By: Diane Benjamin
I think Tari’s constant focus on downtown comes from sites like this one:
“What do baby boomers, families, young professionals and new U.S. immigrants all have in common? They’re driving the reurbanization of America. After decades of flight, cities are becoming the go-to choice of living. Access to amenities—including parks, transportation, restaurants, cultural facilities and sporting events—are making cities the preferred alternative to suburban living.” http://www.icic.org/urban-economic-development/what-works
One problem Tari: Bloomington isn’t a big town. Parks exist everywhere, not downtown. Restaurants are on Veterans Parkway. Even if people want to go to the BCPA or the Coliseum, it’s 10-15 minutes from about anywhere. Yes, a few people live downtown. But people aren’t flocking there and it’s not going to change because you want it to.
Documentation for the Monday meeting is now posted: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9281
Jeff Gielbelhausen will get 10 minutes.
David Bentley will get 10 minutes.
Stephen Friedman gets 20 minutes – most of the documentation on-line is his.
One way to determine if a speaker holds the same values you do is to look at who they contribute campaign money to. All of the below is from opensecrets.org
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
7/14/04 | $500 | Obama, Barack (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
1/27/12 | $212 | Dem Senatorial Campaign Cmte (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
6/29/95 | $1,000 | Clinton, Bill (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B MR CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
7/20/01 | $500 | Johnson, Nancy L (R) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
6/28/96 | $250 | Durbin, Dick (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
9/18/12 | $500 | Obama, Barack (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
8/1/12 | $1,000 | Obama, Barack (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
3/8/92 | $250 | Rostenkowski, Dan (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
10/26/12 | $250 | Obama, Barack (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
7/2/03 | $500 | Lipinski, Bill (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
3/16/12 | $500 | Obama, Barack (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
11/5/91 | $500 | Dixon, Alan J (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
6/29/12 | $250 | Dem Senatorial Campaign Cmte (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
9/27/04 | $250 | Obama, Barack (D) | |
| FRIEDMAN, STEPHEN B CHICAGO, IL 60614 |
8/28/01 | $500 | Durbin, Dick (D) |
Also mentioned in documentation:
| SOWELL, MARGARET B WEST CHESTER, PA 19386 |
6/29/04 | $500 | Hoeffel, Joseph M (D) | |
| SOWELL, MARGARET B WEST CHESTER, PA 19386 |
3/25/04 | $250 | Hoeffel, Joseph M (D) |
| GIEBELHAUSEN, JEFF EAST PEORIA, IL 61611 |
9/10/04 | $1,000 | LaHood, Ray (R) | |
| GIEBELHAUSEN, JEFF EAST PEORIA, IL 61611 |
8/22/03 | $250 | LaHood, Ray (R) | |
| GIEBELHAUSEN, JEFF EAST PEORIA, IL 61611 |
1/2/01 | $1,000 | LaHood, Ray (R) | |
| GIEBELHAUSEN, JEFF MR EAST PEORIA, IL 61611 |
3/3/10 | $500 | Schock, Aaron (R) | |
| GIEBELHAUSEN, JEFF MR EAST PEORIA, IL 61611 |
1/23/08 | $2,300 | Schock, Aaron (R) | |
| GIEBELHAUSEN, JEFF MR EAST PEORIA, IL 61611 |
9/30/08 | $2,250 | Schock, Aaron (R) |
The only David Bentley listed was from Arizona.
| RENNER, TARI BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701 |
IWU | 9/28/06 | $200 | Pavich, John Justin (D) |
| RENNER, TARI BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701 |
IWU | 9/23/05 | $200 | Pavich, John Justin (D) |
Funny, I keep hearing how millenials are flocking to the suburbs now that they have families. You are right in saying the Bloomington is not a big town and people will not flock to downtown. When a 600 square foot condo in the Ensenberger building costs 110k and a 4 bedroom house costs 150k, it’s a no brainer which will win.
The Mayor may also be using the recommendations found in the Downtown Strategic Plan. There is a suggestion to do a Hotel feasibility study, which he did.
http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=6034 Page 21
It’s all part of the Left-wing “playbook”.
In general, “Urban” means Leans Leftist.
Just as “College” has (sadly) often come to mean “Marxist Indoctrination Center”.
It is no wonder that Renner types go WAY overboard in support of both–and expect us to pay for every bit of it.
Maybe Tari should move downtown and lead the way?
He could walk or ride his bike to work!!
As I write this, I’m in Wichita, KANSAS-yeah, I know-say hi to Dorthy, but I see a LOT of young folks, and a good economy, and the “downtown” is ok BUT the restaurants,etc are on the MAIN roads and the Mariott. Hilton, etc. is on the EAST side and the airport on the west! LOTS of good restaurants, things to do, parks, etc, and they sure ARE NOT DOWNTOWN!
The streets are smooth, clean and traffic flows well. The shopping is dispersed all over, not just UPTOWN. and with a short drive I can be in the RURAL areas.
And I haven’t looked at the map THAT well, but I BET anyone $10 they have MORE airports then B/N, and I don’t see folks leaving! Except for my friend who has to be back in Vegas for work Sunday. ANYONE wanna place book on WHICH town is doing better?? And THIS IS Kansas!!!!
What do developers and planners have in common? They’ve always got to sell you a new idea or they’re out of work, out of that continued cash flow, put on the shelf – no longer needed. These lines of work are like fashion, what is old today will be new tomorrow.
If these developers and planners were as good as they claim to be, the ultimate plan would to be the final plan because it would encompass all the needs of the human society. Note that their 2010, 2025, 2030, plans are ever evolving into the next plan. But worse than any of that, todays planners plan for Agenda 21 protocol which isn’t local planning at all. It’s cookie cutter we’ll all be the same. Easy to predict, easy to control. The land of the free and home of the brave to be completely flushed down the toilet through deceit.