by: Diane Benjamin See this previous post: http://blnnews.com/2014/03/18/why-does-bloomington-have-a-legal-staff/ I requested detailed information on the legal bills involved, but the City denied my request: The citizens of Bloomington will never know how much the City spent for a six and half page response from this law firm concerning allegations Mayor Renner called “totally ridiculous”. See this […]
by: Diane Benjamin This morning Mayor Renner was on WJBC still denying he had anything to do with the Modified Wards referendum. Once again Mayor: Are you lying or is Rob Fazzini: Look for more lies to come as the budget debate goes forward. Mayor Renner will try to blame City Manager David Hales for […]
by: Diane Benjamin McLean County is going to add to the bike trail going north. The Illinois Department of Transportation is paying 80% of the cost, McLean county, Bloomington, and Normal are paying most of the rest. The smaller cities are pitching in some money too. McLean County will pay: $145,000 Bloomington will pay: […]
by: Diane Benjamin The official 2014 Primary elections results aren’t yet available, but the vote totals that are available show a clear difference between the Primary for Governor in 2010 and yesterday’s election. Here are the official results from 2010: Leaving the Green party candidate out, a total of 1,683.211 votes were cast. 46% of […]
UPDATE I talked to the Bloomington Election Commission about the Precinct 10 tied race. They have no outstanding absentee ballots for that precinct. The Illinois Election Commission will select a random recount of some precincts, they don’t know if 10 will be included. After that, the winner will probably be determined by a coin toss. […]
by: Diane Benjamin Earlier this month I posted an email from the organizers of the Home Show held at the Coliseum. They weren’t happy – especially with parking. http://blnnews.com/2014/03/11/coliseum-failed-the-home-show/ I received a new email today. It didn’t take them long to find a new place for the show next year. From: LisaKohn <bnahba@mybnahba.comcastbiz.net>Date: March 18, 2014 at […]
by: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington uses the legal services of a law firm in Rosemont Il. Evidently the legal staff being paid by taxpayers isn’t capable of handling the job. These 2 invoices were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. I have filed another FOIA of details of services performed, notice 1 […]
The Sales Tax question is probably on the BACK of your ballot. I’m getting reports that some election judges aren’t telling you that! (paper ballot) Turnout is estimated at less than 25%! Are you kidding me? What to pay more taxes – permanently? by: Diane Benjamin Voting is YOUR sacred right. Make your voice heard […]
by Diane Benjamin Bloomington City manager David Hales and Mayor Renner want to raise your taxes – they just don’t have enough money. Pensions aren’t funded, the roads are despicable, a pretty new parking garage is unusable, the Coliseum and BPCA are gulping your money – but YOU need a Master Bike Plan! More Quality […]
by: Diane Benjamin This morning I had a conversation with John Shank, owner of the Chocolatier. His business has moved out of downtown Bloomington, but he still lives there. John has been asking the City to control the weekend drinking for many years, his business has been vandalized and his car was a victim of […]
by: Diane Benjamin Another teachable moment is happening at Heartland. I wonder if the environmental students are learning it. I was contacted by one of the MANY people I rely on for information that the wind turbine at Heartland is out of commission again. It was down last year too. (http://blnnews.com/2013/10/31/the-heartland-wind-turbine-died/) I sent Heartland Community […]
by: Diane Benjamin Last week a Bloomington resident sent a BlnNews story, Burying Bailouts in “Quality of Life” PART 2, (http://blnnews.com/2014/03/14/burying-bailouts-in-quality-of-life-part-2/) to the entire Bloomington City Council with this comment: Again, I ask that the Council not consider funding this and to read this excellent information from the BLN News. Alderman Rob Fazzini decided to answer: On […]
by: Diane Benjamin Steve Vogel has taken to writing comedy for his occasional editorials in the Pantagraph. The only not hilarious part is that he finally disclosed that his daughter was Mayor Renner’s campaign manager twice. Even the President doesn’t blame Bush anymore Steve. After 5 (FIVE) years the excuse wasn’t working anymore. Blaming Tom […]
by: Diane Benjamin I really had to laugh reading a Letter to the Editor today praising Tari Renner for his fundraising to get the candidates he wants on the City Council. He thought Tari was being very transparent on what he was up to, and I guess he is. Unfortunately for Tari, many other letter […]
by: Diane Benjamin I asked Unit 5 how much Common Core was costing them. Them claim ZERO. Unit 5 and District 87 were test sites, so maybe they haven’t incurred costs – YET. Here’s a little history: The Common Core State Standards, meant to guide K-12 instruction in math and language arts, were written by nonprofit education […]
by: Diane Benjamin Part 1: http://blnnews.com/2014/03/14/burying-bailouts-in-quality-of-life/ Community Center How did CAAY pick the property currently rented by the Great Escape to relocate the YMCA? Once again, it helps to know who owns it now. The McLean County Recorder’s Office shows: Great Escape Property 1716 RT Dunn Dr Ste 4: Parcel 21-09-452-002 Main & Veterans LLC […]
by: Diane Benjamin On Monday a presentation will be made to the Bloomington City Council pertaining to the proposed Community Center and Soccer Complex. The group behind the project wants 1/4% Sales Tax for 8 years which they say will completely pay for both projects. The group is called Citizens Advocating for Area Youth (CAAY). […]
by: Diane Benjamin Below is an email sent from Unit 5 trying to get YES votes on the 1% Sales Tax. They appear to be really worried, because now they are making promises they CAN NOT KEEP. Actions by the current school board are NOT binding on future school boards. This board can say they […]
by: Diane Benjamin Wouldn’t it be easier to hold a hearing for anybody NOT expecting YOU to pay more taxes? I’ve got a LOT of information on this proposal – there are things people don’t want you to know! Stay tuned. . . .
