By: Diane Benjamin
For the last couple of months the anonymous editorial writers at the Pantagraph have occasionally written the truth. They must have somebody new writing a few editorials because they actually contain some common sense.
I thought there might be a little hope for local media, but today the old guy must be writing again. He loves to harass State government for utter ineptness while ignoring local government.
Today the editorial laments the people leaving Illinois, at least they properly blamed Mike Madigan and the Democrat policies of the last 20 years. I enjoyed how it referred to “international migration” instead of “illegal immigration” as offsetting some of the losses.
The writer ignored the local Democrat policies forcing people to leave. Tax and spend liberals are destroying Bloomington-Normal’s economy just like they do on the State level. How about that 1% Sales Tax that goes into effect in THREE days? It was only passed in both Bloomington and Normal because they wanted it. No specific purpose, just “we need it”.
That’s destruction anonymous! Add all the other recent tax increases so local government can spend more, and Illinois politics is now local.
Did you know Bloomington hired a City Planner? Her name is Katie Simpson.
We all know people who have left the area. Some transferred out with State Farm, some left for other States and better opportunities. Yes Pantagraph, people are leaving Illinois – some of them are local. Where is your editorial against local government?
Bloomington is NOT a big town. Even if they weren’t losing population, around 76,000 people is tiny. Bloomington’s government is pretending they are Chicago. Why does Bloomington need a City Planner? What is she going to plan? Government spending? Is she going to tell businesses where they are a “good fit”? Is it her job to send unapproved businesses away? Her LinkedIn resume doesn’t show what qualifies her for the position. How much does “planning” pay?
No Tari, massive spending increases by the City aren’t caused by inflation. You keep creating jobs for bureaucrats where they previously didn’t exist. The citizens are not impressed with government job growth while non exists elsewhere.
The real test for the Pantagraph will come at the next mayoral election. I wonder if they will continue to hammer State government while ignoring what’s happening only blocks away from their office. Will they endorse the local out of control spending, or start calling out the local Madigan wanna-a-bees?
we already have downtown planner, 60k+, an she did have a assistant, not sure if she still does, now we have a city planner. Is she there to keep track and hand out the tif $$. Or to decide what is still available to tax?
There is a Community Development Coordinator @ $60K salary from the city who contracted a consultant for $13K to develop form based codes for the city’s “redevelopment” districts. The Downtown “planner” is @ $90K to ensure the Farmers Market remains in Bloomington. The MCRPC was paid $65K for the “Bring It On Bloomington” Comprehensive Plan. The city also contributes $$ to the salary of the CEO of the B/N Economic Development Council. Now the taxpayers have to pay for a City Planner with no experience in city planning. What is worse, is the pension and benefits that add to the expense.
But we already have a plan. It’s an Agenda 21 plan for all communities so we can all be alike. If we have a plan, then we’ve already planned and therefore we don’t need a planner anymore. What else don’t we need? Surely this town will hire another of what we don’t need.
We already had a City Planner before; the last one, Mark Woolard, left the City and went up north somewhere.
Memory Lane: Spending CUTS
Sept 14, 2015 City Council Meeting: Tax increase discussion begins @ 2:33:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUzTQ8VuOLs&list=PLlKcaCNBWAN4XP-gSpZKtK8oBUKomQzg3&index=15
September 21, 2015 Council Work Session: Tax Increase Discussion:
1:28:00 HALES
1:48:00 MAYOR
2:00:43 BURAGAS
2:17:38 MAYOR
I don’t know why the December videos showed up here. I must have done something wrong. The videos I intended to post are from September 14 & 21–the tax increase discussion.