Month: May 2014
Read this Renner email and ask yourself . .
by: Diane Benjamin These emails were received under the Freedom of Information Act. The email below from Karen describes the email exchange. Todd is Todd Greenburg – former City lawyer, Karen is Alderwoman Schmidt who works at IWU. Dear Todd – On our June 10, 2013 agenda, item 7K seeks a street and alley vacation. I […]
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Fly on the wall: Self Scanner
All you people out there that LOVE to scan the items yourself at grocery stores etc – Do you realize YOU are eliminating a job? If the minimum wage is raised, you will see more of them. You will be ordering yourself at restaurants on a kiosk. More jobs lost! Low wage employees won’t exist. […]
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Democracy Verses What we really are
by: Diane Benjamin We are not a Democracy! If any politician calls us that, it’s because: they are uninformed they are trying to act like they are being fair they are using the term to say they can’t change what the people want A Democracy is why Bloomington will soon have bike paths on major […]
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Fact checking Renner: Utility Taxes
by: Diane Benjamin In order to pass a Utility Tax, Mayor Renner claimed every city within 120 miles of Bloomington already charges higher rates than Bloomington. See the 37 second video below. The City had already passed a 4% Amusement tax and a $.04 a gallon Motor Fuel Tax. The Utility Tax is in 3 […]
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Know what Properties the City of Bloomington Owns?
by: Diane Benjamin Apparently neither does the City. See the email exchange below. Citizen Bruce Meeks asked Alderman Kevin Lower and Mayor Renner for a list, he also cited the code section requiring David Hales to maintain it. I asked Bruce if he ever got it. He received an old list but has never […]
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The END of Common Core in sight
CHICAGO – Today, members of the House of Delegates (HOD) of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) passed the following resolution that enjoins the city’s educators to growing national opposition to the Common Core State Standards, saying the assessments disrupt student learning and consume tremendous amounts of time and resources for test preparation and administration. Now that […]
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Renner: What is he talking about?
by: Diane Benjamin Below is a 30 second clip from the last City Council meeting. This is Renner’s lead-up to his attack on Alderwoman Stearns. Healthcare? Gay marriage? When were these part of the budget discussions Tari? Anybody have a clue where he got his information? He is reading the attack, so obviously he thought […]
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Renner talking about the budget-weird!
by: Diane Benjamin This email was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act Below is an email sent by Tari Renner to Karen Schmidt and David Sage after they had breakfast together. It was written February 28th. Tari implied in one radio appearance, I think WJBC, that he wasn’t for the 17 new hires. He actually […]
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Follow-up to Truth Tari?
by: Diane Benjamin The constituent involved in the email exchange with Tari Renner just sent me the entire email. He did leave off some information at the top-but that information had nothing to do with the part I posted. Here’s the facts: David Sage emailed Tari Renner and asked if the email on my […]
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Another view of Term Limits
by: Diane Benjamin Unless Mike Madigan is successful at getting the question off the ballot, Term Limits will be up for vote in November. Some people say Term Limits are being pushed to get rid of Mike Madigan. That is probably true. I poll watched a Madigan precinct a few years ago. Unless he dies […]
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Truth Tari?
by: Diane Benjamin’ The following was received under the Freedom of Information Act In the following email exchange, Alderman David Sage questioned Mayor Renner about I post I did on 2/14/14: http://blnnews.com/2014/02/14/mayor-renner-didnt-want-an-appeal/ You accused me of removing parts of an email! Proof Mayor? I have the original email – my post is word for word […]
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Renner finally admits State Farm . . .
by: Diane Benjamin (Received under the Freedom of Information Act) Mayor Renner frequently calls Bloomington a growing city. In this email he finally admits State Farm isn’t growing in Bloomington. The subject is the $30,000 study for a hotel in downtown Bloomington. I’m sure he was shocked when the study didn’t justify it, unless a […]
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Renner: Trust? Respect?
