By: Diane Benjamin
http://www.normal.org/Archive.aspx?AMID=47
Anybody see an agenda posted for yesterday’s meeting?
According to the dead tree the Normal Town Council held a budget workshop yesterday. In the TWO stories they did, 5 of the 7 Council members are mentioned. Five is more than half, meaning it was a meeting. Open Meetings Act violation #6345. (actually I lost track)
Maybe they didn’t want you to know they are now poor. After all they had plenty of money to pay off the Portillos developer: $1.7 million. Employees got an $8,200 Christmas Party, and $25,000 in gift cards. Almost $170,000 has been spent getting ready to apply for a Tiger grant, and checks for more than $434,000 were written to MCP Uptown Owner. Don’t forget the $460,000 on a Route 66 museum/gift shop that’s closed for the winter.
The list is endless, but your property taxes were just raised. Your sewer rates will more than double in the next five years, and by 2021 garbage service will cost your $32.00 a month!
RC McBride doesn’t think the Town should be giving you subsidies! (they are reserved for developers!)
I found this story from 2016: https://blnnews.com/2016/09/26/normals-3-year-tax-history/
It shows how much the City collected as of March 31 in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Of course, increases are never enough.
It get better! See this story from 2012: https://blnnews.com/2012/05/30/normal-il-what-is-up-with-the-debt/
Garbage service in 2011 was $10 a month.
So, in 10 years the Town thinks they have a right to raise your rate more than 300%.
Just keeping up with inflation!
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I only report – you elected them.
They also want BLOOMINGTON to go in on the electronic recycling they do ONCE a year, or they’re going to quit. PLUS (dumb roll please) KOOS wants people to buy LOCAL because the sales tax revenue is down!
They also want to cut DOWN on travel expenses “but that is to be determined, how much”
HOOEY!
How did we get here? I mean that for myself too. How could I have been so blind? How did I wake up? How can we stop this nightmare?
When 20% vote this is what gets elected
Another way we got here is because the challengers are running the same old campaigns that are an uphill battle for them. The incubents always have a leg up with name recognition. The establishment can be beaten fairly easily, but the challengers are going to have to be more up to date in their campaining. Lessons to be learned from the Trump campaign would do the trick, as Trump was written off as no chance and won the whole enchilada. Lol. It’s so easy, it’s almost stupid.