By: Diane Benjamin
Evidently David Hales, Tari Renner, and John Butler think I can’t prove concessions need to be audited at the Coliseum. Maybe this will help them out. Click on the picture, it’s easier to read if it’s bigger:
The above was internally prepared at the Coliseum. John Butler is supposed to pay the City 32% of gross concession sales. First there is no proof the City is getting paid anything on every concession sale since the event reports aren’t released. Second, Butler is deciding for himself what percent he needs to pay to the City. Here’s what he is required to pay according to the contract:
The first picture shows that Butler decided to pay the City 15% instead of 32%. He declared this stand a Suite instead of General. Just this one concession stand from one event cost the taxpayers $14,834.
The CITY owned equipment can print reports on every event. John Butler won’t release the reports and YOUR City government evidently doesn’t care whether they are paid the correct amount or not since they aren’t reviewing reports. Council: David Hales deserves another raise! He isn’t protecting taxpayers, surely he deserves another 5-10%.
Most of the business is cash. What is the City doing to verify Cash Sales aren’t ending up in somebody’s pocket?
Understand yet why government must be limited? They aren’t capable of protecting your tax dollars! Maybe if concessions were audited, the Coliseum would show a profit.
Who the hell is supposed to collect these receipts?? The finance director? Hales can’t be bothered because he’s counting his own cash, hiring others to do his work and spending money attending conferences.
City Manager isn’t managing. He probably needs a consultant.
Hahaha. City Manager isn’t managing; Communication director isn’t communicating; Council isn’t representing, Mayor isn’t leading. Wonder if this could be put to music?
I think I know a guy who could write it – Mudd?
Am I correct in remembering that Butler said that CIAM had purchased concession equipment? I think it was mentioned in Coliseum: The Joke’s on YOU. Did the city purchase it since then? Despite who owns the equipment, how can he decide what he pays? The contract states quite clearly what is owed the city. If this is how the city runs, then I can decide what I pay for my water? What a great deal!
BMI Concessions, John Butler, did buy concessions equipment per the contract. My sources say he invested in stuff that was never used – but that’s his fault.
Call it the “Bloomington Bump?”
What I don’t understand based on comments made on the firewood starting paper website is when someone makes a comment to sell the White Elephant replies to that say it can’t be sold because there are no buyers and due to the debt.
Holy molly I go buy a Cadillac Escalade with a 14 year loan (exaggerated of course) and finance $75K no doubt a bad debt chances are it will sell at a price. Maybe not what I’d like for it too and I may have to pony up some $$ to cover the selling price to meet what is loaned.
How do they know it won’t sell if it has never been put up for sale? I don’t get it! Am I missing something here or just dumb Bloomington residents accepting that it will never sell so why try.
The City loves property that doesn’t pay any taxes. They collect them.
Sell it to the Jehovah Witness group. They seem to get more use out of it than anyone else. Maybe Butler can stay and man the taffy machine, Nelson can make popcorn and sell weenies.
Rogers not Nelson
How about the city applying for a gambling license and making the Coliseum one big Casino? If that doesn’t work, dig up the flooring, dig a deep hole, fill it water, PRESTO! A man made lake right in downtown Bloomington. Tari could fill it with fish, the people could swim during the day, and at night, Tarius Rennerum could put on his finest tunic and oversee the ship battles in the middle of the lake, just like the real Nero did back at the Roman Coliseum back in the day. Hail Tarius!
Hales isn’t going to do his job until the council lights a fire under his tail and make him do his job responsibility. Just a bunch of wimpy patsy’s that let him get by doing nothing. I would have terminated the guy a long time ago.
Unfortunately, the Council had its chance to get rid of Hales through evaluations/negotiations last year but chose to give him a raise instead because it is in his contract. Funny how the Council recognizes some contracts and enforces some ordinances but not others.
Of all the pension plans they’ve tried to avoid, Hales is the worst. Eight years and he collects,,,right?
Yes
In the first image, isn’t it just showing that their is still a liability owed by the concessions company and a corresponding receivable for the city for the difference between the 15% taxes already paid and the 32% owed?
Sort of, except the City doesn’t know since the concession reports are never looked at. That document is internal, the City didn’t know anything about it.
I agree that the city should be making an effort to ensure that they are collecting the full amount of sales taxes owed on the concession sales at the Coliseum, but at least it appears that the concessions company is calculating their tax liability at the 32% rate and have a payable on their books for the taxes still due.
They aren’t recording a liability, it’s an internal note between employees.