By: Diane Benjamin
A 97 year old lady asked the Council to pass an ethics ordinance. She didn’t mention any specific reason other than it will install TRUST in government. Novel idea!
Of course City Code is meaningless, an ethics ordinance would be ignored too. Trust is lost when there are penalties for peons and none for the “elites”: https://blnnews.com/2025/03/25/cody-hendricks-chief-cheater/ Destroying the concept of nonpartisan elections is fine because ethics don’t exist. (You were expected to forget by now)
Just hit PLAY on the video below to hear this sweet lady.
This is a link to the 2027 budget preview: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32355/639074561303430000
You can listen to the presentation and view the slides at that link.
The City is planning to spend $82 million on water capital projects (PDF page 8). Projects mandated by government were blamed for your rate increases and this massive spending. Locust Colton and lead line replacement are mandated, the others?
PDF page 11:
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Even with water rates increases and another big increase on May 1st, the City doesn’t have this money. As of 12/31/2025, this was the water enterprise fund balance: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32297/639050260740830000
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Bonds will be required and your water rates won’t be coming down. That money is needed to make the payments.
Smart lady that actually cares. She’s exactly correct.
Vocal taxpayers are despised by highly compensated for life elected officials and “transformation” leaders, Public Relations/marketing “gurus” and consulting public private partner investors.
Taxes and water rates won’t go down here forward. Even in county.
A shame. No ethics exist really.