By: Diane Benjamin
I might have to say this once a week until the election: Do Not Vote for 3 people even though the ballot says 3. You are handing people votes who you really don’t want on the Council. Voting for 1, maybe two, gives them a much better chance of winning since Normal does At-Large elections. The candidates are:
Town of Normal
Town Trustee
Three 4-year term positions open
R.C. McBride, Dave Shields, Stan Nord, Kathleen Lorenz, Karyn Smith, Pat Turner, Alex Campbell, Joel Studebaker
Right now I only see one who will represent taxpayers instead of the Town.
Both RC McBride and Kathleen Lorenz were elected in 2015. All of the increases below did not happen before 2015. If either want your vote, ask them why these increases have taken place and how they voted.
Did your income increase at these rates? Was the inflation rate high (No!).
Below is why housing is un-affordable and poverty is increasing. The Town of Normal believes a couple bucks here and there won’t hurt anybody. Basic economics say citizens with less money to spend because of taxes have less money to spend elsewhere. That means less tax money coming in from local businesses and restaurants. It means housing prices fall and rents go up because the taxes are more expensive. Anybody in the ISU economics department want to conduct a class for the Town? (maybe fuzzy math is taught?)
These rate increases should be included in debate questions. The rates in 2015 are no longer on the website for obvious reasons. My story from 2012 has a long history because I copied it from the Town website. That history is no longer available on their website.
Sources:
Previous rates from a story I did in 2012: https://blnnews.com/2012/05/30/normal-il-what-is-up-with-the-debt/
Current Utility rates: http://www.normal.org/501/Utility-Rates
Current Sales Tax rate: http://www.normal.org/129/Taxes-Fees
None of the rates have been increased in 2019, so these are the increases from the year stated to 2018.
Water rate:
- February 1, 2011 – $5.40 per 1,000 gal, plus $4.55 per month System Maintenance Fee
- Now: $6.44 plus $5.87
7 year Increase of 20% and 29%
Sewer rate:
- February 1, 2011 – $1.19 per 1,000 gal, plus $2.50 per month System Maintenance Fee
- Now: 2.23 plus 3.25
7 year Increase of 88% and 30%
Storm Water:
- October 1, 2009 – $4.60 per month per ERU (Equivalent Residential Unit = 3,200 sq. ft. impervious area)
- Now: $4.60
Increase of ZERO!
Garbage:
- February 1, 2011 – $10 per month
- Now: $24
7 year Increase of 140%
Local Sales Tax – 2012:
- Local 1.50%
- Now: 3.50%
6 year Increase of 134%
Property Tax rate Town – From County website
- 2010: 0.782590
- Now: 1.041450
8 year Increase of 33%
Property Tax rate Library – From county website
- 2010: 0.395070
- Now: 0.449620
8 year Increase of 14%
Is there a second choice you have after Nord? Nord has my vote, but I’m struggling to find a second candidate. I’m not planning on voting for McBride no matter what.
Still investigating!
Is that the same Stan Nord that threw the city employees under the bus when he wanted something from the town after he purchased a property for his business without doing proper research first?
That would be an interesting dynamic.
He did his research and so did I. He was right and Peterson was so embarrassed he almost yelled at him in open council. You will be hearing that story I’m sure.
I met Stan and we had a good conversation. At this point he is my only vote. Thanks for the idea not to vote for three unless there are three good candidates.
That is the ONLY way Stan can win. Please spread the word!
Dont forget the RAISEs , vacations, p card use, pensions and yes the really nasty healthcare that the city council and King Tari have.
Re-elect NO ONE! ANYONE who is currently serving in a political seat in EITHER UPTOWN or Bloomington does NOT deserve to be RE-ELECTED!
Quality of life has gone down the tubes, while taxes have increased on everything except stump kicking..
The correct reply to the mismanagement of the town of normal is a string of 4-letter words:
Stan, Nord, Karl, Sila.
Stan is the only good candidate on the ballot, and Karl was sick of nobody else stepping up, so he’s running as a write-in. (He came up like something like 50 signatures short of being on the ballot – not bad for starting in mid-November!)
From my research, Karyn Smith is a distant but clear third choice.
Karyn was great on one issue. I don’t know where she stands on everything else.
IF we can get UPTOWN to QUIT coming up with dumb and dumber, MAYBE we can get Bloomington to QUIT emulating them..