By: Diane Benjamin
I’ve written MANY times about the joke that is Bloomington’s Enterprise Funds: Garbage, Water, Sewer, Storm Water, and Grossinger Motors Arena. All of these funds are expected to have positive balances, except the Arena of course that probably never will. If the others don’t have enough money in them – your taxes get raised!
These funds should be considered FRAUD since any taxes and fees you pay to these funds isn’t secured in a lock box safe to be used only for the intended purpose!
A LOT of money is taken from these funds EVERY YEAR for administration: https://blnnews.com/2017/02/23/administration-and-robbing-enterprise-funds/
Then there is the money outright stolen from funds. Remember the $2.4 MILLION from the Water Fund that ended up being written off at the Coliseum? https://blnnews.com/2017/02/23/still-confused-about-enterprise-funds/
Tonight the Council is discussing raising Sewer and Storm Water rates because of the decades of neglect while your money was spent to entertain you, pay lavish salaries, gold-plated benefits, and penalties for allowing pension spiking. The gutless Council will pretend they need your money more than you do.
Theft by government prospers in Bloomington because you do nothing to stop it.
Just like in Normal.
Twice, the packet says the money stays in the funds. But, there is proof that monies have been transferred out of the enterprise funds more than once. According to ordinance, the City Manager and/or Finance Director have the authority to transfer funds between accounts. The administration department charges the enterprise funds for processing and handling of the bills and collecting the amount due. Personally, I think there should be an ordinance which forbids the transfer of any funds from Water, Sewer and Storm Water accounts.
Notice, also in the packet there is mention of additional personnel and inflation. I have trouble seeing why there needs to be a continued 3% annual (compounded) increase following the years of nearly a 12% annual (compounded) increase. What is that to be used for?
Will be glad to have a Bloomington in my rear view mirror soon, never to return! A city budget that has tripled in under 12 years and streets that have turned to rubble! We don’t want and didn’t vote for any arena!
Diane: WHY is it that YOU have the REAL news a day or TWO before the Paragraph prints it? I see they have JOHNEE’s mug shot on the story about raising sewer fees, kind of fits!
They have to wait for City staff to write the articles for them.