Although the number of readers is WAY up, contributions aren’t. Because of that I am considering switching to a subscription website. The cost would be minimal, maybe $5-$10 a month. Stories would not be posted to Facebook, Twitter, and other sites like they are now. Another option is to have a premium site for people […]
By: Diane Benjamin The charts below are from the Illinois Comptroller’s office – this is information Bloomington reported to them. Government Activity is the column to look at, especially liabilities due beyond one year. Since it is hard to read: Source: Liabilities 2018 – $221,260,896 2017 – $198,984,845 2016 – $216,297,608 What is this HUGE […]
By: Diane Benjamin Downtown Southwest 19TIF06402530Downtown_outhwest_1 This TIF was started in 2016. It shows it’s first income of $1,552. Expenses to date charged to the TIF have produced a negative fund balance of 119,273. Since only $21,713 has been spent according to the report – sidewalks – the negative balance is likely caused by something […]
By: Diane Benjamin Empire Street Corridor 19TIF06402530Empire_StCorridor_1 This TIF had income last year of $388,527 from increasing property values and $7,091 in interest. Total income since the inception in 2016 is $425,624. The theory of TIF’s is development wouldn’t happen unless developers and taxpayers share in the cost. So where did this year’s income go? […]
By: Diane Benjamin It would be nice if Bloomington showed the same charts year-to-year, but they don’t. These charts are available here: https://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-145 Budgeted numbers: The 1% Sales tax increase went into effect January 1st 2016 after being passed in 2015. The budget for Food and Beverage tax is lower in 2019 than 2015. The […]
Planning to vote for ANY democrat? You must have gone to public school or think you will actually get a pension someday! Source: The US States People Are Fleeing Expect higher taxes because democrats will not fix the problems. They expect the ones left to pay their bills. . . . . . . . […]
Thanks to the reader who has sent me MANY comics for years!
By: Diane Benjamin Normal has a total of 5 TIF districts. See One Normal Place recap here: https://blnnews.com/2019/12/27/one-normal-plaza-tif/ See Uptown recap here: https://blnnews.com/2019/12/16/uptown-tif-facts/ Main/I55 TIF report: 19TIF06409531Main_I-55_1 This TIF originated in 2008. Last year it generated it’s first property tax increment – $10,190. PDF page 8 shows unpaid project costs of $8,550,000. The TIF […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal has 5 TIF (Tax Increment Financing) districts. The theory is economic development can be spurred by government investing money and then using the increased tax receipts to repay bonds. It’s gambling with your money because if development doesn’t happen at high enough rates to repay what is borrowed, taxpayers get the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Code doesn’t look anything like it used to: https://ecode360.com/BL4015 While looking for something else I ran across this: https://ecode360.com/34403302 Isn’t there 70 or 80 genders? I wonder how anybody can comply when the rules keep changing! (Another thing that happens when the majority doesn’t vote) I was actually […]
By: Diane Benjamin The current contract Pam Reece has to be Normal’s City Manager is dated March 15, 2018. Expect a review and wage increase soon. It will be discussed in Executive Session but MUST be voted on at a Council meeting. See the contract here; Reece Contract Excerpts:
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal has this employee to manage the golf course: That is Total Compensation for 2018. Onsrud has another business too – he operates the Pro Shop as an independent contractor: The current agreement expires in March of 2020, here are the details from the contract signed in March of […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was going to wait to post these letters until I received the Unit 5 emails. Since I may not see them until January, I’m going to post the letters now. Standards Based Grading is making teachers, kids, and parents nuts. It proves why your kids should not be in the Public […]
By: Diane Benjamin I filed this FOIA request on December 5th: I was then told the request is too voluminous, so it was narrowed to just emails between the two people mentioned. On December 21st I received this request: No, I’m not waiting a month for emails. I then received this response: Guess what! I […]
By: Diane Benjamin Don’t get excited, Illinois doesn’t have prosecutors – nothing will happen. Email received by FOIA: Obviously this is a gift to every employee, they don’t have to earn the $60. The employees don’t have contracts requiring the Town to give them Christmas presents. How much did the Town give away? That is […]
By: Diane Benjamin City Manager Pam Reece sends emails to the Council advising them on various issues. The Trustees can not respond to Pam and the entire Council without violating the Open Meetings Act. All deliberations and discussions are required to be in public. Pam does hold 2 on 1 meetings with Trustees to get […]
By: Diane Benjamin All emails received by FOIA. This comment appeared in a December 4th article – Mayor Koos: https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/in-step-or-out-of-line-normal-council-wants-to/article_deebde5c-33be-5c08-bd94-828984d434bf.html The Mayor was talking about the Citizens Summitt. He wanted only “invitees” to participate. Stan Nord invited the Town from his Facebook page. Koos and Pam Reece were annoyed at the December 2nd council meeting: […]
Thanks to a reader! The property is where Hardees used to be. There are no events listed under Planning Commission on the City website. There is nothing on the City calendar for January 8th. I don’t think a hearing would be required if another fast food place was moving in – at least it shouldn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Received by FOIA: Below is part of an email City Manager Pam Reece sent to the Normal Town Council on November 21st: Yes, they are spending your money with consultants. Below is Stan Nord’s response on November 22nd, I’m not posting the entire email because it covers 4 other things too. Once […]
