by:  Diane Benjamin

Tonight the City Council is expected to approve bills and payroll without any questions.  Both are part of the consent agenda, meaning there is nothing to see here – just vote Yes.

Before I get to the Pantagraph and WJBC, buried on page 123 is this:  (h/t JS)

http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=7009

346 CHICAGO CUBS 00002 INV 06/26/2014 TCKT CUB/CARD 7/14 88706

1 1001 21190 Gen Fnd Suspense 1,700.16
Invoice Net 1,700.16
CHECK TOTAL 1,700.16 

Your tax dollars at work?  Has Bloomington REALLY cut everything possible before raising taxes?

Go Cubs!  I guess they are discriminating against the Cardinals!  (or maybe they buried tickets for them too)

Back to the local media:

Here is why the Pantagraph and WJBC fail to report, investigate, or hold the City of Bloomington accountable.  It is also why government should never be in business.  Not only are they inefficient (because they aren’t using their own money), they make media irrelevant by buying them off with advertising dollars.

Does anybody believe WJBC or the Pantagraph report what is really happening with the City of Bloomington when they depend on the City for income?

Remember, both dutifully report the Coliseum’s un-audited financial date like it’s fact – even though the statement clearly show Sales Tax reported as Income.  It doesn’t take a CPA to understand that Sales Tax isn’t income!  Do they ever report the audited numbers?  Has anybody asked the City why they have a COLISEUM financial statement web page with only the un-audited CIAM statements?  Why are they hiding the numbers the Auditor reports?

I don’t know what time period is covered by the following bills, at most it’s a month.  I’m sure WJBC and the Pantagraph aren’t waiting months to get paid.

Total request to pay WJBC (Cumulus Broadcasting):  $5001.35

Total request to pay the Pantagraph:  $3189.11

Only one local media outlet is investigating and reporting on local government.   Have you picked up your flamingo yet?  Stopping government waste depends on media AND citizens willing to take a stand.  I guarantee the City of Bloomington is going to attack anybody who does.  Stand up or roll over citizens?

 

See the link above – below is the detailed list of invoices.

CUMULUS BROADCASTING (WJBC)
Invoice Net 413.96
Invoice Net 279.30
Invoice Net 80.00
Invoice Net 168.63
Invoice Net 413.96

CHECK TOTAL 1,355.85

 

CUMULUS BROADCASTING  (WJBC)
Invoice Net 1,194.00
Invoice Net 330.00
Invoice Net 100.00
Invoice Net 324.50
Invoice Net 141.00
Invoice Net 377.60
Invoice Net 478.40
Invoice Net 400.00
Invoice Net 300.00
Check total   3,645.50

 

PANTAGRAPH PUBLISHING

Invoice Net 553.25

Invoice Net 237.00

Invoice Net 127.80

Invoice Net 154.52

CHECK TOTAL 1,072.57

PANTAGRAPH PUBLISHING

Invoice Net 2,116.54
CHECK TOTAL 2,116.54

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