By: Diane Benjamin
I just got back from seeing All the Queen’s Horses at the Normal Theater. It’s the story of the $53.7 million theft by a City employee in Dixon Il.
The movie is fabulous, you have one more chance to see it tomorrow night at 7:00. Buy tickets on-line, the theater was close to sold out.
The Dixon citizens were outraged when the theft was discovered. The Mayor didn’t run for reelection and the commission form of government was changed to City Manager. Every trustee was replaced.
All I could think of is:
Why aren’t the citizens of Bloomington outraged?
I only had access to the documents CIAM released. I could tell in 2014 that something wasn’t right. The Mayor, the Council. and the City Manager were told over and over and over that something was wrong.
David Hales now has a cushy job that pays him even more money. Tari Renner got reelected. The Council still pretends like nothing is their fault. They are the ones who didn’t demand an investigation years ago but threw more money at David Hales every year.
David Hales failed the citizens of Bloomington!
The Mayor and Council let it happen.
If the former coliseum managers only stole $1 million I’d be surprised. It’s still YOUR money that got stolen.
The Dixon Il theft happened because one lady opened an official looking bank account she transferred money to for herself. In investigating the Atlanta Public Library, guess what was found? Bank accounts the Library Board knew nothing about. Did they take the books away from the Treasurer? NOPE. There is an active investigation.
See this story for what I exposed and the lawsuit I filed a long time before the 111 felony indictments happened: https://blnnews.com/2017/09/26/my-coliseum-timeline/
For the record I am soooooo OUTRAGED!!!! People think being outraged is a sin. And admittedly it’s not particularly attractive. Remember when Jesus got mad at the money changers? He threw a table. I’m that kind of mad. I don’t care if it’s attractive…Christ dying on a Cross because people didn’t like Him changed the world. So I ask myself, what would Jesus do? He would stand up and tell the truth and if that does not seem right then I’ll die being wrong.
I think a big part of this is the culture that we’re a part of in Bloomington / Normal. I’ve been around our local governments for years, long before the CIAM story broke and I have not for the life of me been able to understand why there’s not more of an outrage of Bloomington, Normal and McLean Co. government where so many reasons exist to be absolutely appalled at what we have.
As I look at the current state of affairs at State Farm, it’s clear that there’s going to be a major shake up come the end of March. Many people are just waiting to see how it’s all going down and sadly a lot of people of loosing jobs. Ask anyone who works there and they will confirm. I would think these people would be outraged at the way they’re being treated, but they’re not. You’d think there’d be a revolt, but there’s not. They’re very carefully weighing their words. This is what they’ve been programed to do for years and so therefore they’re not going to ever speak out about their local government. Those kind of people don’t make it at State Farm. They suck it up and don’t say anything that might rock the boat. Bloomington beige.
“Relax said the night man. We are programmed to receive.”
Yikes! Just read the lyrics to Hotel California. Had never listened to it before.
You can check out any time, but you can never leave.
You can check out but you can never leave… like prison or a concentration camp.
State Farm has plans to drawn down its employee base dramatically. They can count on Tari, the Council, and Pantagraph not to ask questions or demand answers.
As for Atlanta, people are taking notice. I just wish more would step up and say something. Yes, Bill did good for the community. But that does not negate what has been
been brought to light. There are too many unanswered questions & the trustees REFUSE to answer or PREVENT any more more abuse of tax dollars! They continue to allow Bill Thomas free reign of the library funds which is atrocious. Why hasn’t the board named a new treasurer? at least until an investigation is done? The entire board of trustees blindly follow Bill Thomas…NOT ONE BOARD MEMBER WILL QUESTION OR VOTE AGAINST BILL THOMAS!! Time to hold the ENTIRE board of trustees responsible for Bill’s actions!!
Plenty of people are mad, but the some ol tax and spend city council keeps getting re-elected. So apparently not enough people are mad
It’s too easy to not act mad, I didn’t say not be mad, just not ACT mad. This town is now soooo corrupt that it is a little risky to make too many waves. If you are making waves make all of your “t”s are crossed and all of your “i”s dotted and of course make sure there is not some sort of “code violation” going on, and that your car is parked JUST SO and that your garbage is properly placed and soon perhaps properly sorted as well or, well….. they have ways of making your life miserable and costing you LOTS of money. Yes. I don’t just think it is that bad, it IS that bad, and God forbid they want your property for one of their hair brained schemes, unless of course you are among the “chosen” then you could make out like a bandit…
May I quote your comment in during Public Comment at Tuesday’s meeting? Diane, can you check with Ronin? I won’t use their name just the comment?
It’s ok with me, use whatever you want from it – just do not in any way attach even my pseudonym to it Perhaps just use the gist of it – that people are afraid to make waves because they fear possible reprisals. There is also a sense of resignation in this town along with the apathy plus the fact that the local MSM sugarcoats/lies about everything so most don’t even KNOW what is going on.
It’s because the majority of people don’t know what’s going on and they don’t care what’s going on because they don’t believe they should. We’ve all seen it and heard it. Diane had that interview on here a few months ago where the interviewee didn’t care about local politics and didn’t follow it because he didn’t think it “mattered”. That’s the problem. Self-imposed ignorance through conditioned apathy. And it isn’t just the public, elected officials are just as capable of this, as we have seen recently locally. We have all been conditioned to believe that change can only come from Springfield or Washington. That the people in charge of my city live here, why would they do anything to harm or endanger their own community? Some of us have realized that both those statements are the exact opposite of the truth. We have to fight back against that. Educate people, make them see that their taxes should be lower, their streets/sewers/water/parks/everything should be better than it is. That we ALL should be more prosperous and happy, that our community could grow and expand instead of stagnate and contract. Then show them the people, personalities and behavior that led to the way things are. And, after all that, wield that knowledge to remove those that express those traits from office and ensure no one like that holds public office again or at least not for very long. Only when the people who govern think of their community and those who live in it before themselves will anything change.
In the end, those that can leave will leave. Those that can’t, will stay. Bloomington-Normal will be Detroit. Higher taxes, bigger government, anti-business environment, corruption, and few economic contributors will be all that remains.
The “progressives” here are the same as “progressives” anywhere – they live in a bubble and they have an agenda, and don’t get in their way or you are a racist, a homophobe, a xenophobe or whatever other name they want to call you.