by:  Diane Benjamin

Since Mayor Tari is a Political Science Professor, he should understand the role of government.  He should have added some American History and Constitution to his education.

The only source of income for the City of Bloomington is taxpayers.  The Freedom of Information LAW exists because government does NOT have a right to operate privately on most issues.

The LAW clearly states:

Pursuant to the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of government, it is declared to be the public policy of the State of Illinois that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts and policies of those who represent them as public officials and public employees consistent with the terms of this Act. Such access is necessary to enable the people to fulfill their duties of discussing public issues fully and freely, making informed political judgments and monitoring government to ensure that it is being conducted in the public interest.

– Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1.

Earlier this week I posted an update on my lawsuit against the City of Bloomington:  http://blnnews.com/2014/12/23/another-court-update/

I also posted an article concerning the “Committee” set up to handle citizen complaints:  http://blnnews.com/2014/12/23/bloomington-minimized-aldermen/

I was given permission to publish this email exchange between a citizen and Mayor Renner:  (side note: I corrected spelling in BOTH emails)

To: “[email protected]” <[email protected]>
From: Kevin Gerrard <[email protected]>
Date: 12/23/2014 02:06PM
Cc: Diane Benjamin <[email protected]>, “Cities 92.9” <[email protected]>
Subject: Fw: [New post] Another COURT update

 Mayor Renner,

 

Merry Christmas and thanks a bunch for wasting the taxpayers money on suppressing transparency in government!! Oh , how the elitist left wing liberals love to hide behind their lawyers. It must be pretty juicy!! What are you  hiding there professor? After all, didn’t you attempt to lead the citizens to believe that you are a very much in favor of a transparent city administration?

 

I also want to thank you for taking away the form of representative government. Aldermanic representation has worked very well in city government for centuries. Thanks for taking that away from us by forming your Citizens Inquiry Committee. When citizens have complaints, we go to our Alderman, the people WE ELECT, from OUR WARD, to help solve the problem, because more often than not, the problem is coming from the CITY BUREAUCRACY.  You, and your minion, David Hales, have effectively neutered the office of Alderman by forming this committee in order to gain and maintain control. You couldn’t do it through the Modified Ward initiative, because it was voted down during the referendum. So you came up with this bright idea that has the fox guarding the hen house so to speak. Consequently, the Alderman are mere figureheads, and they do not represent the people of their Ward. You forget Mayor, they work for their constituents, not you. They are elected , under the Constitution of the State of Illinois, by the residents of their ward, to represent their ward, and you insist that they all walk in lockstep with David Hales and you, and the citizens be damned. Grow a mustache and you’re nothing but a damn little Hitler.

 

Have a wonderful holiday Mayor, and perhaps Santa will bring you some lightning bolts to affix to your collar.

 

Kevin Gerrard

Tari’s Christmas message:

From: Tari Renner <[email protected]>

To: Kevin Gerrard <[email protected]>

Cc: Tari Renner <[email protected]>

Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2014 7:58 AM

Subject: Re: Fw: [New post] Another COURT update

Dear Kevin,

Unfortunately, the person you should be blaming for wasting the taxpayer’s money is Diane Benjamin!

There is absolutely nothing of substance that is happening in the City of Bloomington that people don’t know about or I won’t tell them (except for personnel matters and the occasional contract etc.).

I invite you to my bi-weekly open house where we can discuss things in the open (not the shadows which is the mode of a ‘blogger’).  We can get you or anyone answers. Ms. Benjamin filed a lawsuit to get some emails last summer because she insisted she wanted something immediately that she had no legal right to.  Our legal counsel told me (after conferring with other attorneys and local government officials) that Ms. Benjamin had no legal right to what she was requesting but, since it involved emails that she already had (otherwise she wouldn’t have known to ask for them) and were just opinions, I didn’t think it mattered whether we released them. I was leaving the country so I instructed the attorney to say I would consider the request to release the emails once I returned (but we weren’t acknowledging  she had any right to them).  Ms. Benjamin sent an email (I’m happy to forward to you) to our counsel that said roughly “Not good enough”.  I’m filing in circuit court tomorrow.”

So, you should blame the person who just had to behave like an arrogant jerk for the costs to the city. It’s hard to quantify what we spend jumping through Ms. Benjamin’s hoops.

And, I’m not sure what you’re even talking about with the committee you referred to Mr. Gerrard. ALL policy decisions are made by the duly elected city council.  What you’ve suggested isn’t even legally possible. I don’t read Ms. Benjamin’s blog so it’s possible she has, once again, made something up or distorted something beyond recognition.

My advice would be clarify the situation before you get upset over something that’s not even happening. I’m more than happy to answer your questions/ concerns. The best forum for this is our biweekly open houses.

Best,

Tari Renner

Mayor of Bloomington

109 E. Olive

Bloomington, IL 61701

Your legal counsel gave you bad advice Mayor.  So far the judge has sided with me.

Tari, here are just a few things you tried to hide:

• You think people who disagree with you are “off their meds”.  I wonder how people who need medication, a protected class, feel about your language?
• You think you have a right to limit discussion time at Council meetings between ELECTED representatives of the people
• Joni Painter doesn’t believe in the public’s right to know
• Discussion and legal expenses pertaining to Paradigm  started long before Rob Fazzini left the Council
• Coliseum Management makes up their own accounting rules while Dave Hales allowed it
• Concession sales at the Taxpayer-Owned Coliseum are a secret
• Laws don’t matter unless the City is using them to hold citizens accountable
• You don’t understand the Freedom of Information Act or the Open Meetings Act – both meant to protect citizens from government
• You demeanor is unbecoming of a Mayor!

The press is charged with holding government accountable.  There is no press in Bloomington-Normal doing their job.  Your bi-weekly open houses are nice, but discussions of transparency and limiting the role of elected Aldermen shouldn’t be handled in front of the 10-20 people who attend.  Since no press exists, I’m doing their job for them.

Tari, your disregard for laws should concern every citizen.  Your spending thousands of dollars to fight transparency should outrage citizens.  Seven of the elected Aldermen have agreed to give up their job of representing citizens.  Maybe the citizens will send a different message in April.

Nothing of substance is happening at the City Tari?  Wait for the next lawsuit.  Since concessions and payroll at the Coliseum are still a secret, let’s see what a judge thinks.