By: Diane Benjamin
On August 29th I filed a FOIA request with Connect Transit:
Smart Growth America is the “facilitator” they hired for the Working Group in June of 2019. See this WGLT story – $53,000 https://www.wglt.org/post/connect-transit-board-modifies-pink-route-hires-facilitator#stream/0
First Response to the FOIA:
The due date of September 6th was extended 5 days.
Next I got this email on September 13th:
This email included a this request to narrow the request:
Keep in mind this facilitator was just hired by Connect Transit in June. I agreed to narrow the request to 12 months on September 13th:
This email was next:
So, Smart Growth America was hired in June, but reducing the request to 12 month substantially reduced the potential records?
Then I received this one promising the FOIA yesterday:
Yesterday I received this email extending the request until tomorrow:
Documents belong to citizens, unless they have something to hide there was no reason to pay an attorney to reviews the documents.
Facts:
- Connect Transit just hired this consultant a few months ago
- Why did narrowing the search to 12 months substantially reduce the number of records?
- How long has Connect Transit been plotting with Smart Growth America?
Keep in mind, the Working Group has been subverted to planning ways to raise money. That group is no longer looking at the problems that brought affected riders to meeting after meeting where nobody cared about their issues.
If Connect Transit becomes it’s own taxing district, Bloomington and Normal will not decrease the taxes they steal from you to fund the system now. That money will just be redirected.
Government never has enough money.
Failure to vote in local elections has consequences. Taxpayers are being crushed because they failed themselves.
Remember, the original FOIA was filed August 29th. I still have nothing. Today I filed one more FOIA. I requested the first 5 communications ever with Smart Growth America. That will tell me how long they have been plotting with Connect Transit.
If I receive a bunch of redacted emails tomorrow, there will be a lawsuit.
I never agreed to any of the requested extensions.
You are a member of a small group of people who proudly wear the banner of the Whistle Blower.
Connect Transit pretty much fails everything. They are part of the bellwether for the sheep who consistently choose to ignore the facts.
Connect Transit epitomizes the leadership and direction of Bloominton-Normal: government knows best; who you know over merit; ignores common sense impulses; the answer is more taxpayer money; the taxpayer can have no voice or seat at the table; failed “solution” built and sustained for the benefit of the local clique/members-only club; disproportionately adverse impact on the working poor; a cause rather than a solution; attack anyone that dares to question it. Connect Transit is a symptom of a much deeper problem that is in the process of nosediving the local economy. So glad I left.
We should have a cup of coffee sometime. So glad you were as successful with your escape as were my children.
I see a lot of “asking” to extend time and a “request” of extensions; however, it seems they’re just doing it. Then, when the AG comes on the back-end to say they were wrong, it’s a civil issue that they don’t end up getting penalized for.
Illinois doesn’t have laws and penalties for government, just use peons. The only way to remove the problems are to VOTE THEM OUT. Yes your vote matters!
Actually, the weak laws that do exist don’t matter because there are no penalties. So why bother following them. Koos is the perfect current example.
Why am I not surprised by any of this? Probably because we’ve all seen it before as part of a very carefully calculated plan of government on the local level: Plan your work and work your plan. Bury people in the weeds with endless information, comparables, studies, facts and figures that one simply cannot sift through or refute, therefore they must be true and accurate, right? Hence the thousands of pages such a FOIA request would produce if you were ever to get your requested information. Squelch any questioning or resistance through public comment or inquiry, then hire a consultant to tell you what you want to hear to confirm your predetermined outcome. God forbid elected officials would represent their constituents or think independently. People must be governed so that outcomes are guaranteed. Fall in line or there’s hell to be paid. Anybody seeing a pattern?
Story tomorrow! I want this one widely circulated first. Tomorrow will expose the lies!
Wonder if their email server accidentally got submerged in water and was run over by a bus…twice.
Diane, as Pedo Joe Biden has so viciously snarled “Ask the right questions!” – You are asking wrong questions, the kind they simply do NOT want to answer and will stall and stall and obscure and impede as much as they possibly can hoping you just give up – Do these people KNOW you? 🙂
Wait until.you see what I do to them tomorrow!
I’ll be waiting.
here is why you wont get the information you want. check out the line that says that the records must be examined by someone with adequate competence. we are talking about DISCONNECT here . you and i know what you want does not require a college degree but obviously DISCONNECT’s employees are far to stupid to comply and they have to do a feasibility study to find out who is smart enough to be qualified.