by: Diane Benjamin
Was Mayor Renner lying again?
Part of an email he wrote to Alderwomen Stearns about proposed budget cuts:
You didn’t even get the facts right on flamingos that you’ve been talking about.
The city’s cost is $150K – they already have $100K from private contributions. So, the ‘savings’ would be 150K and not 250K.
The list goes on and on.
I realize budgeting is very complicated and that we all make mistakes but your list is riddled with problems. Someone like Doug could’ve probably helped do the digging on these things before you proposed them to the public.
Let’s talk when you get the chance!
Tari
(See the entire email here: http://blnnews.com/2014/04/24/hey-tari-tone-down-the-rhetoric/)
So why is this on the Agenda for Monday night:
Is this part of the $150,000 already in the budget for construction? Or is the cost now $74,950 + $150,000? Anybody going to ask?
Then there is this:
The citizens aren’t suppose to notice that the bankrupt State of Illinois is giving the zoo $700,000, but I distinctly remember the discussion at Council – It won’t cost us a things, no matching funds required. I guess that processing fee of $5000 just popped up out of nowhere. You aren’t suppose to notice this is an election year and politicians in Springfield aren’t above buying votes with your money. The Illinois Governor is under investigation now for doing just that.
.
Both of these items are on the Consent Agenda. The Council is just supposed to say YES without any discussion. Council members can pull items for more discussion, but most of the time they pass anyway.
.
The Miller Park Zoo is a wonderful place and a great asset. The questions are:
- How much are you willing to pay for it?
- How big is the zoo going to allowed to grow?
Nobody is asking.
See the entire agenda here: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7002
Note all the pre-determined recommendations – pass this, authorize that. The potted plants will gladly comply, it’s not their money.
Who is really forcing staff to leave? Maybe they can’t afford to live in Bloomington anymore either.
.
.
.
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after
reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back
often!