By: Diane Benjamin
The Normal Town Council provided 2.5 million reasons to replace whoever is up for election in April. Start with Chris Koos.
Portillos won’t be a destination for long. Champaign is getting one of their own. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-08-18/portillos-inches-closer-champaign-announcement.html
The story is from AUGUST and clearly states they are looking at locations all over Central Illinois. Mark Petersen, do any research yourself? Council?
A reader found this story from today: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-12-08/portillos-starting-construction-soon-eye-spring-opening.html. He also reviewed the minutes of Champaign Council meeting minutes and can’t find ANY incentives to them.
The Normal Town Council personally assaulted the profitably of every other Bloomington-Normal restaurant with your tax dollars. When Portillos gets to keep the Sales Taxes generated at their place, that’s money other restaurants won’t be paying the Town of Normal.
Up for election in April:
Chris Koos
Kevin McCarthy
Scott Preston
one open seat
All three voted to throw your money at Portillos
I don’t know how many people have filed petitions, other than Ron Ulmer (good guy).
Candidates would have filed with the Normal clerk. I don’t see anything on that webpage stating who has filed.
.
.
.
I may be wrong but thought the tax rebate from the revenue generated by Portillo’s is being given to the developer, Tartan. It doesn’t hang the fact that the incentives will harm the other businesses though.
It doesn’t really matter which one. Normal paid for what Champaign looks to be getting for free. In Champaign they are re-using a former restaurant. Normal won’t be the destination they think it going to be!
My point is that the Town and City are in bed with the developers–always have, always will be. Portillo’s shouldn’t be blamed for the councils’ choice to give tax dollars away. They will generate enough revenue for themselves where they don’t need government assistance.
Actually we have 97 million reasons as that’s how far into dept this pack has led us.
As for replacing Koos we have a good man in Marc Tiritilli who is very well informed on the issues and articulate. He speaks often at Council meetings and is a voice of common sense and logic. He’s married, has two daughters and is struggling like the rest of us to pay our taxes in Normal. He’s a high school teacher at Bloomington High School. Definitely has my vote and hopefully others will get behind him in the next few weeks and months before the election on April 4.
As for Council, Ron Ulmer definitely deserves our support. He too is a voice of reason and common sense and has clearly demonstrated that he is an independent thinker who can stand up to the group think mentality of the Normal Town Council.
But, remember Normal Town Council elections are at large seats. We’re voting for three members on the Council so it becomes a delicate game of musical chairs. McCarthy and Preston are up for reelection, but Cheryl Gaines, thank God, has decided she is not seeking reelection. She has opted instead to run for Normal Township supervisor as the Republican candidate. Her candidacy will surely bring new definition to the Republican party. This is one instance in my life that I will vote for the democrat, whoever she is. Anybody but Gaines.
The other candidate to throw her hat in the ring is Chemberly Cummings, former head of the Children’s Discovery Museum. Not sure where she stands, but my fear is she’d fit right in with the current Council, but I’m willing to take my chances with her just to unseat what we have.
So if you follow the logic that everyone on the Normal Town Council must go, then you have to choose between Preston and McCarthy. Occasionally Preston votes against the Council, however his Aaron Schock like behavior while on the road on the taxpayers dime is certainly disturbing and in my view makes him impossible to support. I have have to plug my nose and vote for McCarthy, along with Cummings and certainly Ulmer.
Come on Normal. Enough of the nonsense. Let’s take our government back!
Is she the one who got fired?
Thanks for the point of clarification. Chemberly Cummings is currently serving as secretary of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Discovery Museum, not what I originally wrote.
I don’t recall any of the other local restaurant owners standing before the council with their tin cup asking for the taxpayers to chip in.
What make Portillo’s different? I guess if you want government (taxpayer) money you have to have Tartan as your developer. Peterson seems to take pretty good care of them.
Without a doubt Portillo’s would be coming to the BN market, that growth and expansion is why the new owners forked out over $1B for the business.
I mentioned that the other day someplace. The Garden of Paradise seems to be remodeling and aren’t asking for a hand out. One place opened over by Farm and Fleet and I didn’t see where they held their hand out too.
I think what it has come down to is they wanted it in Normal so it was a do or die decision and heaven forbid if Bloomington got it . Someone on the council eluded to that in their comment but didn’t mention BL. by name.
Garden of Paradise is located in the Empire TIF district so it’s property tax will be frozen at the current rate for the next 23 years. I don’t know if we’re requesting the assistance or they are benefiting because the City created such a large TIF district.
Their taxes aren’t frozen in a TIF. The money all the different taxing agencies receive is frozen with any increases going to the TIF fund. in other words, the City creates a slush fund.
I checked their menu. It didn’t seem to be much different than most fast food restaurants other than hot dogs are on the menu. Myself I don’t see any reason to go there.
It behooves me why they can’t seem to get a Maggiano’s or a Bravos here instead of those fast in and out places. Both B/N don’t seem to have any upscale places to dine at other than what are here and are tiresome places.
Same menu as Windy City Wieners. Go there, locally owned.
Have the best Italian beef sandwiches in the world! Get the hot peppers with an ice cold beer… tasty!
What BNIndy says, IF ya like hotdogs, as for shopping ANYWHERE in UPTOWN (gag)
NO! Parking? Traffic?? Students walking on the phone??? Rather shop elsewhere, and let UPTOWN keep their hoity-toity image. Merry Christmas!