By: Diane Benjamin
Sen Dave Koehler should be an embarrassment to the Democrat Party. He has no co-sponsors in the Senate to HB 3337 that removes the rights of citizens in Normal to elect required offices. I wonder how he justifies a bill that ONLY affects Normal? Democracy!
Next he sponsored a bill to tax all the McLean County residents for the airport without consulting any of them or even representing them. Koehler didn’t even find out why the airport wanted this. CIRA has to be the least transparent unit of government, their website has very little information.
Want to know statistics on the airport? You can see them – from 2019. https://cira.com/about-the-airport/airport-statistics/
The minutes from the March 16, 2023 are posted. Note CIRA posts an agenda before meetings and then deletes it. They don’t post packets that explain the agenda.
March minutes: https://cira.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/March-16-2023-minutes.pdf
This was the only reference about Koehler: Page 5
Page 2 – CIRA will already be collecting more money in Normal: (just 1 of many new annexations)
Also on page 2 – if CIRA was hurting for money they wouldn’t be increasing RESERVES in the General Fund to 6 months and adding a capital savings account:
Dave Koehler wants to tax people who he doesn’t represent. That’s how Democrats govern? Evidently in Illinois they do.
Central Illinois Regional Airport. Why should only B-N be taxed. If it benefits us it benefits the county.
It requires a referendum
Other than, “They can fly out of it,” (that “benefit” can be covered by user fees paid by those that actually use it) I challenge you to provide me any actual evidence that the airport has benefitted Arrowsmith, Bellflower, Anchor, Cropsey, Saybrook, or Ellsworth.
On the contrary, each of these towns has lost population and many businesses that used to inhabit them are gone. (Meaning you can’t say that the towns’ economies are better because of the airport).
Theft is easy I guess without votes from community. Not good practice. Just Easy apparently. A small group of lobbies and elites need to be called out.
NORMAL1:
What is your definition of Central Illinois?
Certainly not JUST McLean County -?
Not just B-N.
What, no direct flights to Detroit as requested by Rivian? That didn’t last long or did it ever happen? In the recent past, a significant number of passengers using CIRA weren’t even from BN or McLean County. Alot came from CU, Danville, Springfield and folks northeast of the area. CIRA activity remains stagnant at best with no new options.
Just like a Demoncrat, taxation without representation. Isn’t that the way socialist work? .
Another government entity to collect a huge slush fund of our money in their cash reserve account just like the schools and cities do aka stealing from us taxpayers. Cash reserves need to be eliminated or severely diminished to a very low percetage.
If it passes will the board become elected?
Probably no, the country would get to appoint some reps
The county currently appoints 3 of the board members. Bloomington appoints 2 and Normal appoints 2.
https://cira.com/about-the-airport/airport-authority/
I bet they don’t live outside of Blm-Normal
Bet it all “for the good”
Lotsa folks in that rhetoric and systematic and procedural deceit.