By: Diane Benjamin
The media did leave the Committee of the Whole meeting early. I didn’t see any reporting on the most important item on the agenda: Burying you in taxes and/or debt!
Here’s the plan: PDF page 65 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12980
The City wants to spend $285.82 million over the next 5 years with only $59.78 million in funding.
The numbers will be changing, these are last years projections.
The Master plans say money must be spent.
David Hales claimed more Master plans have yet to be approved: Streets, bricks, downtown streetscape.
Hales intimated pay-as-you-go won’t pay for much.
(I wonder if that’s how he handles his finances)
Sewer and Storm water fees will increase, those funds don’t have enough money! Renner mentioned $2-3 per month. Add that to all his past tax increases.
This is CRITICAL NEEDS folks. Just pay and shut up. It helps when the media ignores what they are doing.
After 2 hours and 40 minutes, I’m surprised the council didn’t leave. Most everybody else did.
If you have hours to kill, watch the meeting here: https://youtu.be/UMd1jvB27-4
.
.
.
Bloomington is now just like Normal,,,government completely ignores the citizens “needs.” Funny thing is that in the end the conservatives will move leaving the liberals to pay for their excesses. There are still many places to move and live in the USA that have not turned into liberal cess pools.
Truthfully said and beautifully stated.
Spending in 2020 looks insane!!!
Election in 2021. Tell you and thing?
All you have to do is glance at the chart to see the priorities. Even Public Safety (Fire) has a pathetic amount budgeted. Water and sewer also is minimally funded. Renner says the water/sewer fee increase will be the dedicated revenue for the issuance of a bond for streets. Well, that leaves the fees collected to maintain storm and sanitary sewers unavailable for the purpose they are collected. Streets already have a dedicated revenue source from MFT and 0.25% of the recent 1% sales tax, a total of $5M. A maximum of $8M can be spent annually for resurfacing during the construction season due to available resources. The vast majority of spending is planned for parks. It is my understanding that Parks are paid for through property taxes. Perhaps the $33M will be paid through additional bonds (borrowing) which will need an additional guaranteed revenue source, maybe a property tax increase. Is the proposed soccer complex going to be part of this Parks CIP in FY2020? Where is the proposed new Library in the mix?
The Council needs to keep in mind that Bloomington’s credit rating will never be as good as Normal’s due to the massive liability of the Coliseum. Bonds will be issued at a higher interest rating as a result of the lower credit rating.
Spending on the Council’s #1 priory of Economic Development is not included in this CIP. All the tax rebates that will be passed out to the developers are not included. Just 30 minutes prior, during the presentation by the Community Development Director, he stated that growth is less than was predicted in the Comprehensive Plan of 2015. Everyone seems to be under the illusion that the 4200 State Farm employees who will be displaced are all returning to Bloomington.
All of this boils down to a disconnect between reality and fantasy, honesty and deceit.
“reality and fantasy, honesty and deceit”–Communist (Rennerite) ideology and good government. Bloomington is being destroyed–and I am a bit embarrassed how much I am enjoying watching the process. But, ya know, “elections have consequences”.