By: Diane Benjamin

I’m starting with Public Comment. Two people spoke about human trafficking in Bloomington. A group called Allies Against Trafficking claimed Bloomington has 14 massage businesses. They want the City Council to pass an ordinance requiring these businesses to register with the city so an investigation can determine whether they only hire licensed therapists.

The third speaker claimed surrounding cities had passed such an ordinance and that their businesses immediately shut down. That’s nice, but they simply moved their operations to Bloomington. People being trafficked need rescuing, not relocated. Forcing them to move to another town does nothing to end the practice.

Gary Lambert was brilliant as usual. See 43:00 – Green Top Grocery.

Jackie Beyer spoke at 56:00 concerning the Missing Middle Housing agenda item. She urged Council to at least table it, the guy following her urged support. Consider yourself lucky if you live in Bloomington that it was tabled indefinitely.

A guy from IATSI local 193 spoke at 52:40 concerning Tailgate and Tall Boys not using union labor.

To hear all Public Comments just hit PLAY below.

The other big Agenda item was issuing up to $36,000,000 in General Obligation Bonds. This is why Bloomington water rates are scheduled to triple by next May. This is a screen hot from the meeting video that shows where money will be spent in the next 10+ years:

$33,000,000 will be used in the next 18 months – See the slide at 2:23:20. The slide at 2:24:35 shows how much money is expected to result from the rate increase. After the rates triple the increases every year will be tied to inflation. Every fee increase in Bloomington doesn’t require a Council vote. The elected can claim they never voted for a tax increase because water, sewer, garbage etc all increase themselves.

Nothing presented includes dredging either lake. Quality of Life spending for decades has resulted in Bloomington having water pipes that are close or over 100 years old.

If your eyes haven’t glazed over with numbers overload, the monthly Finance Director’s report followed.

See 2:42:40. Local Motor Fuel tax receipts are less than budgeted, electric vehicles get a free ride. When those rates increase, owners will pay more but not to the City for the streets they drive on.

See 2:44:20. The expected General Fund balance for the year that ended 4/30/25 is almost $40 million. I remember when it was less than half of that and the world didn’t end.