By: Diane Benjamin

Think back to 2017 when former Mayor Tari Renner got the Council to pass this: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/15354/636469576356100000

.

I don’t remember the Council approving anything after that Resolution expired. They might have but I sure don’t remember the Council approving this:

PDF page 39: 3/10/2025 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/31156/638767820922900000

.

SBDC stands for Small Business Development Center. Is Bloomington funding the whole thing now? Did Normal quit funding it? Ever heard a report from these people?

I will do one for you!

The Economic Development Council posted this on X:

.

Since the EDC gets money from government, I was intrigued.

The EDC partners with SBDC. The only way to get that $10,000 was to go through the Wesleyan program.

See this link: https://www.bnbiz.org/entrepreneurship

Did you notice the grant announcement above doesn’t say where this business is? I found this on Instagram:

.

Will a body piercing business bring people to downtown Bloomington?

See the success stories claimed by the Small Business Development Center: https://www.mcleancosbdc.org/sbdcsuccessstories

Some are still in business, I couldn’t find others. There are some business listed you would probably know: Hacienda Leon, Grove Street Bakery and the Olive Bin. We don’t know how much assistance each received.

Is this worth $85,000+ when Bloomington claims they are hurting for money? Other than on the BILLS, where was this spending approved by the Council? A search of the City site found nothing, but then their search engine isn’t great.

Is the local economy so bad new businesses have to be taxpayer subsidized before they open? It sure isn’t capitalism, especially when a government program has to review plans first.