By: Diane Benjamin
Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/08/11/normal-like-paying-property-taxes-you-dont-owe/
Evidently Normal plans to continue paying property taxes on parcels that should be exempt.
I received this response from the McLean County Assessor today:
Understand now your government doesn’t care about wasting money?
Just to clarify, Normal is paying taxes because they haven’t done the paperwork necessary to stop paying the taxes?
Yep!
Correction. Normal is paying because Pamela, Koos, and company don’t want to admit that Stan was correct and that they are wrong and costing taxpayers money.
That’s sad. Glad I live in Blm ……..I think 🙂
They have their own issues.
Good Grief – it seems as though the council is so busy chasing ways to spend tax payer money AND buying more unnecessary property. Can the poor tax payers submit the silly form? Why aren’t these offices working together to make sure the tax payer owned properties are tax exempt? I mean if the Assessors Office agrees the property should be tax exempt, then why not go ahead and mark it as exempt in the system?
They need the form, the buck stops at Pam Reece
This is just one example of KNOWN overspending occurring within Normal government.
This was brought to the attention of the town manager, mayor and council shortly after I was elected.
Normal has no property management policy which adds to the problem. A template policy, based on San Diego’s has even been shared.
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/real-estate-assets/pdf/70010proposed.pdf
I don’t understand when some council persons defend and say how fiscally responsible the town is while KNOWN overspending is allowed to continue.
Keep in mind this was discovered with just a cursory search. Who knows how much savings is possible if we audit all town properties.
There are many opportunities for saving taxpayer money. I am just 1 vote, 4 are needed. Currently, my passion for fixing these issues to lower taxes is unfortunately in the minority.
Remember, it is your hard-earned money being overspent.
Please contact council persons other than myself and Karyn and ask them to represent taxpayers and stop the KNOWN overspending!
Just think. When her majesty Queen Pamela retires at the ripe old age of 58 and starts drawing a public pension like her predecessor, the people of Normal will be stuck paying for a monument to pay homage to her. Instead of putting it in Uptown like we did for Peterson, maybe we can put it on Adelaide Street and name the tax exempt taxed building after her.
Who is getting that tax money? It’s a shell. Clean the money. Follow it.
All the usual taxing bodies
Trying to find some sort of silver lining, I suppose Normal paying taxes on property it shouldn’t partially makes up for the taxes the schools and such aren’t getting from Normal’s questionable TIF districts. Still, probably better off with just keeping things simpler and taxes lower.
How many other bills do they pay they don’t owe?
I wonder if Kathleen “I care about 18-22 year olds at ISU but not THE poor and handicapped citizens” Lorenz is smart enough to be embarrassed? What a piece of work. Wowzer! She makes me physically ill with her lying hypocrisy.
Sorry this comment was meant for the soccer article.
City Government,(city counsel members & Mayor) exist above the law. There are no penalties for underhanded stealing, or violation of individual Constitutional rights. Members can be bought to swing vote, and never spend a day in jail.
It is time for civil war . Judges are corrupt ! City governments are corrupt ! Law enforcement is corrupt ! Attorneys are corrupt !
Random acts, are the most effective tactic, never in the same place twice , never mentioned, just completed and forgotten…
Some have called for that and worse, saying we are in the first stages of a true civil war. They may be right, but we’re not there yet, and elections like Stan show that the system is not yet broken beyond repair. No need to cost the taxpayers even more money or inconvenience with guerilla tactics unless it’s Really necessary.
Revolution (not just by new elections) often sounds good to the frustrated, but should be a last resort as it often results in something worse than what you had before.