By: Diane Benjamin
This WGLT article misses a huge point taxpayers should notice: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-09-01/path-to-resolution-of-shared-sales-tax-dispute-remains-unclear
The County, Bloomington, and Normal can’t agree on funding local mental health initiatives. Keep in mind your SALES TAX was increased to fund it. It is your money they are fighting over.
Quote:
Bloomington City Manager Jeff Jurgens said even after a recent audit of the county fund that receives the money, the city and town still think the underlying issue is the county is getting too much sales tax money — more than the city and town thought they would ever pay.
“Because the laws changed, the town and the city are sending substantially more money to this fund,” said Jurgens.
Jeff, if the County is getting too much money it is because you are taking to much money!
Lowering the sales tax rate so you get to keep more of your money won’t be on the table. Government thinks once it is in their pocket it no longer belongs to you. Both Bloomington and Normal have an endless list of projects needing that money. Your needs are immaterial.
Is there anyone with a brain who thinks the County should keep the interest income earned on your confiscated tax dollars and not spent? Evidently the County is funding operations with it. So, they make money by NOT spending the money stolen from citizens. Brilliant.
You can see where the money has been allocated on this page, many of the groups awarded money aren’t spending it either:
Behavior Health Coordinating Council: https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/BHCC
First, you need to memorize the Acronyms! Study up, there will be a test.
MHPSF: Mental Health and Public Safety Fund
BHC: Behavioral Health Coordination
IGA: Intergovernmental Agreement
BHAP: Behavioral Health Action Plan
BHCC: Behavioral Health Coordinating Council
FAC: Mental Health and Public Safety Funding Advisory Council (FAC)
Who gets your tax dollars? Is local mental health getting better after 10 years of you paying more?
Pay off the jail and the record management system and be done with it. Cancel the tax. Those were the only two tangible agreed upon use cases for the tax revenue, some vague nebulous “mental health” is clearly not working and is where most of the conflict is from. The cities and county are receiving record amounts of property tax revenue, grocery tax, etc, and are all running annual surpluses. They don’t need this tax revenue.
People keep electing progressives that will never roll taxes back
Either they should adjust and/or REMOVE the tax or use it as it was intended. Giving the monies to the various (Jails, Dept of Health, mental Health agencies) to be utilized correctly. Not locked away.
I can only imagine the planning that’s being done behind doors for all the money and ways they can access it for their other plans. They just haven’t figured out how to do it.
The tax revenue is not locked away in some fund. The 20 million mentioned is actually already allocated and is composed of future obligations to be fulfilled by future tax revenue that hasn’t been collected yet. Nothing is locked away. The “fund” is technically in a current deficit. How are they earning interest on a non-existent fund made up of future uncollected tax revenue that is technically in a deficit? This is literally the gayest intergovernmental dispute I’ve ever encountered: Effeminate, emotional, limp-wristed, flamboyantly loud, and insufferably annoying.
“According to Mateas (the 3rd party fund auditor), the $20 million fund balance is not a surplus, but rather money that is earmarked for use down the line…Accounting for those future, contractually obligated expenses, the fund is technically in a deficit. However, that doesn’t mean the county is in the red. Much of the “deficit” will be covered as shared sales tax comes in.”
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-08-10/audit-suggests-mental-health-and-public-safety-fund-has-a-deficit-not-a-surplus
The audit indicates it is not being locked away but is for committed contracts.
The hubris and audacity of Jurgens to make this statement:
“Because the laws changed, the town and the city are sending substantially more money to this fund. ”
The city and town do next to nothing to receive taxpayer funded sales tax revenue. The businesses file periodic sales tax reports with the State Treasury and remit their sales tax revenue to the state. The state then processed the sales tax and periodically sends the appropriate percentages to the relevant local governments. The city and town take the money the State Treasury sends them and then simply remits the appropriate amounts to the county.
It’s not the city’s or town’s money, they did nothing to earn or receive it. It’s sales tax revenue taken from working families and seniors when they shop for necessities locally or online. His statement reveals he thinks it’s his, that he and the city are entitled to it somehow. Typical self engrandizing bureaucrats thinking only of themselves. “I am the city!” What a joke of a man. Pathetic.
This is the guy who insisted the city raise the 1% grocery tax too. Why does he hate the citizens who pay for his lavish salary and luxurious pension?
Most of the council is just like him
Jurgens just laughs all the way to the bank today and then through his retirement. I just don’t understand why the majority of voters don’t go to the polls and eliminate those that hire and support people who demand or get huge salaries paid for off the backs of hard working people. As I have stated before sad to think that the only fix is to do what our forefathers had to do, start a war and eliminate all of those that are taxing us to death and start over. So sad to have to think that way. Otherwise get off your asses and go vote those out that support paying these ridiculous salaries and taxing everything that we touch!
Bloomington’s Staff, Mayor, and Council are parroting Koos, who wants the extra money for his underpass. There is another document included and referenced in the IGA known as the Mental Health Action Plan which outlines the goals and objectives for the use of the Shared Sales Tax. That document needs to be included in the conversation, but to date has not. The IGA expires in 2036. The Council and Mayors want to micro-manage the mental health services rather than respecting the experts in the field. The elected believe mental health services are equivalent to baby-sitting, which can’t be farther from the truth.
The local behavioral health providers and County justice system representatives are members of the BHCC who set the annual priorities based on the goals and objectives of the Mental Health Action Plan. The Plan is now reviewed and revised, as needed, every three years to monitor the ever-changing community needs. An elected representative from the City and Town, as well as the Sheriff, County Board Chair, and a court judge (all elected), recommend budget expenditures to the County Board for final approval based on Action Plan priorities. Inflation is discussed in reference to municipal expenditures…mental health providers, the jail/justice system, and the County behavioral health department experience the same financial stressors. The restructuring of BHCC with the addition of FAC is meant to ensure dollars are spent in accordance with the Mental Health Action Plan. Mental Health providers are required to respond to NOFO or apply for Mental Health funding “grants” from the Mental Health and Public Safety Fund
Speaking of financials, the Mental Health and Public Safety Fund supports programs to reduce the expensive, repeated use of the jail and ER for those experiencing chronic mental health crisis which recurs without appropriate medication and supportive services.
Some other historic tidbits, the County behavioral health department is now on its 5th director in the 10 years since its inception, mainly due to adverse political criticism from the elected. COVID-19 shut down community services for 2 years. The community needs to be reminded that the sales tax increase for mental health is 1/4 of the 1% increase in 2015. One-half% went into the City’s General Fund and 1/4% went to infrastructure. Going further back in history, 1/4% tax increase was raised to fund the bond for BCPA & Arena. Connect Transit also has an IGA with the City and Town because local tax dollars are provided and increase 5% each year. Connect Transit, just like the County’s Behavioral Health Department, is required by their IGA to provide to Council a proposed budget and executive summaries of past expenditures and accomplishments. Has Connect Transit complied? Why is there not outrage and audit requirements from staff & council against CT? Where is the equity?
Facts matter.
County Board Chairman Johnson is/was a social service worker.
Her network and in group tribe is primarily from social services or local progressive democrat/socialist organizations.
As seen nationwide – huge amounts of FRAUD are easily perpetrated and concealed within the social services/health/welfare sphere.
The Shared Sales Tax money is the life blood for programs that are administered by the political friends and allies of County Board Chairman Johnston.
Since the Democrats gained control of County Board , the Mental Health portion of fund gets all the attention and Public Safety gets scraps.
We need more cops on the street and less social services navigators and administrators.