By: Diane Benjamin
Maybe the below will tell you why the public is encouraged to watch this meeting on-line instead of showing up. In an “emergency”, keep citizens from speaking.
WEEK is the only media I’ve seen saying the virus has likely been here for some time: https://week.com/2020/03/20/mclean-county-reports-3-new-confirmed-cases-of-covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR0txyysl-6hw6DFVEnpzQ_g8xkdJh7ESaf0Re0UoDVIsLaSu2wYe3l0ukg
Packet for Bloomington Monday night: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1067&Inline=True
Hey Bloomington and Normal: Do you realize your pension funding percentages just crashed! Any municipal employees who think they are going to retire courtesy of taxpayers need to re-think. MANY millions in taxes have been taken from citizens to have pensions funded at 100% by 2040. It isn’t going to happen. Massive tax increases will be needed to even come close. Meanwhile, current retirees are exhausting the depleted funds.
Instead of fixing the pension unsustainable taxpayer fleece:
Democrats want the ability to tax you more – progressive income tax.
Vote NO in November, the rich aren’t the target. You are.
The emergency ordinance is actually in two places. Starting on PDF page 335 are changes to the City Code. On PDF page 517 and following are tyrannical powers granted to government. If both the City Manager and Assistant are incapacitated, guess who is in charge:
See PDF page 524. The City violated their own rules and allowed the two socialist on the Council to set the agenda. Thanks for negotiating with terrorists. (I stole that, not saying from who) “Several” alderman can’t get an item on the agenda, but yet they did. It is a meaningless request for funding. It will be used for propaganda, the council needs to vote NO simply because it violates the rules for placing an item on the agenda. Let’s see who wimps out.
Since the fiscal year is almost over and money is in the budget, the City is spending it. It is immaterial that revenue has and will crash along with the pension funds. The money is there, so write a check! Non-essential spending should immediately end because as this City statement says:
Consent Agenda Items:
“Due for replacement” isn’t essential spending:
How many is “most”?
The current vehicle only has 57,701 miles and maintenance was $8,143.02? This vehicle sounds like a lemon, so why are they buying a newer version of the same thing?
Has anybody done a study on bike usage? This is a waste of money, NOBODY IS USING THE CURRENT BIKE LANES.
Maybe needed, so much non-essential it’s hard to tell.
This building has been in need of demolition for years. Now isn’t the time to do it.
Sensing a “water” theme?
They have a camera/software system now, they just want better.
No mention of how these will be paid back.
Who knows how many pet projects and other taxpayer-funded handouts are all lined up for the next several Council meetings! Let’s see how much Koos and Renner try to sneak past the taxpayers.
It’s ALL a JOKE. The ONLY states to “declare” a self imposed quarantine are ones RUN by Damocratic establishments-Gov, etc. They do this JUST because TRUMP isn’t their ideal PRESIDENT! Well, wake up JBP and the rest of you IDIOTS. MANY people last time hesitated to vote for Trump, but in 2020, they will YANK the heck outta that lever! As for the local council…. GUTLESS BASTARDS! Lemmings have more fight in them then our council/mayor/manager. As for $$$$ increases. YOU BETCHA! Illinois in the rear view mirror is looking BETTER EVERY DAY!
At least this agenda has mostly infrastructure work. Approval of the bike lanes under the bridge happened a few years ago. Wait until the cost of building a longer span over the bridge is presented. The Pipeline Road work is sewer/water main related, The EPA loan is to remediate combined sewers which cause raw sewage to back up into basements during heavy rain.
Given that it was recently estimated Blm revenues are going to be about $5M below budget because of Wuhan impacts, perhaps it’s worth a second look at the $3.4M they’ll be spending Monday night and see what can be delayed or avoided.
The most obvious the new Parks N Rec Hybrid car. One quick search found multiple similar cars available for ~$7K less. My guess is non-hybrids are cheaper. A quick crunch of the numbers shows that the price differential would cover More Than ALL the gas over the life of the new car if it’s used the same as the old one. Not just the mpg difference, but ALL the gas, with money to spare. Unless there’s something major we’re missing, this is clearly putting City egos ahead of Bloomington taxpayers.
If I can save the city over $5 with 10 minutes of work, just imagine how much could be saved if all city employees (especially council members) tried to spend responsibly!
Okay, a little more research indicates the ‘hybrid’ status of the car doesn’t make a big difference in the initial price. Still probably not worth it, but Not a blatant mistake as my post implied. Most likely they are purchasing a top-of-the-line trim package. Which still begs the question of why is that needed over a less expensive model? Not $5K savings, but probably a couple grand found in short order…
Karl: I REALLY like when you make a post, as you DO the math, unlike BOTH CITY COUNCILS, who just spend like drunken lemurs, and since it’s OUR money THEY don’t give a HOOT! I believe that’s it’s TIME that ALL POLITICIANS understand that the POPULACE is TIRED of “lifetime” idiots and “yes” men AND women-ie:PELOSI , and TIME for new blood at EVERY level of government. I for one, am MUCH in favor of it! Sure, there MAY be some folks that get elected that are worse then what we currently have, but I don’t see how they can be ANY worse!
There is absolutely NO REASON that EITHER town NEEDS or has ANY use for the “latest” High voltage super hot rod on the showroom floor. And as for “OLD” vehicles THEN let them drive rusted ones like the REST of us! There is NO REASON that cops NEED to drive a $55,000 SUV around, just to take a nap. ie: the one at the old PO lot at 10 a.m. a LOT of days..OR in the old Verizon lot.