by:  Diane Benjamin

I’ve written a lot lately about ICMA – International City Managers Association.  Tari Renner used to work for them and the City of Bloomington is doing a project with them to compare Bloomington to cities across the country, maybe the globe.  That comparison is only of value to Renner and Hales because the citizens already know Bloomington has really crappy roads, massive unfunded liabilities, sewers that are over 100 years old, and employees who are paid way too much.  They also know taxes are ridiculous.

News flash – 2 more local families we know well are now leaving Illinois.  The numbers keep mounting.  Neither family is moving with State Farm.  

Back to ICMA.  I know Tari Renner is on their email list because he forwarded stories from their site.  They were on the emails I received under the Freedom of Information Act.  This is a link to the newsletter ICMA sent today:  http://www2.smartbrief.com/servlet/encodeServlet?issueid=58A82A6F-219C-48F2-A215-C0E4C8031D1D&sid=6555d9bf-1234-4071-85d7-df7ac97f39d5

One story made me wonder why it was included:  http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/05/portland-jettisons-walmart-investments-from-city.html

Unions demonstrate against Walmart because they aren’t union shops.  Democrats say Walmart pays slave wages and employees work in deplorable conditions.  Chicago wants to keep Walmart out of the city, providing low prices and jobs to struggling citizens isn’t important.  Current employees have proven them wrong, but the attacks persist.  Being successful in America is no longer something to be admired, especially if your workforce doesn’t pay union dues to support the right party.

Maybe the attackers don’t realize that employees

aren’t forced to work at Walmart!

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What does including this article say about ICMA?.  Is it a good thing Bloomington is spending your tax dollars with them?

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