By: Diane Benjamin
Original story and pic: https://blnnews.com/2019/05/15/pothole-alert/
The huge hole was not on City property, but it is in the Empire TIF district. The hole is north of McDonald’s on Empire. The pic below shows part of the TIF:
The TIF was started in February of 2016. As of 4/30/18 the TIF had only generated $30,004. We won’t know for a long time how much has been generated as of 4/30/19 since releasing information is always delayed as long as possible under Tari. Last year the Comptroller’s office had everything posted on their website before the City released them to the public.
See the 4/30/18 TIF report: 18TIF06402530Empire_StCorridor_1
This page shows what the City wants to invest using the TIF profits:
Since as of a year ago the TIF hadn’t generated much money, maybe there isn’t money to fix the roads.
It might end up being a shopping center nobody can get to.
The entire TIF is much larger than just the shopping center. It extends west along Empire. From the TIF report, this section shows how much the value of property in the TIF increased in two years. Obviously not much!
A picture of the entire TIF district is on page 29 of the TIF report. Maybe now that downtown has new roads and planter boxes the Council can care about some other part of the City.
Lets face it folks. I know where the biggest hole in BLONO is: The entire BLONO city councils heads have the biggest hole in them. Until both of the councils get someone in their ranks that have brain cell one,this will continue. Normal has made a start with Stan Nord. Shields called him intellectually lazy, but listening to him at the last meeting I can be 100% sure that Stan has more upstairs than the rest of Normal and Bloomington council members combined. But we all know what happens to people who dare to question , they get shamed,ridiculed and badgered publicly until they resign. Remember Judy Stearns?