By: Diane Benjamin
The Bloomington Council holds Committee of the Whole meetings to discuss items in public. In Normal they meet during the day for many hours at a time so the public doesn’t attend. The meeting with Lyle Sumek wasn’t even held in the Council Chambers.
All of the pics below are from the workbook the Council worked their way through for this meeting. We don’t know what the discussion was when they got to these items. We do know the meeting was contentious, but we don’t know the specifics.
Was the Council told this is the direction or asked? Normal should have at least provided video instead of conspiring where the public had limited access. Transparency wasn’t the goal. We wouldn’t know anything if I hadn’t FOIA’d the workbook. I have last years too, I might get to what changed at some point.
The pic below is very troubling, at least the Town realized a few real threats like pensions, State Farm, and debt. Stan Nord has been accused numerous times of “politicking” when he voices concerns. He isn’t, he is doing what he was elected to do and what people expect him to do. Stan and Karyn were expected by the Town to be rubber stamps after the election – just like the rest of the Council.
Has anyone ever mentioned “debt free” or “no growth”? The problem is government stifles growth through ever increasing taxes and “right fit” mentality. All that debt has to be paid back, the “growth” isn’t covering the cost. Uptown’s TIF balance in previous years has always been ZERO, last year’s report still isn’t available.
“Data driven” created the Connect Transit mess. Numbers lie and liars use numbers.
Taxpayers fund government creating “memorable experiences”. Do you approve?
Notice affordable housing isn’t a goal, adequate parking is questionable.
Expect more taxes:
In the future ISU will be a school for foreign students as American kids decide college isn’t worth the cost or outside of Illinois is cheaper.
The sports complex still isn’t dead, maybe the Amusement Tax can fund it. (it won’t) The cost of everything will go up when the minimum wage gets to $15 an hour. That increase will wipe out the wage growth – basic economics. It will also cost jobs.
The Town hasn’t figured out Uptown 2.0 is dead yet. Tears for not having enough money to maintain the infrastructure, but let’s find money for the underpass!
The Town screens businesses for the “right fit”, therefore growth is elsewhere. Capitalism always wins, maybe they should free it.
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Have you considered running for council ? I suspect you could be a strong voice for moderation along with Stan and Karyn
I’m NEVER going to move to either City!
Diane, perhaps you should have saved this article for your Saturday Funnies.
1) town debt-THANK YOU mr koos!
2) Debt free mentality, heaven forbid someone on the council should EVERY get that thought!
3) No growth mentality, YESSIR, I’d MUCH rather have “uptown one” then a bowl of cereal for breakfast!
Just KEEP building and expanding on some of the BEST farmland in the world, and you WILL NOT have to wait for climate change for people to starve to death, YOU’LL do it for them, with your “growth mentality”.. Especially when it’s OUR money you use to do it!
I JUST COULDN’T read anymore, too depressing that there are people who BELIEVE this kind of nonsense!
Think I’ll go rake the leaves/snow mix and PRAY the city gets them before Christmas..