By: Diane Benjamin
Remember when Sonny Garcia called for a special meeting of the Bloomington Township to get this on the ballot:
https://blnnews.com/2024/05/15/want-to-see-the-petition-signers/
That effort failed because citizens of Bloomington Township outnumbered his ilk.
Time for Bloomington Township voters to do it again!
This time the organizer is Zach Gittrich who appears frequently around town. Last I heard he lived in Peoria, maybe he can clarify why he’s organizing Bloomington if he isn’t eligible to vote at this meeting. He spoke during Public Comment Monday night about this. Video is below. He wants 3 advisory questions on the ballot:
Question 1 pertains to the 1% Grocery Tax.
Question 2 pertains foreign policy
Question 3 pertains to data centers
See all 3 below.
Zach has the same goal Sonny did – defund Israel without saying the target is the same. I guess he threw in the other 2 items to get people there. I can see two passing and the 2nd advisory question failing. Who decides who falls in the category? Palestinian supporters? Great Britain is jailing people to limit free speech, are they human rights violators?
None of the 3 questions matter, Bloomington is not going to comply with either 1 or 3 based on the opinions of those who show up. Voters need to remember next year the City stated they had no plans to add the 1% grocery tax and then did it anyway. The citizens have already made it clear where they stand on data centers.
If citizens don’t show up all 3 will be on the November ballot which means the Bloomington Election Commission has to dedicate resources to print these on the ballot. Since June 1st isn’t a regular meeting, more resources need to be used to hold the meeting. I wonder if it will be live streamed? Keep in mind these are advisory questions.
What should be asked: “should the Bloomington Election Commission be Abolished”. It is unaccountable and expensive. McLean County doesn’t need 2 election authorities. Why should full time workers get paid for part time jobs? Of course, that question isn’t being asked.
.
Gittrich spoke during Public Comment Monday night about these questions. Just hit Play to hear him.
Again, citizen journalists are doing the job of what media should be doing as it concerns the takeover of communities by non-Christian groups. Tyler Oliveira has great reports on Muslim, Hindu and Jewish takeovers of cities all around the country. Tyler does it with humor but his videos are beyond informative. Christians are the target, not anyone else.
why can’t people just coexist? I’m a proud Muslim and have very enlightening conversations with Christians, Jews, Hindus, and atheists. This ballot question is something that is controversial yes, but the way we debate with each other matters. I wouldn’t want to argue with someone that isn’t able to see the other person’s perspective. (no offense Diane, jk 😅)
I’ve got better things to do
Yeah, we can live and not have like 10 posts about BloNo bike club and dox everyone lol. Also for your future posts, just redact PII please 🙏
Forced to read? Call 911
or you could just redact..? not sure if everyone wants to know & have their address public. if someone reported about ur address, would you say anything about it?
regardless… weird rant. i’d like to have more conversations in the future w you.. what’s an email I could use? I would never give my social media to you ngl 😃
Because none of my forementioned groups want to exist with whites. It’s pretty obvious. Go screw yourself. You people come to this country and think you’re going to make the rules. You are the ones that want your own specific housing, your own neighborhoods and stores. I don’t have to tolerate any of you that come to my house and then take a crap on.my doorstep and expect.me to clean it up. Go home if you don’t like it here with the rest of your fifty family members. Born and raised Americans are sick of your entitled attitudes. If you are still in high school you don’t know shit about anything. Come across the state line and try to lecture me to my 70 something face punk.
I mean, I personally would never come to your porch and take a crap there. I was born and raised here 🙂
“If you are still in high school you don’t know shit about anything.” okay that’s your opinion, but I hope you realize I haven’t done much to you bro.
Not your bro on any account. Live a little and get back to us all when you have some real life experiences. What is it with all you mouthy high school punks thinking you know it all? Sounds like you all have too many teachers right out of college that spent their time on the quad protesting.
Okay unc, I’ve got plenty of experiences ngl. I don’t know all, but you are being a bit of an ass. I got amazing teachers, some of whom are the nicest and wisest people I’ve ever met. Not everyone goes and protests on the quad, although I did at Uptown cir. 😃
Hey, Sonny’s question was valid. I was there last time. Good for anyone getting questions on the ballot! Diane, what’s your opinion on that one guy, Beyer I believe who got caught with illicit material on their home devices?
I have no idea what you are referring to. How about the 2 Unit 5 teachers investigated for abusing kids?
