By: Diane Benjamin
On April 20th the Bloomington City Council held a meeting with area legislators. I hear only 2 showed.
Here’s the facts:
- The meeting was held in a room where live-streaming wasn’t possible.
- The local bird-cage liner didn’t do a story on the event.
- Governor Rauner has proposed cuts to dollars sent back to cities.
- For Bloomington, the projected number is $3,792,195.
Illinois is in serious trouble. The temporary tax increase did nothing to fix the problems because Springfield didn’t prioritize spending. Illinois needs fundamental transformation and that means cities need to suffer like the citizens have.
More facts:
- Spending cuts are never allowed to be discussed under Renner.
- Instead of prioritizing spending, Renner went straight to cutting Police and Fire to make up the $3,792,195.
- Scare tactics are being deployed instead of thoughtful consideration
We’ve now seen two Renner budgets. The first one didn’t pass until the Council approved tax increases, under veto threat by Renner. The latest takes money from savings and is called unsustainable. REAL reviews of spending don’t exist, even though a year-long budget discussion was promised last year.
The agenda of spending downtown, bike lanes, and Master Plans are all that matter in Bloomington today.
When did threatening the safety of citizens by their public servants become an acceptable way to solve budget problems?
When do Renner and the potted plants cease to be public servants?
Bloomington needs fundamental transformation. Long before Renner, every Mayor and Council has talked “Quality of Life”. The cuts below will never be implemented, but they will be used to justify more tax increases.
When did threats become politics as usual? When will Bloomington say ENOUGH?
When will the bird-cage liner editorialize on this vile attack on citizen safety and their dollars?
The paragraphs below are from the prepared packet. The BOLD was done by the City, not me.
http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8470 Page 22
They are not being public servants, they are EXTORTIONISTS! However, they are winning, and here is the reason why. First, BLN News, meaning you Diane, can not fight these people on your own. What I mean by that, you’re the only media outlet presenting actual FACTS, Second, they are organized, we are not. Besides the great leadership of Judy Stearns on the Council, and the support of her efforts by Kevin Lower, we the opposition, do not have an organized effort to defeat these people. I know there was a PAC this last election, but how effective was it? There needs to be a conservative movement, lead by someone who is notable in the city. I tried to organize one last year with the intention of not leading it , but to get it organized and off the ground and to find a person of note to lead it. What ended up happening was two unregistered voters who can’t vote, declined tojoin because of personal animus against me for my non support of Ald. Lower during his election. There was a very good reason why I did that, and I stand by that decision. The other people I contacted were apathetic, or gave me the impression they didn’t want to cross Ald. Lower, One fellow was gung ho, until he blew a gasket that I didn’t buy into his Obama was hatched and raised by the CIA to take over the world crapola, Pres. Bush’s, involvement in the NWO, and other crazy conspiratorial crap you can find on Alex Jones website. (insert Looney Tunes) . Last, a local attorney was very professional, but distanced himself from involvement but he did volunteer some funding if needed.
So, that’s how they took over folks. They are more involved. They are organized. Now with Judy Stearns gone, they are going to get even more done that’s going to ruin this city further. I’ve said it once , and I’ll say it again, Mayor Renner couldn’t lead a pack of wolves to raw meat. He over promises and under delivers. The budget process is a shell game. David Hales, nothing more than a flim flam man. Remember , figures lie, and liars figure,
Notice how they can give raises away and not one of them even ask the following question of David Hale’s performance, “Has he delivered the expected results?” If they honestly answered that question the answer would be a resounding “NO!!” HE DOES NOT DESERVE A ONE PENNY INCREASE IN SALARY. I’d like to see the clause in his contract giving him an increase for his review. Mr. Mayor, why doesn’t Hales have quantifiable performance metrics that can be measured? Sounds to me his performance review was very subjective. With Ald. Sage participating in the review process, you better sanitize that Performance Report . Whenever Hales appears, Ald. Sage starts slobbering and drooling- you know, like Pavlov’s dog!
In closing , I’m going to end my diatribe by stating that the best thing to do is to MOVE. I know that’s my goal, to put this city in my rear view mirror.
So if you don’t support Kevin Lower which is now the only decent councilman left, then what is your game? Who are you going to work with on that council? Fruit? Mboka? Then you have to go and crack an unneeded joke about the conspiracy theorist crap.
The reason that the (conservatives) in this town can’t get together is because they WON’T get together. Too many of these folks keep thumbing their noses down at one another for various reasons and thus nothing gets down. When you all get over yourselves, you’ll have a chance to be effective. Until then,,,the spend and cry then tax jerks like the Renner/Hales regime will continue to kick our butts. They are laughing at us,,,all the way,,,to the bank. (Then when the dollar crashes will have an omg moment before crashing to the floor in the fetal position wishing they knew a prepper that loves them.)
Let me clarify Mudd. I said I didn’t support Lower then because I had a good reason(s) not to. That’s my prerogative. I agree with most of what he says, but there is more to the man than that. Nuff said. Furthermore, as the only conservative on the Council, he will be marginalized and ineffective. Second, I don’t have a game plan other than to start planning on moving . There are many things that need to get done to accomplish that goal. the comment I made about “conspiracy theorist crap” was made in reference to a specific fella actions based upon my not buying into that garbage. I don’t care if YOU or others believe it, Just don’t jam it down my throat and screw with me because I think it’s crap.
I don’t disagree with your second paragraph Mudd. By the way, I am no longer a member of the GOP either. They might as well call themselves democrats, and John Boehner is a disgrace . initially, the Tea Party was the answer, but the movement got marginalized by the far right wing extremists, and the Looney Tune conspiracy theorists.
In the report, the city is using three scenarios; reductions in Public Safety or Parks & Recreation or increased taxes . The city is using the same $3.8M in each case. The numbers are manipulated to convince the legislative representatives. In the end, the city will take Public Safety and Parks & Recreation off the table, leaving tax increases. Common sense would dictate at least a 5% decrease across the board, except Public Safety and Public Works. Too bad common sense is in short supply.
Decatur’s dem mayor says the exact same thing. We’ve seen the same show for decades.
Sadly, Bloomington is beginning to look like Decatur. A lot of vacant commercial property.