By: Diane Benjamin Instead of approving the acting Mayor’s comment, I decided it needs it’s own story: The Illinois Department of Labor is immaterial when giving away taxpayers dollars. Where in the law does it say you CAN give away taxpayer dollars? If your employees are underpaid, why didn’t you give them $1000 each? Why […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Coliseum didn’t come close to making the projected profit before it was built. Now it is being recreated as a community asset. At more than one City Council meeting it has been announced that around 1000 people attend the indoor Farmers Markets held at the Coliseum. Note: Nobody ever claims these […]
This is what not getting leaves picked up for 5 weeks looks like, yes some are on the street to keep from killing the grass – some blew there: This is what it looks like when the crews finally show up for leaves but the road was never plowed:
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois Constitution – Article VIII What “public purpose” do Christmas bonuses serve? Will the employees leave if they don’t get one? Do the bonuses effect who the employees vote for? From the Carlock November minutes: Carlock November minutes Carlock only has part-time employees. Received by FOIA: Also received by FOIA: Just because […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you plan to buy a vehicle and trade-in one worth more than $10,000, you have just days left to avoid the new tax. January 1st, thanks to democrats, only $10,000 per trade can be used to reduce Sales Tax. They don’t care you already paid Sales Tax when you bought it, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Only 9.42% of registered voters bothered to cast their ballot in last April’s local election. https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Bloomington/95372/Web02.226438/#/turnout It is going to be very easy for more Jenn Carrillos and Jeff Crabills to get elected in 2021. If the City Council only represents small special interest groups, citizens have no one but themselves […]
PRESS RELEASE: EFFECTIVE UPON RELEASE 12/18/19 7:45pm RE: Impeachment Proceedings against President Trump Connie Beard, Chairman of the McLean County Republicans released the following statement: “The impeachment process, as conducted by the House Democrats, has been abused and diminished. The framers of our constitution did not design it to be used as a weapon by […]
By: Diane Benjamin One candidate for State office showed up at both the Bloomington City Council meeting and the County Board meeting this week. Evidently she is running her campaign on cannabis: The Council sign says: Support on-site consumption. She must be going for the Jenn Carrillo vote! She is running in the 88th. Her […]
By: Diane Benjamin One of the properties Normal owns they shouldn’t be paying property taxes for is up for sale. Stan Nord specifically mentioned this property, the Town hasn’t taken the time to change it to exempt. https://normal.org/bids.aspx?bidID=218 The Town is taking bids on 1404 Ft Jesse until January 15th. Evidently they can’t find anybody […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal owns a building at 102 W. North. ISU used it for awhile, the front is now rented to Ohmfit. You might not know the back is rented to Friends of Dan Brady for a campaign office. Since the building is being rented, property taxes should be paid, the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Jenn Carrillo is giving taxpayers a close up look at what tyranny looks like. If you don’t agree with her agenda, she will call out her minions. Her buddies at Black Lives Matter called the Council racist: BLM statement Quote: And when you knowingly and continuously pass policies that perpetuate harm […]
By: Diane Benjamin Public Comment started at 20:30. The citizens were mostly the same people who spoke before, some against cannabis – many for. Only one lady spoke on a different topic – see 24:00. She talked about the importance of street light. Many of the speakers wanted on-site consumption approved. They lost. When the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Veterans with any difficulty walking can not take the bus to the new Veterans Clinic in south Bloomington. Since Connect Transit’s huge buses can not drop them at the door, disabled veterans won’t be able to navigate the snow packed sidewalk to get there. The people willing to die to defend this […]
By: Diane Benjamin Public comment: 6:15 Doug Fansler asks why the Town can find $25,000 off budget but couldn’t find the $96,000 to keep from raising property taxes – Pam answered it later. The $25,000 will be taken from stockpiled savings, the $96,000 is next year’s property taxes. 7:30: Karl Sila talked about Wild Country […]
Brief recap of tonight’s cannabis discussion: The city radicals lost on everything but dispensaries. No on-site consumption, no other type of businesses for now. Jenn Carrillo constantly spoke when not being recognized and then attempted to insult the other aldermen who didn’t agree with her social justice agenda. Crabill was right with her. Crabill.quoted studies.that […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3494 The Wild Country lease will automatically renew in January, the operators just pay taxes, maintenance, and insurance. Taxpayers make nothing. No council vote required. I haven’t seen anything saying the sweet deal Terri Ryburn got for the Pine St gas station ever has to be renewed either. There are more – […]
By: Diane Benjamin See PDF page 56: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1052&Inline=True This is on the Consent Agenda: I wonder if the “applicant” requested the Special Use Permit or the City found out about the track and instigated it. The track is already built. See PDF page 67, the race cars aren’t for people to ride in, they are […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is the Uptown TIF report Normal filed with the Illinois Comptroller’s office: 19TIF06409531Downtown_volpment_1 The TIF was started in 2003 – most of it lasts for 23 years. Part was recently extended 12 years because building isn’t finished yet. The original TIF expires May 3, 2026. See PDF page 3: The Town […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council held an Executive Session on December 9th to review minutes of previous Executive Sessions. Review is required by the Open Meetings Act. The cabal then votes on what minutes no longer need to be kept confidential. See PDF page 46: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1052&Inline=True The Council voted to keep minutes that are 24 […]
