By: Diane Benjamin More on why the budget matters! https://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/16302/2020-2025-Budget See PDF page 117: $550,000 was added to the City Manager’s budget and listed as “Other Expenses”. Note: It wasn’t there in the two previous years! Note the number 30-90 to the left of Other. Now, back up to PDF page 116. That page describes […]
By: Diane Benjamin Let’s talk debt. Want proof the Town doesn’t care about anything except the ability to make the payments? Budget: https://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/16302/2020-2025-Budget PDF page 233: What that means is the total cost, including interest, is immaterial. That is why Normal has bonds they are paying ZERO principal on. They can afford to throw away […]
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night: https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3566 See this previous story: https://blnnews.com/2020/02/28/normals-hatred-for-citizens-is-now-legendary/ Surprise, surprise, the Budget has now been posted: https://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/16302/2020-2025-Budget Public comment during a budget hearing can NOT be limited. Start reading! The AGENDA will be separate story. Spending: Loss? Why is Normal writing Chris Koos a check? Is it for his retirement or did […]
See this link: https://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/16302/2020-2025-Budget Start reading! Previous story: https://blnnews.com/2020/02/28/normals-hatred-for-citizens-is-now-legendary/
The budget was posted hours after this story: Normal’s budget just got posted By: Diane Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3566 Monday: Citizens get a whole 5 minutes to comment on the proposed budget! Bigger problem: The budget is not on-line! This is the notice: If you want to see how Normal is going to spend your money, you have […]
By: Diane Benjamin This notice in the paper was sent by a reader: Tax Parcel 21-04-338-019 is this building – it is being foreclosed: The address is 102 N Main – across the street from the Law and Justice Center. The building was bought in 2008: It is listed for sale for $399,000: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/102-N-Main-St-Bloomington-IL/17391294/ DFB […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Justin Barr saga began when I received a tip about his arrest in Will County. I did this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/01/12/lexington-guy-arrested-in-joliet-he-has-history-here/ People claiming to be victims of Barr’s started appearing everywhere! Many could not get justice through the courts because their State’s Attorneys believed these cases should be civil instead of criminal. […]
By: Diane Benjamin At last Monday’s Bloomington Council meeting the aldermen spent a lot of time grousing about spending $1,330,000 to extend the life of the Market Street garage. Meanwhile, also in the budget is $738,000 to study O’Neil Park. A comment was made about studies usually being about 10% of the eventual total cost. […]
By: Diane Benjamin At last Monday’s meeting Mayor Tari Renner mentioned for the thousandth time the City of Bloomington is down 100 employees. He claims they are doing more with fewer employees. He never mentions that possibly Bloomington at one time had too many employees and couldn’t afford them! I compiled the below from what […]
2 National news outlets picked up this story. Sorry Sonny, they didn’t use your name. By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington’s own Democrat Socialists who support Bernie Sanders made the Champaign News last night. They are upset Betsy Dirksen Londigron won’t have another debate with challenger Stefanie Smith. The report claims they did have a recent debate. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal has a LONG history of over-paying for properties and then selling them for much less. (or just giving them away!) I’ve done numerous stories since 2012 detailing some of them. Here are 3 blatant examples: https://normal.org/archivecenter/viewfile/item/2115 In 2015 Normal bought 513 N School for $170,000. 509 N School […]
By: Diane Benjamin Three people spoke at public comment in Bloomington last night, hear them beginning at 11:40. Gary Lambert spoke about credit card fees and the automatic increases to charges from Bloomington for services. He also mentioned the zoo snack bar, He would like to know how much money is being generated and if […]
By: Diane Benjamin I sat through a number of cases before the court got to Justin Barr. If you are ever bored and want to see real live theater, attend a session of criminal court. God has been removed. Remember when people raised their right hand and promised to tell the truth, the whole truth, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Dan has plenty of money to run ads, the theme seems to be: People not Politics What that tells me is he is not interested in fixing the problems in Illinois. He wants to shake hands and show up everywhere and help people with problems who call his office. His secretary could […]
By: Diane Benjamin Justin Barr appeared in court today to face felony charges of theft by deception. He faces similar charges in Will, Livingston, Marshall, and Woodford County. Barr agreed to plea to one felony count in exchange for other charges being dropped. 2 of his victims in McLean County will receive restitution, one only […]
By: Diane Benjamin The latest tax return from CIRBN available is from 2017. They file as a non-profit. This is a summary: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/461304666 The Town of Normal Comprehensive Plan done by the McLean County Regional Planning Commission in 2017 mentions CIRBN 10 times. https://mcplan.org/file/227/Elements_Economic%20Vitality.pdf PDF page 9 shows CIRBN as a “positive contributor” and a […]
By: Diane Benjamin February packet: https://www.connect-transit.com/documents/Februrary%202020%20CT%20Board%20Packet%20V2.pdf Let’s look at Connect Transit a different way. PDF page 22 claims in January Connect Transit had 204,683 fixed route passengers PDF page 8 says passenger fares were $52,882.80. The only way to have 204,683 riders is to have 75% of all riders not paying – either Medicaid, ISU, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23995 Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1059&Inline=True Congrats taxpayers! No employees are receiving Sick Leave Buy Back payments this time to spike their pensions. Don’t get excited though, you will be paying again: See PDF page 89 of the agenda. Denise Balagna will be receiving an extra $205.78 per month Joyce McKeon will […]
