By: Diane Benjamin If you read to the bottom of this story: Gleason response to parade I predicted a glowing article in the paper. Instead of the paper, WEEK was called in to mend the City’s image. It turns out lots of people don’t appreciate their tax dollars used for a private birthday parade. I didn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington City Manger Tim Gleason didn’t answer my email from yesterday: The “Sorry, no hello” is an insider joke. Tim Gleason has always been straight forward with me, this time I don’t see it. What the whole “parade” shenanigans amounts to is City employees do not understand your tax dollars aren’t their […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is a little complicated if you don’t understand TIF districts. The basics are: An area is declared a TIF in order to revitalize a blighted area Money is borrowed for TIF spending, it can be used to incentivize new development Tax money raised within the TIF is then used to pay off […]
By: Diane Benjamin March 16: Normal hands out semi-annual Cost of Living pay increases based on national rates, not local. They claim the increases are to keep talent. https://blnnews.com/2020/03/17/normal-a-council-of-frauds/ Keep in mind corona virus was ramping up, ISU had already extended Spring Break. Pritzker had closed public schools. Announced yesterday: https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/caterpillar-employees-will-not-receive-pay-increases-incentives/ You are looking at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Previous stories: https://blnnews.com/2020/03/30/illegal-parade-yesterday/ https://blnnews.com/2020/03/31/gleason-response-to-parade/ The 4 year old kid that got his own City parade isn’t even sick. Colleen Winterland, Street Supervisor (base salary $75,499.58) is buddies with the kids mom. Yes folks, government is all about WHO you know. This proves it is Us vrs. Them. The mom, Melisa Menssen, tried […]
By: Diane Benjamin For many years the Town of Normal has raised property taxes by telling you the increases were necessary to fund pensions. They left out one fact. All of the increased taxes for properties located in TIF Districts don’t go to pensions – they go to the TIF. Follow along: This isn’t complicated. […]
You need to see this one: https://blnnews.com/2020/03/31/i-expect-apologies-the-kid-isnt-even-sick/ By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to yesterday’s story: https://blnnews.com/2020/03/30/illegal-parade-yesterday/ I asked Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason about Sunday’s parade of City vehicles. The original rumor was the parade was for a grandchild of the City employee who organized it. Tim responded yesterday afternoon, I continue to redact the employee’s […]
