By: Diane Benjamin
What does the Economic Development Council do?
Here’s their website: https://www.bnbiz.org/
They have dinners and lunches, organize the One Voice trips to DC to beg for federal funds, and soak up a lot of money from both Bloomington and Normal.
Last year McLean County budgeted $100,000 for the EDC. For 2018 they dropped it to $94,000. (PDF page 58: http://www.mcleancountyil.gov/documentcenter/view/10640 )
What does the County get for that money?
Woodford County is dropping their membership in economic development groups: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/woodford-county-dropping-membership-in-economic-development-groups/article_5ca02933-c093-5916-87b4-d68cf5891b78.html
When the vast majority of the money given to agencies like the EDC go for salaries, what benefit do they provide? Anyone with a thinking brain knows economic development doesn’t happen because of government. Economic Development happens where government isn’t in the way. That is why growth is happening in Right to Work and low tax states.*
The Logan County Board is going to be asked to de-fund economic development. The citizens are requesting it, not the majority of the County Board. A petition is circulating that will be presented to the board asking payments be eliminated. The citizens know any benefits received aren’t valuable when compared to the cost.
McLean County could save $94,000 next year by de-funding the EDC. Instead of an expensive trip to DC, how about meeting with the area reps in their local offices!
The days of having money to throw around to unaccountable agencies is over. McLean County needs to follow Woodford County’s lead.
I’d ask Normal and Bloomington to de-fund them too, but common sense isn’t used at either to make decisions.
* Research is available saying both salaries are lower in Right to Work states and that it’s a myth. Imagine the change in Illinois if Public Sector Unions couldn’t buy the people who give them raises!
Now look at all the economic development they have helped bring into our community and how they are working hard to offset the soon-to-be devastating layoffs from State Farm that will soon turn our Normal Rockwell like town into the next Decatur. Oh… that’s right they haven’t brought any employers (hot dog stands and pretend car makers don’t count here) into the area and if you ask them they will tell you there is nothing wrong at State Farm. The EDC here is worthless and a waste of tax payer money.
Wonder what we got from the field trip to Arkansas. Any report? Analysis? Follow-up of any kind? Hello…? Hello…? Yup, didn’t think so. It doesn’t fit the narrative of government-led, centralized planning. We’ll stick to friends-of-government taxpayer-subsidized restaurants, hotels, gift shops (er, museums), high-end grocery stores for the elite, and empty buses and bike lanes. State Farm and the good times will never end. Ain’t that right, Lawrence451?
I predict a glowing report of how great it will be for the local economy! All we need is a tax increase to pay for it.
Yes, of course. And it would most certainly be run by city hall and/or its cronies and proxies that pledge allegiance to the crown and kiss the ring.
Oh? It’s THAT good?
Those guys just need a name
change.
Instead of the ‘economic development council’, it should simply be called ‘The Den of Thieves’.
$100,000 for the EDC….
How much goes the the chamber of commerce…
How much goes to the downtown/uptown development council…
How much to main street development council…
How much to market street development council…
How much to the arts/music/unicorns and butterflies development council…
How much to the veterans parkway development council…
How much to the Route 66 development council…
Throwing millions after thousands…someone is getting rich on the back of the working class.
Tari and his minions are reverse robin hoods: stealing from the working poor in the form of tax/fee increases, while giving to the rich in the form of taxpayer-funded arts, attractions, and other elitest endeavors (e.g. Green Top Grocery). And this while flaking off some money for government in the process. *sigh*
You are not including the hundreds of people swarming to Bloomington to see the pretty pink flamingos or wait those were for improving the quality of life in Bloomington if anyone believes this was a good business decision I have a bridge to sell them.
Hi Bob – Tari here. Could I pay triple what you’re offering for that bridge? 😛
Currently (2017), Bloomington is rated as having one of the slowest job growth in the U.S. Bloomington is ranked in the bottom 5 along with Decatur and Peoria. That slow job growth explains the flat revenue. It’s not all about online sales.
It’s about government taking too much money from citizens. Renner and company are destroying Bloomington.
I say both. No jobs and high taxes. It’s a “perfect storm.”
Hooray for Woodford County! The local EDC has a dismal record of producing any kind of positive economic impact. It is time to cut the strings and use the $100K for something useful, or better yet give it back to the taxpayers.
BN Advantage is getting $380K from Bloomington during this FY2018. Add that to the EDC subsidy.
I haven’t read all the comments, but I’LL BET that I could make a GREAT recommendation for ANY leader in the EDC! 25% of WHAT you bring into the business atmosphere and be able to PROVE IT! Heck, I’d even do that and STILL have time left to play fiddle winks, marbles, angry birds and go out for dinner with friends.
OK. Now I’ve READ all the comments. So I guess we ALL have to go out and sell Beichs candy bars and girl scout cookies to balance spending the idiots in city hall spend @ Panera bread. WHAT the HELL is so great about PANERAS or PORTILLOS-OH by the way, has ANYONE seen the council man from PEORIA that says WHY should we give an advantage to ONE restaurant vs ALL the others? I like that guy and hope he moves here. And as for Portillos, WHAT kind of ROBBING SOB’S are they anyway, where they feel that they can come into a community and get PAID to sell their damn hot dogs. Their building is ugly, they are expensive, and I hope they FAIL miserably!
Let them go back to Chicago, where they PROBABLY couldn’t get a DIME from the LIBERAL Democrats there! You paying attention KOOS!
There’s a reason that places like the LUCCA have made it here! among MANY others!
Let’s see Times Past just celebrated 30 years in the CURRENT spot. Will Portillos do that-bet not. How about just about ANY other old town place??
For the record, it was the developer who got the tax subsidy, not Portillo’s. It is the same developer Normal has been using to develop Uptown.
Hi Workingman I had to check with the council they felt your offer was fair and that a bridge would enhance the quality of life in Bloomington SOLD!
But, will there be a bike path on the bridge?
No…no. The bridge IS the bike path!
That’s what we call ‘lefty’ thinkin’