By: Diane Benjamin

1)

For the first time I can remember, the Ecology Action Center has recommended opting out of electric aggregation because you will be paying more if you don’t. This applies to Bloomington and Normal. https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-05-27/ecology-action-center-recommends-opting-out-of-electricity-aggregation-this-year

I don’t know if it is too late to opt out, see this Bloomington link: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/community/municipal-electric-aggregation

Normal: https://www.normalil.gov/1103/Electric-Aggregation

2)

I don’t know where this letter to the editor appeared, but it was posted on the person’s page below. The content is short on facts and full of propaganda. Town Hall events can no longer be held since they have devolved into yelling matches of activists who only want to silence opposition instead acquiring actual information.

Diana Hauman’s comment proves she isn’t capable of being nonpartisan and is therefore unfit to serve on the nonpartisan Bloomington Election Commission Board. If Hauman ever had to decide on whether a Republican should be on the ballot, anyone think she would be fair? Commenting on Democrat talking points devoid of truth proves she isn’t capable.

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3)

NextDoor is having a discussion concerning property taxes. One side wants you to believe the governor and state government has no impact on property taxes, the other side knows the state is not funding schools adequately which makes school property taxes increase at alarming rates.

The State sets the homestead exemption – $5000. It hasn’t been raised in years and is not indexed to inflation. Did you hear Florida is increasing theirs and it will eliminate property taxes for about 60% of homeowners? Understand that affects low and middle income people the most?

The State sets the multiplier rules that have dramatically increases your assessed values. The local taxing bodies took the higher values to steal more of your money.

If the State has no impact on property taxes, why is Springfield attempting to give HUGE tax breaks to the Bears? Public Pensions have a huge impact on property taxes, of course aligning those with the private sector will never happen with the current Illinois leadership. More on those – maybe tomorrow.

Who the governor is and who runs the legislative branches do matter when your property taxes are exploding.

According to the Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois now has the highest combined tax rate in the country: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-combined-state-local-tax-rate-tops-the-country/

4)

The properties included in the expanded Enterprise Zones Bloomington passed last Monday are not for a Data Center. Some of them do promote housing with tax breaks.

As a developer in Normal told me when I did the story about empty rental properties in 1 Normal Plaza, essentially he is forced to fund his competition. https://blnnews.com/2026/05/21/luxury-apartments-available-1-uptown-circle/

Bloomington is doing the same thing. It’s brilliant policy.

5)

Reminder to Bloomington residents:

June 1st is the special Township meeting only to vote on 3 questions: https://blnnews.com/2026/05/20/bloomington-township-rabblerousing-again/

The radicals will be there. Regular people need to show up too.