By: Diane Benjamin Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4103/files/agenda/12675 I don’t have time today to analyze, read it yourself. The only regular agenda item is exchanging some property with IWU: . Just so you don’t forget, the City has $1,400,000 in that part marked 807. https://blnnews.com/2025/07/16/flashback-to-2016/ The City bought it in 2016 to control development. So far no one […]
By: Diane Benjamin Filing a Statement of Economic Interest is required by law to reveal conflicts of interest. Evidently the fines of $100 a day don’t start the day filing is past due. Fines should start immediately to cover the cost of Certified Mail and the staff time it takes to process mailings. Filing was […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Diana Hauman made a drive-by comment to me as she left the data center meeting. She thinks I need to know more about the League of Women Voters before writing about them. I spontaneously burst out laughing! I’ve been writing about the LWV since 2013. See every story at this link: […]
Held today: Let’s see if Democrats file an objection. Democrat Ben Matthews was present.
By: Diane Benjamin On December 8, 2025 the Bloomington City Council heard a presentation on Proactive Property Maintenance Enforcement Update: . Since I didn’t write much about this, I asked GROK AI when it happened. I remembered it, just not when. Grok gave me the answer in 10 seconds. PDF page 5: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1012/files/agenda/9377 As long […]
By: Diane Benjamin I attended enough of the first discussion yesterday at the BCPA on data centers to know that those present want nothing to do with building one in Bloomington. I heard from an attendee that lots of different people showed up for the evening event with the same views. The biggest reasons why […]
By: Diane Benjamin For awhile yesterday this video was not in the story: https://blnnews.com/2026/05/05/nchs-violence-reason-for-evacuation/ Evidently some people don’t understand that students acting like animals at school wouldn’t hesitate to call in a fake bomb threat to get out of going to school. . Today is Data Center Day: . Did you know the United States […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you missed it, see yesterday’s story on the League of Women voters: https://blnnews.com/2026/05/04/uncovering-the-truth-about-mclean-county-elections/ 1) Diana Hauman spoke at a Bloomington Council meeting last August on behalf of the “nonpartisan” League of Women Voters that isn’t actually nonpartisan. Is Hauman still a League member? Is she pushing for Rank Choice Voting? The […]
By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County League of Women Voters claim they are nonpartisan. https://www.lwvmclean.org/ It’s easy to tell they aren’t. Using the terminology: Defending Democracy is a giveaway they aren’t. Democracy is mob rule, we are a Republic. It’s the same terminology Democrats have used in the last few elections to con voters while […]
By: Diane Benjamin This property was randomly picked and is the same one from previous stories: https://blnnews.com/2026/04/30/congrats-how-much-is-stolen-from-you-is-posted/ The Bloomington house increases are in this story: https://blnnews.com/2026/05/01/taxing-bodies-in-bloomington-increases/ Total taxes paid in 2025 vrs 2026: . Congrats go to the Normal voters who fell for the “property taxes will go down” if you vote for a 1% […]
By: Diane Benjamin Same property as previous stories – picked at random. https://blnnews.com/2026/04/30/congrats-how-much-is-stolen-from-you-is-posted/ For context on the airport tax: Bloomington and Normal properties are still being taxed by the airport — see Central Il Reg Airport Auth. In 2025, it appeared on bills as “BLM-Nrm Airport Auth.” This year’s 2026 in-town bills now show $0.00 […]
MCLEAN COUNTY CLERK PRESS CONFERENCE: FRIDAY, May 1, 11:00 am, Lobby of Government Center 115 E. Washington Street, Bloomington, IL The Democrats on our McLean County Board have gone too far. I can handle bullies, but not when they unjustly try to scare and bully members of our staff by sending the IL State Police […]
By: Diane Benjamin In other words, the new property tax bills have been posted. You will never own your property, you are renting it from government. If you live in the County you will be charged for the airport without a vote by you. Springfield elected officials passed it because Dave Koehler presented it. Taxation […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the ISU table flipper? https://blnnews.com/2025/11/21/update-on-derek-lopez-hes-still-being-held-in-custody/ The court record shows he tried to get out on bond, the order on his motion isn’t available so I assume he is still being held. There was a pretrial conference held in April, I have no idea when his trial will be. Local Public Defender […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s nice to see everything the Council considers is