Let Voters Decide $10.5M Downtown Library Renovation: Quillman

JOLIET, IL — At Wednesday's special city council meeting to discuss the proposed 2020 city budget, long-time councilwoman Jan Quillman urged interim city manager Steve Jones to remove the proposed city tax rate increase on the residents of Joliet to pay for a controversial $10.5 million renovation for the downtown library.

Quillman said she has heard an earful from her constituents and the residents of Joliet who don't want their property taxes increased for a $10.5 million downtown library renovation, unless they have a say in the project.

Last April, for instance, the Joliet Park District put a vote to the people on a proposed 58-percent property tax increase that would have collected millions in new taxes to help fund ongoing operations and pay for other improvements throughout the park district.

The Joliet Park District's bond measure was defeated by voters 72 percent to 28 percent.

This year, Joliet Public Library Executive Director Megan Millen has asked city of Joliet officials to fund at least 65 percent of her downtown library's proposed interior renovations.

She's calling her proposal "Project Burnham," after the famous Chicago architect who designed Joliet's downtown library branch in 1903.

"Put it out for referendum," Quillman announced at Wednesday night's council meeting, "because people don't want their taxes raised."

Wednesday's meeting was just for discussion only. There were not votes being cast.

Still, Quillman informed everyone, "I cannot support a $6 million bond on the library."

Two council members, Larry Hug and Bettye Gavin, were not present for Wednesday's special meeting. The council intends to adopt its 2020 budget later this month.

The budget proposed by Jones includes a plethora of new taxes and fee hikes in an attempt to generate several million dollars in new revenue for city coffers.

Joliet may be facing serious financial hardships in the coming years largely because of the city's police and firefighter pension contributions. Both pension funds are expected to skyrocket as more Joliet police officers and firefighters retire over the next few years, city officials have said.

Last week's Joliet Patch article on the controversial library project drew a flood of comments. Here's a sampling of what Joliet Patch readers had to say:

• "As long as Jim Roolf and his elite group of big businessmen want this to pass, it will. They always seem to get what they want and we the people allow it. I really think that's who is pulling the strings of the Mudron 5 are these bully businessmen."
• "Pointless to make any improvements downtown without addressing the homeless. The nearby homeless shelters and feeding troughs need to be relocated to properties near the Intermodal."
• "The Mudron 5 will ram this through like everything else in recent months. Use your vote in 2021 to rid the city of 2 of the 5 Muds."
• "I have a nice west side home and my library taxes aren't even $100.00 per year.To quibble over a tax raise that is equivalent to the cost of one visit to Starbuck's is just silly."
• "I’d like to see a vote on this!"
• "Just shutter the place. Stop taxing us to death for the 'luxury' to live here!"