by: Diane Benjamin The City CHARGES for parking in the now closed (or mostly closed) parking deck. It has been closed since October 2013, so the City is no longer making money for parking there. I have a Freedom of Information Act Request at the City for the status of the parking garage and how […]
By: Diane Benjamin The local press doesn’t care that Mayor Tari Renner still wants you to think Modified Wards is Rob Fazzini’s idea. Renner acts like he has nothing at all to do with it. Either Renner or Fazzini is lying: Don’t forget the other names listed either! Who do you think is behind the […]
John Kass 9 hours ago near Chicago, IL Oberweis for Senate. What a joke. Arrogance, foolishness, it doesn’t matter. A rich man running off to Florida during the last week of a campaign? Dem. Sen. Dick “Bullhead” Durbin will eat him alive. If it’s the ice cream man vs. Durbin, it’s no contest. Oberweis campaign mum on […]
A friend buzzing around Bloomington just told me Pizza Ranch was going to move in at the old Holiday Inn site off Veterans, but now the For Sale sign is back up. Did they hear about the tax increases coming? Sales, Amusement, Sewer, Utility . . . Maybe they should have requested a handout.
by: Diane Benjamin Add to the title: And the Aldermen who voted to give him another contract and a big raise! Of course, you don’t know which ones did because they also voted to NOT release the minutes of Executive (Secret) meetings where they do the evaluations. Think the 7 potted plants. Same thing happened to […]
by: Diane Benjamin The election is next Tuesday and SOME people are getting desperate. Numerous GOP candidates are proving why too many citizens won’t vote. Some candidates are despicable and will do anything to win. Too many citizens tune them out. The final commercials are filled with every possible supposed “fact” about an opponent to […]
City Council Alderman take an oath when elected. What does that mean to you and I, and how does that affect anything local? It vows and affirms not only the defense of the Illinois Constitution by the Alderman, but vows and affirms by their oath to uphold it. A quick review of the applicable language […]
Source: http://politics.rebootillinois.com/2014/02/18/editors-picks/brendanbond/counties-highest-property-taxes/438/#.Ux5srOddUrg?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=3/11/2014
by: Diane Benjamin This is an email sent by the Home Show organizer to MANY people. Anybody care about the closed parking garage yet? ________________________________ From: LisaKohn [mailto:bnahba@mybnahba.comcastbiz.net] Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 3:51 PMSubject: HOMESHOW-2014 I know you all had an exhausting weekend and probably a disappointing one. Yes attendance was down and has been on the decline since we moved to the U.S. […]
I was just buzzing around the City of Bloomington website. Guess what I found? Alderman Rob Fazzini is the ONLY alderman without his phone number listed on his City Council page: http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=58 I think he is taking this public servant thing way too far! He’s definitely right there when people in his ward need him. […]
by: Diane Benjamin If the purpose of the 1% Sales Tax was to give property tax relief, the people pushing for it would have put that fact front and center! Property tax relief is now being pulled out as a last resort. They have seen the opposition. Now desperate for a big never-ending payday, they […]
by: Diane Benjamin North Korea’s citizens just voted 100% for their dictator. Saddam Hussein got close to 100% of the vote in Iraq. These guys didn’t get high vote totals because the people loved them. Politicians aren’t elected here because people love them either. They are elected by special interest groups who show up. It’s […]
by: Diane Benjamin Bloomington taxpayers: you paid for a parking deck that opened in 2005. It has been closed since October 2013 because it is defective. You should rightly be outraged that YOUR money was thrown away. If media cared about the truth, they would be asking questions. They don’t, so I’m forced to get […]
by: Diane Benjamin It’s been obvious since Mayor Renner was elected that his focus is Downtown. He really believes the future of Bloomington is Downtown, he wants to copy what Chris Koos did in Normal. He actually told me there is a waiting list of people who want to live downtown. After calling a few […]
by: Diane Benjamin The role of media is to hold the government accountable. It is NOT to be friends with government. It is the media’s job to inform the public and expose corruption. From page 111 of Book 1 City Budget: http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=6393 See the ***** below: How can the media REPORT news when they have […]
State Representative Tom Cross (R) Source: http://republicannewswatch.com/wp/?p=6106 Years served: 1993 – Present Committee assignments: House Committee of the Whole; Executive; Joint Comm. on Government Reform (Vice-Chairperson) TAXES AND SPENDING Cross voted for a huge electric rate increase. Cross helped pass SB1652 – a huge electric rate increase sought by ComEd and Ameren. (2011) Cross voted to raise sales taxes […]
March 9, 2014 by Drew Meiner Source: http://www.championnews.net/?p=132570 McLean County voters have to decide whether or not they support a new 1% sales tax when they go to the polls, March 18th. Tucked away on the back side of the March primary ballot is a proposition that reads, “Shall a retailers’ occupation tax and a service occupation […]
Maria – your article in today’s (March 8, 2014) Pantagraph regarding Unit 5 Sales Tax Referendum seems to contradict prior Pantagraph reporting. Just wanted to point out these to you. From today’s article… Only 10 days before the sales tax referendum vote, Unit 5 is now ‘pledging’ to return the first $3 million dollars […]
by: Diane Benjamin In a very recent Rasmussen poll, 80% said the country is going in the wrong direction. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/right_direction_or_wrong_track But we are NOT powerless! Politicians do one of 2 things when challenged on their decisions: 1) They modify their policies to the will of the people 2) They dig their heals in a say […]
