By: Diane Benjamin
A reader found this story from 2005 in Peoria Magazine: http://www.peoriamagazines.com/aa/2005/jun/silhouette
It’s an interview with former Mayor Judy Markowitz when she left office.
Quotes from the article:
Are both running successfully yet?
The BCPA is a big money loser, you already know about the Coliseum. (Another Coliseum story: http://ilnews.org/9870/financial-probe-of-coliseums-former-manager-may-involve-concession-money/)
Every mayor since Markowitz, and now candidates for mayor, repeat the same lines.
Bloomington’s government has proven they are incapable of running successful “business type” activities.
Instead of “bringing the community together”, throwing money down the rat-hole that is downtown Bloomington is dividing the City.
Taxes have been increased significantly while infrastructure disintegrates.
Bloomington keeps getting these mayors because the “big government” types show up and vote.
Only the rest of the Bloomington taxpayers can stop the wallet abuse by showing up in April. Turn-out in past local elections have been dismal!
Citizens deserve better than “central planners” telling you how to live your life!
Side note: Need more proof the media is biased? WGLT has done two stories about the Coliseum investigation. Neither story mentions me or the lawsuit. Their liberal audience might not be able to handle truth.
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Dad speaks of when the downtown WAS a busy place in the evenings, men would sit on the square and talk corn prices, new car costs, etc, and the women would shop, the stores would be open until 9 and the place was a buzz! I think that’s WHAT the following administrations wanted, but never were able to achieve. They figure by ADDING new parking, renovating buildings or adding entertainment, they’d draw people,
Throwing money at it NEVER helped anyone.
All of that was before the construction of Eastland Mall and the following of major population expansion to the east side. As initial downtown area population changes along with retail realities that follow is information taught in entry level sociology classes. Much of council, especially Mayor Renner is either absolutely clueless, don’t care, or are benefitting somehow, or maybe all of the above.