By: Diane Benjamin
Last night’s Bloomington Council meeting was long and tedious. A Township meeting preceded Council and an Executive Session followed. The meeting video is over 3 hours. It will take more than 1 story to cover the festivities.
I will start with the Green Top Grocery extended sales tax rebate:
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The current agreement doesn’t end until 2028, but the amount of the rebate declines until then. This ordinance would have maintained the 30% rebate from now until 2038.
This discussion clearly shows the difference in opinions between capitalists and socialists on the Council. Mollie Ward and John Danenberger recused themselves – probably because they are “owners”. Remember when Green Top crowd funded to open the business?
Sheila Montney started the discussion with a motion to reject extending the rebate for another 10 years. That motion was defeated when Mike Straza, Jenna Kearns, Cody Hendricks, and Abby Scott voted NO.
Mike Straza voted with the socialists since he is worried about an empty building and the loss of other revenue to the City. Green Top does not own that space, so property taxes would still be paid by owners: Foundry Square LLC. If people can’t buy food there, they will be buying it somewhere else.
To listen to the entire discussion, hit play on the video at the end of this story. It sounds like Bloomington is reconsidering not have a 1% grocery tax. With progressives in the majority it would probably pass is it comes up for a vote. Government isn’t capable of a budget with existing revenues.
I clipped a few parts, the first is Mike Straza:
This clip is Sheila Montney speaking for the second time concerning other businesses that have closed and weren’t subsidized:
This clip is the response by Cody Hendricks, he is open to subsidizing any business especially if they are downtown:
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Keep in mind Hendricks is a teacher. During his mayoral campaign he claimed to teach civics, earlier in his comments last night he said he teaches history. I wonder if he skips lessons on capitalism? Subsidized businesses must rely on taxpayers to exist. They don’t have to be the best or even competent, money rolls in regardless. Cody thinks funding mediocre is the job of taxpayers.
This is where it gets fun! The motion to approve the rebate passed 4-3 with Michael Mosley and Kent lee joining Montney in opposition. Straza sided with the remaining far leftists.
There was a brief discussion concerning how many votes were required for an ordinance to pass. The corporate attorney initially said 4, but jump to 2:36:40. After some research Chris Spanos reversed the required number of votes necessary to 5 since this is an ordiance. That means Green Top won’t be getting their extended rebates. With only 7 members voting, 5 wasn’t possible.
Straza’s vote was disappointing unless you believe government is your sugar daddy. Is Hendricks teaching Olympia students that government exists to subsidize them?
Much more to come on this meeting!
I agree the videos really give a good understanding of the makeup of this council. The future is bleak.
On the one hand is the common sense of Montney who understands that a business must stand or fall on its own merits so that the surviving businesses serve the best products to the most people at the most affordable cost. This vision gives us a strong and vibrant community.
On the other hand, is the faction that says their own personal preferences for products should be subsidized. We are forced to support unwanted, unaffordable products at the pleasure of the few.
The outcome of the latter vision is an unserved, unaffordable community ruled by elitists. The citizens will eventually desire to find a better place to live.
When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
A small victory for taxpayers that the Socialists will fail in their attempt to receive a ST rebate. People that must find an alternative will discover substantial cash savings.
Mayor elect Brady has repeatedly stated that he is against the 1% food sales tax. We’ll see how much spine Danny boy brings to the office standing up against the Socialists.
Since he doesn’t get to vote the far left can pass it
Since all decisions are made prior to Council meetings, Dan needs to exert any influence he has.
Remember Cody and Abby both courted the moderate voter by stating many times they would not raise taxes.
Brady’s flyers claimed he woul lower taxes.
It’s all campaign gibberish.
Abby Scott also said her decisions would be “data based”. That promise didn’t last long.
Actually, Cody and the others voting to subsidize a business is NOT far left. Subsidizing businesses is something the capitalists have always done. Socialism for the rich and business, but not for anyone else is what liberals AND conservatives have always believed and voted for. TRUE socialists would never vote for regressive taxes like the grocery tax, or vote to extend incentives to businesses.
signed, an actual socialist.
Conservatives never subsidize losers because they like them. Maybe republicans do because most aren’t conservative
Straza is only on the council because no one else ran. fact.
Ward too
Quoting Hendricks on the Green Top issue (paraphrased) – “To pit one business against another is not good economic practice.” (In other words we shouldn’t pick winners and losers) BUT – “looking at this individual case I feel the way I feel about it” (and I’ll reject good economic practice and continue to pick winners and losers according to my own personal preferences in the future.)
“I feel the way I feel about it.” – Is there any better example of how an, elitist, authoritarian politician thinks, votes and spends?