14-05-2025
Peoria City Council agrees to fund remaining PeoriaCorps term
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Just over $41,000 of TIF district funds will be used to ensure the five members of the current PeoriaCorps term will get to graduate in a unanimous Peoria City Council vote.
This comes after the city learned the PeoriaCorps program was placed on a list of programs not in line with the priorities of the federal government. Its parent organization, AmeriCorps, received a 41% federal funding cut as well.
The six-month program leads to personal and career development for young adults, with members maintaining green infrastructure sites while growing their skills in employability and leadership.
Participants complete up to 900 service hours and earn multiple credentials along the way, including OSHA 10 and CPR/First Aid certifications. They also receive biweekly pay, bus passes, a full uniform, and more.
The measure received support from around the Horseshoe, with At-Large Council member Dr. Bernice Gordon-Young speaking fondly of the program.
'I have a hard time cutting off something that's so amazing to people. It's a lot of hours and takes a lot of determination,' she said.
Fellow At-Large Council member John Kelly agreed, saying it's 'one of the better things we do in this city.' He also expressed dismay at the federal government's decision to cut AmeriCorps funding.
'This really serves our people, and this is what happens when you're dependent upon people who don't really care for its funding,' he said.
Amelia Ohlrogge, program director for PeoriaCorps, estimated it would take somewhere around $420,000 to fund the program annually.
Melodi Green, the city's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, said it was currently up in the air what the future holds for the program after the current members graduate.
At-Large Councilman Zach Oyler attempted to get his fellow council members to reconsider last month's decision to impose a 1% grocery tax.
The decision came after Gov. JB Pritzker announced the statewide 1% tax would be going away starting in 2026, with other municipalities such as Washington and East Peoria imposing similar measures.
City officials expressed concerns over a $5 million shortfall that could be caused by the lack of a grocery tax, meaning cuts would have to be made to core essential services like police and fire.
Oyler's main complaint was that not all of the council members were present during the vote and that the decision came before the arrival of budget season.
His motion needed a second from another council member who voted in favor of last month's decision, meaning any council members who were not in attendance during that vote could not second the motion.
No one obliged, so the city's 1% grocery tax will stand.
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