The original Facebook post below might be slightly wrong. It is looking more like BEC wrote checks on an account they forgot to transfer money to before sending them out. People who call are being told to re-submit their checks. Proof of fees incurred has to be submitted to be reimbursed.
By: Diane Benjamin
Having two election authorities in McLean County is a ridiculous waste of money. When voters had a chance to eliminate the Bloomington Election Commission they didn’t.
The argument made by Democrats and the League of Women Voters was the County should have an Election Commission instead of the elected County Clerk running elections. Right now Kathy Michael’s office runs elections everywhere but Bloomington.
The reason an Election Commission is a REALLY bad idea is because it will be run by appointed people, not elected. People who are appointed can’t be held accountable by anybody. If Kathy Michael’s office screws up elections or cost taxpayers money she wouldn’t be re-elected.
Bloomington is an Election Commission that can not be held accountable. They did screw up, see this:
I only redacted the writer because the name isn’t important. I did check with another election judge friend of mine, her check also bounced along with a $15 fee. The Bloomington Election Commission had 52 locations with at least 6 election judges at each site: https://www.becvote.org/wordpress/maps/polling-places-by-precinct-2/
52 * 6 = 312 re-issued checks plus bounced check fees.
Paul Shannon is reissuing checks and paying the fees. Actually, Bloomington taxpayers get to pay the staff time and check fees, not the Bloomington Election Commission.
I hear Shannon is retiring some time this year. The only way to get rid of career bureaucrats is by death or retirement. Taxpayers can’t hold them accountable. Abolishing the Bloomington Election Commission should be back on the ballot.
How do checks get written from an “old” account? Old checks aren’t destroyed or at least VOIDED when the account is closed? Is this proof checks are written just assuming funds are available? Is this proof bureaucrats don’t have to worry about where money comes from? What prevented someone from writing themself a check, cashing it, and skipping town? How do we know that hasn’t happened?
Time for BEC to be relegated to the history books.
Wow…it’s 106 years old (Reference: https://www.becvote.org/wordpress/about-us/our-history/). I’ve never understood why we have two election authorities in the county. Completely agree that there is waste and inefficiencies associated with having more than one. Not sure how “deeply rooted” this 106 year old entity is, or the politics surrounding it, but I’d like to better understand the value in having two authorities and why it’s necessary.
I will take it one step further. It is time for ALL Bloomington city office and government to be retired. Time for them to join Normal as a single entity and quit wasting taxpayer money. Do what Indianapolis and Marion county did a long time ago.
That would require people to elect majorities to both councils who are interested in the best interests of the people rather than working for themselves or other special interests, probably for a decade. Many will say that’ll never happen, but if we can continue the trend started with almost electing Marc Tiritilli then actually electing Stan Nord and Karyn Smith, it’s possible.
Not sure Normal should “be in charge.”
Normal wouldn’t necessarily be in charge – if we can manage to get both councils to work towards the common good, they would also work out an equitable, mutual plan. At the moment, Stan would be the best person, in the short term, probably Marc Tiritilli. But since this would be a decade-or-more plan, it’s possible the best person when the time comes is a BHS student I’ve never heard of.
Not having ego in the game opens a lot of possibilities. I don’t care if those ‘in charge’ are from Normal or Bloomington, men or women, black or white or whatever shade in between. I don’t even care if they consider themselves Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Other, or Republican. All that matters is that they are truly operating for the public good.
So far, that’s Stan. If Bloomington can bring better people to the table, I’d be more than happy to endorse them, and I’m sure Stan would too, because he’s not in this for himself – unlike most B/N and IL office-holders, he’s about public Service, not public Fleecing.
Media ghost – It would benefit taxpayers and would make government more efficient to merge together. Much of the savings would come at the cost of redundant high end administrator jobs. Unfortunately, these high staff are the ones actually making the decisions and writing policy. So as great as merging would be for taxpayers, it will not be reality until people stop voting in rubber stamp politicians.
Citizens would have to demand it!
Yes, it would have to be pushed thru I suppose by referendum.