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Pekin Council approves Court Street TIF district Pekin Daily Times The Pekin City Council approved the creation a Pekin Court Street tax-increment financing district during Monday’s meeting. Following Illinois Route 29 at the Pekin city limits, the Court Street TIF district encompasses the city’s Court Street and Derby Street commercial corridors. According to Pekin City Manager Mark Rothert, the use of Tax Increment Financing along the city’s major commercial corridors will help address such issues as deteriorating infrastructure; blight and deterioration; and an economic downturn agg...

State Rep. Mike Unes won election to the House in 2010 during one of the most expensive legislative campaigns that year in Illinois. This month, the East Peoria Republican is retiring after five terms in office, succeeded by Pekin Mayor Mark Luft. Unes answered questions about his accomplishments in office and the moments that will stick with him, and talked about his role in ending the two-year state budget impasse. His comments have been edited for length and clarity. What are some of the things you look back on as your most concrete accomplishments in office? I wanted to get into this to ...

Pekin Daily Times The Pekin City Council unanimously approved an amendment to a construction and maintenance agreement with Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, Inc., during Monday’s meeting. But each member hesitated before voting. “Has anybody since we’ve been sitting here together heard such long pauses before they cast their vote?” asked Mayor Mark Luft, after about 30 minutes’ discussion on the resolution. The amendment is for the purpose of installing a large diameter pipe under the railroad tracks on Front Street as part of the city’s combined sewer overflow project, according to Ci...

Tim Shelley / Peoria Public Radio The Pekin City Council approved the creation of a new Business Development District along the Court Street Corridor. Council members didn't mince words Monday night, saying the city's previous reluctance to offer such incentives led to major retail developments heading instead to Peoria and East Peoria. "This is an opportunity that hasn't come our way in a couple decades," said Pekin Mayor Mark Luft. "And if we pass up this opportunity, we're either going to stay completely idle - where you see Pekin right now - or it's going to continue to move backwards. ...