By: Diane Benjamin (Received under the Freedom of Information Act) See another Tari email below. Evidently HIS rules only apply when he wants them to. Mutual Trust? Respect? Remember your attack on Alderwoman Stearns? Can the Alderman express their thoughts without being verbally attacked by you Tari? Maybe next time you will allow the exchange […]
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Renner emails – very educational
by: Diane Benjamin I obtained a LOT of information today under the Freedom of Information Act. It could be a never-ending source, but I will just hit some high points. Interesting how the City redacted information that shouldn’t have been, but left in personal information concerning the health of Aldermen and spouses. I doubt they […]
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Pay to Play okay if nobody prosecutes
by: Diane Benjamin If you own a business in Bloomington: Hurry down to City Hall and stake out a spot to display your products. Mayor Renner thinks is okay and so does State’s Attorney Jason Chambers. Even though the Illinois Constitution says Public Property can ONLY be used for Public Purposes, it’s not a crime […]
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Good news government
by: Diane Benjamin I have to congratulate the Ellsworth Fire Department. They are building a new fire station without raising taxes, they also badly need it. Their old building isn’t tall enough to accommodate modern fire engines. Yesterday the department held a pancake and sausage breakfast in Ellsworth. They hoped to raise a couple thousand […]
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Pantagraph’s Vogel wimps out Update!
Not a beep!
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Pantagraph’s Vogel wimps out Update!
The Pantagraph editors went with a new theory – if we ignore the Renner attack – it never happened. Finding some way of blaming Stearns and Lower was apparently impossible! In this they are correct! (for once) by: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I wondered how the Pantagraph would protect their golden goose – Tari […]
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Weekend fun – Sort of
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Let’s have fun with the Pantagraph!
by: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I told you about a Pantagraph Editorial with content that didn’t match the title. I mentioned they have never criticized City government, I should have said Mayor Stockton, Mayor Renner, David Hales, Tom Hamilton etc – while they were in office. The paper will never attack their golden goose. The […]
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Fact Checking Tari
by: Diane Benjamin At the April 28th City Council meeting, Mayor Renner verbally attacked Alderwoman Stearns on the accuracy of her data. If you forgot – here’s a tiny clip just to remind you: . Since nobody else is fact-checking statements Renner made during the Council meeting, I have to. Before the vote to raise […]
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Pantagraph Editorial misses the obvious
by: Diane Benjamin On April 30th the Pantagraph posted an editorial: Taxpayer needs should outweigh political wishes. For a minute I thought the Pantagraph was actually going to tell the truth on a City issue! Silly me. The entire editorial was about the State of Illinois and Mike Madigan. It had little to do with […]
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Does Bloomington have their own Flanagan?
by: Diane Benjamin Tim Flanagan wasn’t vetted for the job of President of ISU. TWO minutes of investigation revealed to me that he wasn’t well liked where he came from. He ended up costing ISU $480,000 and a good guy his job. Now Bloomington hires an Assistant Administrator, Sue McLaughlin, who was fired from her […]
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How did Bloomington get an $85 per hour administrator?
by: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington has hired Sue McLaughlin as a temporary replacement for Barb Atkins who retired. McLaughlin is being paid $85.00 per hour – at least $175,000 per year. She formerly worked as a City Administrator for Mattoon until she was fired for trying to sell City land for less than […]
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Video of Renner’s verbal attack on Stearns
by: Diane Benjamin This is a shortened version of Mayor Tari Renner’s attack on Alderwoman Stearns at the 4/28/14 City Council meeting. Please share this – the residents of Bloomington need to understand Renner conducted a pre-planned attack on Alderwoman Stearns – he is reading it!
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Heartland & Your Tax Bill
by: Diane Benjamin I’m sure you’ve received your Real Estate Tax bill by now – did you just look at the total and suppress a growl? If you didn’t read it line by line, pull it out and see what Heartland Community College is costing you. If you remember, Heartland came into existence to provide […]
