Cheri Tales Chapter 1: Cheri Bustos’ Economic Record; A Cautionary Tale
Welcome to our first installment of Cheri Tales. Cheri Tales is a collection of stories and fables about a career politician who will say and do anything to get elected. The tales focus on Cheri Bustos, a Democrat candidate running in IL-17. In this chapter, we will explore Cheri’s economic record which is known as a Cautionary Tale or a “traditional story told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger.”
While Cheri likes to gloat about her “new leadership that will put people’s interests first” and her “record of success in East Moline,” the reality is that her political aspirations literally cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. Under Cheri’s watch during her time as a East Moline Alderman, $550,000 was “improperly” used and now taxpayers will be on the hook.
REALITY: Under Cheri’s Watch East Moline Must Replace $550,000 Of Improper TIF Rebates. “East Moline must spend $550,000 from the general fund after improperly using that amount in Tax Increment Financing district money for sales tax rebate agreements. Finance director Megan Petersen said the funds were used ‘for sales tax rebate agreements, and they should not have been.’ About $500,000 was paid to Jewel and about $50,000 was paid to Tempo Marine, she said, noting three more sales tax rebate payments to Jewel are left and the city may have up to $216,000 left to rebate them, depending on their sales.” (Quad Cities Online, 9/19/2011)
DOUBLE DOSE OF REALITY: East Moline Finance Director: “Paying back the $550,000 is ‘going to affect next year’s budget big time.” (Quad Cities Online, 9/19/2011)
NRCC COMMENT: “Cheri Bustos has a history of saying anything to get elected and this is just the latest example. East Moline taxpayers have already suffered the costly consequences for her incompetence and will reject her job-destroying policies that will make our economy worse.” – NRCC Spokeswoman Andrea Bozek