no longer hashed out during 2 on 1 meetings. Previously every agenda item was decided behind closed doors making Council meetings mostly useless. Of course that means meetings are longer as Council members ask questions and state their opinions. Last night was 2 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Wall Street 24/7 issued a report yesterday showing the top 43 cities losing the most population from 2017-2022. I don’t know why 2022 was used, it should have been a little more current. https://247wallst.com/population-and-social-characteristics/2026/04/27/the-u-s-cities-losing-residents-the-fastest/ The list includes Illinois cities: Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Danville, Decatur. All of them were behind this one: I’m sure […]
By: Diane Benjamin From Bills and Payroll: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32515/639124583137330000 Another spiked pension taxpayers have to cover: Why did Bloomington buy a lot? Tonight’s Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4115/files/agenda/12646 The Welcoming America Committee is being discontinued and absorbed by Human Resources. Failures to consistently have a quorum at meetings is blamed. The Empire TIF Fund needs $500,000 to pay the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Facebook comments to this story are below, it has a slightly different name on Facebook: https://www.wglt.org/2026-04-26/politics-chat-trump-rushed-away-from-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner The left isn’t smart enough to realize if Trump was implicated in the Epstein files Democrats would have used it against him in the 2024 election. He wasn’t, in fact the released data clears him. Most […]
By: Diane Benjamin April 28th Meeting Packet: https://connect-transit.com/file/4167/2026%2004%2028_BoT%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf Imagine earning this much revenue in March 2026: . Now imagine how much that $100,000 cost you to earn: . $1,624,319 taxpayer dollars were spent to earn $100,211. When that number gets to $2 million tax dollars every month will people finally realize they are being robbed? […]
By: Diane Benjamin This meeting was held in response to the damage caused by the tornado that hit Bloomington on April 17th. Just hit play to see some pictures, most I haven’t seen in the media. Slides are included showing the 911 and non-emergency calls during and after the storm. No injuries or deaths have […]
It’s will be 14 years on April 28th since I started writing. I’m taking today off, maybe longer. If anyone is wondering, I don’t get paid for “clicks”. That is a story for another day.
By: Diane Benjamin If you aren’t a subscriber to their emails, you should be: Subscribe here Last week the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released its seminal, annual Rich States, Poor States report, which ranks all 50 states on their economic competitiveness using metrics like total tax burden, labor laws and the cost of debt service. Open […]
By: Diane Benjamin Staff doesn’t see the humor in calling Committee of the Whole COW. I do. 😁 This is posted for tonight’s scheduled meeting: . The next Committee of Whole meeting is on May 18th. The next regularly scheduled meeting however is next Monday.
By: Diane Benjamin Besides raising water rates 100% over 3 years, the City of Bloomington raised your property taxes too this year. Excerpts from when the water rate increases were passed 11/27/2023: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/cityblm/9f871a978bec4858933e854eec3650e40.pdf The capital projects will include approximately: (1) $75M to $100M in systemwide distribution improvements; (2) $100M in lead service replacement; (3) $125M […]
By: Diane Benjamin It looks like the County Board Democrats were merely playing theatrics to promote their McLean County Clerk candidate. If you appreciate lies, then we all know who you are going to vote for. PDF page 238 https://mcleancountyil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162026-1174 This was passed last Thursday: This is what the Board actually approved – from Kathy […]
By: Diane Benjamin In case you forgot, May 1st your water rates are going up again. https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/departments/water/resident-community/water-rate-increase-and-capital-project-updates
By: Diane Benjamin The media can either perpetuate lies or report fairly. This will clearly show who is only interested in promoting the left and who actually cares about the truth. I have emails proving McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael responded to the Administration and Finance Committee when questions were raised about budget overages. I […]
