By: Diane Benjamin
I’m sure you have all filed your tax returns and are ecstatic about paying what is due. If you got a refund you allowed the government to use your money interest free. I’m sure they appreciate it.
The State of Illinois stole even more this year and plans even more once JB is elected. We get California’s politics without the nice weather. Next up will be illegal aliens able to vote – after all they live here!
Expect your local taxes to go up next too – courtesy of the Bloomington Council. It will be for roads, so they have no choice. Ha Ha Ha.
But then there are all items hanging:
In case Scott Black doesn’t know, East Peoria closed their water park because they can’t afford to maintain it: http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/east-peoria-water-park-closing/861495977
They are currently looking for a private company to take it over. Black has long wanted to build one here to replace O’Neill Pool. Since Bloomington can’t afford to maintain what they have now, a water park here would likely suffer the same fate as East Peoria’s.
And then for the sports complex:
Instead of traveling to Arkansas to see a sports complex, the EDC could have taken the group to Bettendorf IA. (Quad Cities) They are finishing up a massive new complex.
Quotes from this article last year:
Now see this article from February of this year: http://qctimes.com/business/new-bettendorf-sports-complex-is-game-changer/article_99ee6ea3-4ca3-527e-9b37-8ba596a84448.html
The complex will open for outdoor activities May 4th and indoor games in June.
Quotes from this article:
Since the developer is the same in both stories, the City must have forgotten their part of the investment.
Yes, part is private, but $15,000,000 isn’t.
They are expecting the complex to bring in 750,000 people a year. Christmas!
The Sport Complex near the Quad Cities is located south of I-80 and will be opening within one month. There is no way Bloomington/Normal can compete with that.
http://qctimes.com/business/tbk-bank-sports-complex-hiring-more-than/article_964b4e3e-ff7b-5f71-aa80-1fba46263f6f.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest
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Low pay jobs! Yeah.
Building a sports complex in B/N would be the exact same as the Coliseum competing with Peoria, Champaign and ISU Auditorium…STUPID. Not to mention, the Quad Cities has much more to offer in the form of entertainment and there is a riverfront.
The low paying jobs are only part of the problem–they are currently hiring not doing a $47K feasibility study.
They also have more than 300,000 people in the immediate area.
Ha!! Give us the $47K. We just did a feasibility study to show building a sports complex in B/N is a not a good investment of taxpayer dollars.
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But, but, their study will come back that it will be glorious! Best in the midwest!
Wasn’t Geibelhousen (sp) the mayor of E. Peoria years ago for a while? Wonder if he had any influence in pushing for the water park.
When evaluating these projects, this is where the Council needs to look at the fiscal impact which includes long term maintenance. The Council is short sighted by looking only at the upfront, ill-defined, potential for “economic impact.”