By: Diane Benjamin In case you forgot, see this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/02/01/fake-news-wglt-2/ WGLT did a story attacking Stan Nord using a letter City Manager Pam Reece sent to Stan Nord. WGLT couldn’t possibly have obtained it by FOIA. That letter was leaked to them, yes folks your government is either anti-business or willing to destroy anyone […]
By: Diane Benjamin This handy chart from Illinois Family Institute can help. If you want illegal immigrants to get free healthcare at your expense, there are many to choose from. If you want to live in the stone age under the Green New Deal, lots of choices there too. The only two opposed aren’t in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this Bernie shirt: I wonder if wind is “Just and Clean Energy”? Does “Just” mean it’s free for some people? That sure won’t be wind since it costs more to make electricity than coal and natural gas. But is wind “Clean Energy”? NOPE I wonder if the local socialists know what […]
The two Denham’s are married, Theresa was hired 12/30/19. By: Diane Benjamin For the 3 years – 2016 to 2019 – Normal paid $146,539.90. The list is VERY long, so I won’t post pics. See it here: Pantagraph Normal Don’t forget during the same time period WGLT got paid $27,183.50. https://blnnews.com/2020/01/23/corruption-in-normal/ Speaking of WGLT, did […]
I wish this event was local! It will sell out quickly. If you didn’t know, Charlie is from Illinois. LINCOLN DAY DINNER AND “AN EVENING WITH CHARLIE KIRK” Saturday, March 21, 2020 from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM (CDT) Pitstick Pavilion 3401 N IL Rte 23 Ottawa, IL 61350 Join us for an exciting Lincoln […]
By: Diane Benjamin Elections reveal who people really are. They are passionate and say things they would never say otherwise. (In other words, they hide who they are the rest of of the time.) If people take the time to send me things they find troubling, you probably need to see them too. Start with […]
Too many extras not to post!
By: Diane Benjamin None of the below is even possible, but Bernie Sanders supporters are working hard to win the nomination. Why does this matter? Look closer. Bloomington elected 2 people who think the above is possible. Congrats Bloomington. Aldermen Carrillo and Crabill are active socialists. The other 7 Council members need to stand united […]
By: Diane Benjamin Total Budget 4/30/15 $180,426,393 Total Budget 4/30/22 $230,300,000 (proposed budget) SEVEN year increase of $49,873,607 (Total increase of 27.6%) Note below: The 2015 budget was a 6.5% increase over 2014. Source: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=7077 https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23979
By: Diane Benjamin See the first part here: https://blnnews.com/2020/02/18/a-city-manager-is-not-a-ceo/ Watching Town of Normal meetings I’m amazed when the role is called over and over and over for votes because they don’t have electronic voting. Of course the meetings used to be 10 minutes so it didn’t matter. Much of last night revolved around the proposed […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tim Gleason, City Manager, wants all residents to see the 2019 Year in Review: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23981 It does have an impressive list of private sector investments. It doesn’t have a list of how many more could have been made but weren’t because they weren’t the “right fit”. Many listed are restaurants. How many […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s Normal Town Council meeting will take more than one story. It’s becoming really easy to tell the political leanings of people just through one thing: Do they put people in boxes? People who lean left, even if they claim to be Republican, segregate people by all possible means: gender, race, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two school districts have bond referendums on the ballot. Check to see if both just paid off bonds, to keep from lowering taxes they decided to borrow more money. Voters do not need to choose a party to vote on these two: If you live in the City of Bloomington see a […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you didn’t watch the debate between Dan Brady and David Blumenshine you missed Brady interrupting Blumenshine during an answer. It felt just like Chris Koos shutting down citizens during Public Comment. Kneeling is required at all times before the elite. Start watching at 57:40. Dan Brady called David Blumenshine the “King […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council meets tonight at 6:00, Normal meets at 7:00. Bloomington tonight: https://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1055&Inline=True PDF page 19 Who decides what the “right” fit is and why does their opinion matter? I hope nobody still believes the Council does the budget. See PDF page 21: The Council gets 10 MINUTES to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Watch the debate video in this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/#stream/0 If you are in the 105th House District you need to watch the debate before voting. Note the times mediator Charlie Schlenker interjects his own opinion. See -45.40 and Brady’s snarky remark following. Maybe Charlie and Dan missed where the gas tax is […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Mayor decided to post on Facebook yesterday: I guarantee he isn’t suddenly MAGA and voting for Trump. Two of the responses are perfect: Koos did have a couple of supporters: I will let the guy that helped win WWII respond for me: . . . . . . .
By: Diane Benjamin Democrats think they are so smart they need to run your life for you! Of course that takes away your God-given right to run your own life. Here’s a little of what bills have been presented by Democrats in Springfield: Ban gas powered leaf blowers Ban you from pumping your own gas […]
By: Diane Benjamin Fact: Jason Chambers was formerly on the Normal Town Council. When I asked him years ago how the debt would be paid his response was: “It’s all paid for”. (How is that working out?) Fact: Jason Chambers became State’s Attorney after winning the November 2012 election. He is the one who failed […]
