NW Valley Times

The City of Peoria has seen severe impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, with most local businesses ordered to close on March 31, even though restaurants are allowed to do takeout or delivery, grocery stores, and other businesses deemed essential were allowed to remain open.

The city’s 2020 budget was based on $73 million in sales tax and 45% of the general fund’s revenue/transfers – for a total of $159 million.

On April 21, the city council meeting was expected to include updates on the city’s finances.

“It is too early to know the economic impact of COVID-19 except that the immediate impacts will be severe,” said Andy Granger, a deputy city manager who oversees the Finance Department, in an interview with the Peoria Times. “We anticipate a significant drop in sales tax revenues over the next quarter. We will not be able to understand actual revenue drops until mid-May, when we receive sales tax revenues from March.”

The 2020-2021 budget will be baseline, Granger said.

It will include little new ongoing spending, and budgeted expenditures will be scrutinized. Staff cuts could happen, but it's too early to tell, he said.

Peoria’s share of federal assistance from funds that will be sent to the state has not been determined yet. The city will apply for any type of assistance that they qualify for, Granger told the Peoria Times.