by: Diane Benjamin

Ward 4 Alderman Julie Emig was on sick leave until the end of November. She still wasn’t back Monday night. She hasn’t attended a meeting since September, her Ward has been un-represented for over 2 months.

It’s funny to watch the Council continue to conduct business with 8 alderman instead of 9. The Clerk doesn’t call the role for people she knows aren’t present. It is like Ward 4 doesn’t exist. I realize Julie is very sick, but next week is a vote to raise property taxes even more than the library expansion already has. Ward 4 deserves to have a representative voting.

Your taxes will be raised because only two people bothered to show up to oppose the increase. One fireman spoke in support because he demands pensions be funded. He ignored the massive surpluses, he wants you to fork over more money so he can retire in style.

One note: Bloomington pensions are better funded than Normal yet no future pension recipients ever show up in Normal.

In case you forgot, Illinois pensions started as a perk for low public sector salaries. Those days are long gone.

The second hour of the meeting was devoted to handing out grants with the balance of the ARPA funds. The City isn’t planning to use any money to pay off the water bills they dictated renterd didn’t have to pay during COVID. That discussion disappeared.

Just hit play to hear the people who did show up: