By: Diane Benjamin
Bloomington staff wanted to raise your property taxes, the Council complied for the library. They didn’t increase their own share. Maybe a public comment from a guy who stated property taxes are driving him out of his home had an impact. I don’t know if the spelling is correct, but he was introduced as Thomas Joseph. He was followed by Jackie Beyer who never fails to bring the facts. Just hit Play:
Staff wanted more money for police and fire pensions, same story as last year. Taxpayers were reminded the City doesn’t plan to institute the 1% grocery tax like Normal did. They claim the first year they will lose $750,000 because it’s a partial year, the following years they will lose $3,000,000.
Government never understands lower taxes produce more revenue because people stimulate the economy when more money is in their pocket.
Did you know the financial statements as of 4/30/2024 are on the City website? The data hasn’t made it to the Comptroller’s website yet where it’s easier to read.
Here’s what the financial statements say about police and fire pensions funding: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showdocument?id=30806&t=638657078841810210
Police: PDF page 123
2024 funding % – 58.65% up from 56.57 last year. In 2021 funding was 67.57%.
Fire: PDF page 126
2024 funding % – 62.66% up from 57.06% last year. In 2021 funding was 64.87%.
According to the September monthly finance directors report: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30814/638657151365630000
Revenue this year to date is $2.1 million more than last year. The expected General Fund balance at the end of the year is $35.6 million.
Sheila Montney presented facts for not raising property taxes. Go to 1:15:51. Last year the General Fund was tapped. Eventually a motion was made to pass the increase staff wanted. That motion failed when only Jenna Kearns, Donna Boelen, Kent Lee, and Tom Crumpler voted for it. See 1:38:00
Next Cody Henricks made a motion to keep the EAV flat. That means they aren’t going to grab your unrealized property value gains. It passed with only Donna Boelen and Tom Crumpler voting against it.
The slides staff presented are worth seeing. Just browse through them. The City has lots of needs and future plans. Staff didn’t care you do too and can’t afford them because inflation crushed you.
The library didn’t go as well for taxpayers. See the slide at 1:40:14. The City and library are now using a home that was worth $200,000 instead of $160,000. They also added an $18,000 increase from last year. This now $218,000 home will pay $5.78 more a year. Go back to 1:05:41. If staff has gotten the increase they wanted the City would have collected $112.92 more on this house plus the $5.78.
That library increase is in addition to all the other taxing bodies that are busy passing tax increases.
More happened at this meeting, stay tuned.