By: Diane Benjamin Mayor Brady is looking for volunteers to serve on Boards and Commissions. The Japanese Sister City Committee has a lot of vacancies! The Citizens’ Beautification Committee has a lot of vacancies too. Those are just 2 that wouldn’t require an extensive amount of time. See the long list of City Boards and […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when the local anti-semites’ tried to put this on the ballot using the Bloomington Township annual meeting? Shall the United States federal government and subordinate divisions stop giving military funding to Israel, which currently costs taxpayers 3.8 billion dollars a year, given Israel’s global recognition as an apartheid regime with a […]
By: Diane Benjamin One big difference between Mayor Mwilambwe and Mayor Brady: Meetings start at 6:00. I don’t remember time mattering to Mboka. Arbor Day got a proclamation. Trees are wonderful, I’ve got a bunch of them still dropping dead branches from the last ice storm years ago. I hope since Bloomington has two arborists […]
By: Diane Benjamin Link to tonight’s agenda Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4102/files/agenda/12569 I bet some local business is kicking themselves for not jumping on the naming rights for the Coliseum. You could have gotten free advertising forever—nobody else seems to want their name on the building. Just pay for a few years, cancel the contract afterward, and your […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/waste-watch-illinois-gives-500000-to-health-advocacy-non-profit/ Type Bloomington in the SEARCH to see what Illinois budgeted. Wesleyan isn’t the only non-government entity getting money. Is Wesleyan discounting tuition to local residents too much to fund their own projects or did the local reps decide to gift them your money? . Next type Normal in […]
By: Diane Benjamin It took 3 weeks to get a FOIA from IDHS based on this story: https://blnnews.com/2026/03/18/paid-consultants-inccrra/ The delay was caused by 2 extensions. They had to get the information from the local INCCRRA office. That story includes a list of some of the paid consultants involved in the $17 million Illinois Network of […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/district-87-superintendent-award The superintendent of District 87 schools in Bloomington has been named a Superintendent of Distinction by the Illinois Association of School Administrators. Enrollment is dropping while Mouser increased taxes. He’s on a spending spree with new projects including pre-school. Test scores are DISMALL! https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=trends&Districtid=17064087025 Then there is this gem: https://blnnews.com/2026/03/19/district-87-to-students-being-american-doesnt-matter/ Dr […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Code of Ethics Normal passed last night is really cute, but it has no enforcement mechanisms. Therefore it is meaningless. Four Council members will continue to ignore the citizens who don’t want money thrown away on a $40+ million underpass. Those four will continue to vote for spending whatever it takes […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Jesus isn’t a “progressive”. The local Unitarian Church is: https://uubn.org/wp/ Quotes from their website: Unitarian Universalism is an unambiguously, unapologetically progressive faith. Our congregation affirms the inherent worth and dignity of all people through our work in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Subscribers: I don’t think the Weekend comics posts was sent on Saturday (WordPress problem!). See it here: https://blnnews.com/2026/04/04/weekend-comic-truth/ Illinois has the highest property tax rates in the country: https://smartasset.com/taxes/illinois-property-tax-calculator Those rates make homes and rental units unaffordable. This year they will be increasing again. The new assessed values for taxes this year […]
By: Diane Benjamin IRS form 990 for Brightpoint, formerly Children’s Home and Aid: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/362167743/202521309349300107/full From their tax return: WE ADVANCE THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN BY INVESTING IN FAMILIES TO DISRUPT THE SYSTEMIC AND MULTI-GENERATIONAL CYCLE OF RACIAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC INEQUITY. This webpage shows they operate in 10 counties, but the majority of offices are […]
By: Diane Benjamin Are the electric buses alive now? Are these 12 buses really running? This page lists the bus fleet: https://connect-transit.com/about/our-fleet 6 hybrid. 32 other buses are listed as diesel. This was mentioned at the March 2026 Connect Transit meeting: The Gillig buses that Connect Transit already has are diesel. The documentation for this […]
By: Diane Benjamin This story was inspired by the following article: https://illinoisfamily.org/federal/the-hunger-industrial-complex-part-ii-the-six-figure-charity-racket/ You REALLY need to read that story before continuing. One excerpt: When you compare what food-bank executives earn to the work these organizations actually do, the picture that emerges isn’t one of modest, volunteer-driven charity. It’s a professional system of administration and logistics […]
