By: Diane Benjamin
The current year budget contains a preview of where Bloomington wants to go in the future. An aquatics park has been mentioned at several Council meetings, probably because $8.5 million is in the Capital Budget for the year that starts May 1st.
See all the proposed spending HERE
The source is pages 427-429: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=10625
This is page 428. The plan is to spend almost $11,632,000 from the General Fund just on Parks and Recreation.
The totals show a total $19,890,409 from the General Fund. Below is where the rest is planned:
Totally confused?
Here’s where it gets dicey for your wallet:
From PDF page 86 – the above is in the current budget for Capital Improvements to be paid from the General Fund:
The General Fund has increased $40,000,000 since Tari Renner became Mayor. The plan for next year is to increase General Fund spending on Big Ticket items close to $12,000,000.
That doesn’t include other General Fund increases like salaries and benefits.
In case you forgot, this is how you got an Amusement Tax, Utilities Tax increase, Gas Tax, and Sales Tax increase.
Tari is going to need even more of your money to increase spending another $12,000,000.
The new budget has to be approved by 4/30/17. The election is April 4th.
I wonder how much of the upcoming budget will wait to be discussed until after April 4th!
If the current Council doesn’t demand the upcoming budget be presented before the election, you will know they are hiding future tax increases.
I’d like to know how $4,700,000 is going to be spent on just one existing fire station. PDF page 9 of this document calls for $3.4 million because the building is 40 years old: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=11932
That document also claims 40 years is the life expectancy of the building. Would you build a house to last only 40 years? An office?
How is a building that only lasts for 40 years meet the LEEDS Certification? This is not sustainable. OMG, are Koos and Renner playing us the citizens for fools? Say it ain’t so!
How could these two “nice guys” be so devious?
The budget won’t be voted on before the election. The increased fees for city utilities won’t be announced until after the election either. There has never been any discussion during the past year about cutbacks on spending. But Renner has a plan! He won’t share his plan but we all know what it is…no free lunches.
Except for him!
I can’t find the words to express how much I appreciate the city’s transparency and how much I don’t appreciate your spin.
Lol,,,idiot!