By: Diane Benjamin

If you live in Bloomington and haven’t reviewed the proposed budget, now would be a good time: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32355/639074561303430000

PDF page 21:

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Every chart in the budget would be more informative with a ten year history instead of just a comparison with the previous budget.

First note: The population isn’t changing. What is changing is spending per person. Multiply that $3,181 by the number in your family to see why your taxes and fees keep increasing.

The water rate increase of 100% over 3 years was sold to the council as a generational investment. Current residents are the generation they stuck with the bill. The rates will never go down because government never returns money to the people.

Progressives always need bigger and better. Progressives built the Coliseum and rehabbed the BCPA. Instead of steady spending on projects like streets, sewers, and lead pipes – tax dollars went to wants. The generational investment could have been bonded with payments spread over many years, part of it will be even after the 100% increase.

Instead of steady investments in current infrastructure, entertainment venues were bonded and are still sucking money from the budget. Water is in an Enterprise Fund so citizens can be forced to pay 100% of the cost. The Coliseum is also in an Enterprise Fund, but it never covers 100% of the cost. 🤥

The only money government has comes from you. Growing government means less money in your pocket. Electing “progressives” has zero to do with progress.

This was posted yesteday:

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Bloomington elections always have a higher turnout when mayor candidates are on the ballot. The election last April 1, 2025 had a 31.59% turnout: https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Bloomington/123382/web.345435/#/summary

The April 4, 2023 election without mayors had a 23.28% turnout. https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Bloomington/117730/web.307039/#/summary

Neither number has bragging rights. Far fewer than 50% of registered voters turned out, deciding who makes decisions in Bloomington. Your taxes and fees are a direct result of who bothered to show up and vote. Besides aldermen, school board members were also on these ballots.

According to a post from the League of Women Voters of McLean County, media is the problem.

Likely, the quality of the media is the problem. If progressives hadn’t diverted money to wants while ignoring essentials, a generational investment wouldn’t have been necessary. Local media never tells you that.

In 2000 zero money was spent on Bloomington roads: https://blnnews.com/2022/05/18/bloomington-roads-history-and-the-american-rescue-plan-money/

Progressives gave citizens a water park instead of simply replacing the defunct pool. It’s great—for a couple of months a year. Meanwhile, year-round infrastructure required a generational investment.