I hope they get the maximum punishment. There’s no defending them. His name was Bradley Beyer, see this link: https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_81ab7d55-e000-489f-8c53-ceb2b702c7bc.html
I was FOIA-ing (thats NOT a word lol) for Miller & Knapp and they keep denying my claim for FERPA. Hopefully I’ll get something of substance. Oh quick question, where would you recommend for someone to get a degree in Cybersecurity w/ a minor in Criminal Justice?
Pending cases aren’t subject to FOIA. College is a waste of time until AI shakes out.
Oh yeah, I guess that does go under FERPA and FOIA. I got the reprimand letters for Knapp though..?
Artificial Intelligence is iffy, it’s not good at all for cybersecurity. Where did you go for college? Assuming you went.
Technical school
Oh, good for you! I’m trying to get experience for jobs, colleges, etc… know anywhere I could volunteer or get a job at for civic action or criminal law?
Ask around, I don’t
👍
How is this local township business?
It’s not
Bingo!
If we defund Israel will the war stop and we get our economy back on track?
Hopefully, but Iran is also a factor. Once this administration finally gets a ceasefire, I can afford gas 😅
“Defund Israel without saying the target is the same.” As an America-first individual I don’t care if Israel is funded or not and I would prefer they fund themselves with exactly $0 American taxpayer dollars in foreign aid.
I agree, but I also think we should sanction everyone that’s inciting violence. Why did we sanction Russia and not Israel.
Israel is only guilty in the brains of antisemites
How so? Committing war crimes using white phosphorus isn’t guilty behavior? or how about breaking numerous ceasefires? Yes, other parties involved have done bad things, but today, Israel has been an aggressor.
Imagined propaganda
WHITE PHOSPHORUS
IMEU – https://imeu.org/resources/resources/quick-facts-israels-illegal-use-of-white-phosphorus/461
Amnesty – https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/lebanon-evidence-of-israels-unlawful-use-of-white-phosphorus-in-southern-lebanon-as-cross-border-hostilities-escalate/
Al-Jazeera – https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/9/israel-unlawfully-used-white-phosphorus-in-lebanon-hrw
The Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/25/israel-white-phosphorus-south-lebanon-researchers
CEASEFIRES
IMEU – https://imeu.org/resources/resources/fact-sheet-israels-history-of-breaking-ceasefires/410
UN – https://www.un.org/unispal/document/israel-continues-to-violate-the-ceasefire-agreement-un-facilities-are-being-attacked-letter-from-the-state-of-palestine-a-es-10-1027-s-2025-173/
Al Jazeera OLD – https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/11/how-many-times-has-israel-violated-the-gaza-ceasefire-here-are-the-numbers
WAR CRIMES IN GENERAL
UN News – https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164496
Human Rights Watch (a little old) – https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/26/gaza-us-forces-can-be-liable-for-assisting-israeli-war-crimes
Sorry for big message, c/p from my info doc
All reports by Israel haters. Nice
what sources do you classify as not Israel haters? People could say that for anything though. If AP reports that Trump is pushing unconstitutional policy, then would that make them Trump haters?
Nothing traditional, they have agendas
so tell me this, when you read about what’s happening in the world… which agency do you read from? ( I better not see New York post lol )
None, podcasts are better
the button for replying under your new comment went away. “None, podcasts are better”
when do you draw the line if your favorite podcaster starts spewing hateful language towards Israel or trump? Does that make the whole podcast an Israeli hater because they changed opinions?
Ignore TDS
why is this reply button disappearing? “Ignore TDS”
uh, okay? you still haven’t answered my question “what sources do you classify as not Israel haters?” you said ‘nothing traditional’ but you haven’t exactly answered it.
As stated, the second question is way out of the purview for any Townships jurisdiction. Not sure why anyone would want to have it on a referendum at this level of government. Perhaps Zach should try contacting the UN, his US Representative, US Senator, President.
the UN body can’t do anything for shit anymore. They aren’t respected enough to pursue change.
Why shouldn’t more communities at all levels of government be aware of global events? Basic civics imo. “Politics is local.” or something like that, per Tip O’Neil. Get involved people before the bulldozer runs you over.
You’re not completely wrong, but this is a case of looking through a telescope at a bulldozer thousands of miles away while standing on the one that’s driving towards your home in order to get a better view.
There are definite issues in and with Israel. Should it be defunded? Tbh, probably. But these antics accomplish nothing but distracting from the corruption and inappropriate spending here at the local, county, and state levels.
Maybe distraction or misdirection is the point. This issue generates anger against republicans that carries over to local elections. I’ll go out on a limb here. I don’t think these people are smart enough to have figured this out on their own. I wonder how many other communities across America are experiencing the exact same distraction.