By: Diane Benjamin
The budget will be passed with ZERO priority based funding discussions. The City staff writes the budget, the Council members nod their head in agreement. Nothing can ever be cut, the priorities are what the City wants, not citizens.
Houseal Lavigne & Associates has already received $125,000 to rewrite the Zoning Code. On January 28, 2019 they got another $25,000. https://blnnews.com/2019/01/28/fox-creek-gets-new-golf-carts-tonight/
Monday night they get another $35,000 because some citizens aren’t happy with the zoning ordinance the Council passed March 11, 2019. The Planning Commission knew their concerns but passed it anyway. The Council probably knew too but passed it anyway. Evidently you are only heard if you live adjacent to Downtown. See PDF page 182 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21525
This ordinance will bring the total cost of eliminating property rights to $185,000. The”planners” are so much smarter than you. Last Tuesday the voters in Normal told their Council to chuck the “plan”. In two years it’s Bloomington’s turn.
Also on the Agenda:
(see documentation below)
The City wants to create an Asphalt and Concrete Fund.
The first thing the ordinance does is make sure no money from the General Fund is ever used to fix the headache creating-community devaluing-unsightly-horrific roads! Congrats Bloomington, the only money that will ever be spent is taxes that have been increased. All those other taxes you pay disappear in the black City coffers hole.
Example: $2,559,595 has been spent so employees can retire more lavishly than you: https://blnnews.com/2019/04/05/2559595/
Another item needs clarified before this ordinance is passed. The City is creating the Asphalt and Concrete Fund hoping to prove where your increased taxes are being spent. The problem is the original ordinance states the money can be used for any transportation infrastructure project. With that definition the City could divert even more of your money to the empty buses destroying the infrastructure.
With the latest tiff created by Normal Township Supervisor Sarah Grammer, both Bloomington and Normal won’t be forcing Connect Transit to ditch the huge empty buses, they will be looking to give them more money.
FYI: WEEK 25 reported this story. It included video of empty buses leaving Uptown station. I wish it was on-line! It was hilarious.
See PDF page 180: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21525
The ordinance still has the original language. If this fund is truly Asphalt and Concrete – the ordinance needs to say that.
So are the paths at Fox Creek Golf Course included in this new asphalt and concrete fund ?
It would extend the life of the new carts and enhance the safety of golfers.
We should all be teed off.
I was referencing part of the story. They aren’t connected
I like the Title Lined “Moday”, you really meant “Mooday” as that is the intelligence level of the members of Bloomington’s council….and it will only go down further when Carillon joins the herd. If you do fix please add the “O” not a “N”.
They are clearly laying the groundwork for their next boondoggle, the sports complex:
“The existing Capital Improvement Fund will remain in effect and continue to be used for execution of the other General Fund related capital projects.”
What else could they possibly have in the wings that would require *all* the funds that *used to* go towards roads?
Our only hope is that Normalites can put enough pressure on other town council members to join Stan so the sports complex will have to be a solo adventure rather than a group cluster. I doubt that alone would Stop Tari, but it may slow him down enough that we can get more sane people onto both councils, and into both Mayors’ thrones, um, chairs.
Found in the Wastepaper this morning,
“75 years ago
April 7, 1944: Bloomington has received some state money to make street improvements this summer. There are two major projects: Lumber Street and Croxton Avenue. The money, which will come from the state motor fuel tax fund, amounts to about $40,000.” In 75 years and adding in inflation, looking at results, that must be what work actually gets done to the streets in Bloomington in 2019.