mentioned the research conducted by the Brookings Research Institute on Weak Market Cities in the US. Brookings studied economic characteristics of 300 cities and identified that one-third of the cities were weak market cities. Many variables were studied. The loss of population and jobs were the principal determinants of weakness. Decatur and Danville were the only two Illinois cities so identified. Policy reform in weak market cities should include: 1) Building on Economic Strengths, 2) Fix the Basics 3) Transform the Physical Landscape 4) Grow the Middle Class, and, 5) Create Neighborhoods of Choice. For the presentation from Brookings click here.

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