By: Diane Benjamin Everyone endorsed by this PAC have an agenda. That agenda isn’t doing what’s right for taxpayers, it’s doing what THEY want done regardless of your opinion. Did you want a $30 million pedestrian underpass in Normal? I hope you are noticing what electing progressives means. They work for government, not you. Dave […]
The two video below are from West Side Neighbors Facebook page. They are evidently inviting a few candidates at a time to speak to their group. Brad Wurth and Mollie Emery were also there. Since Danenberger and Hendricks skipped a forum I attended, these videos will allow you to hear both for yourself. Both think […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari’s greatest lies part I lost count: https://www.cities929.com/steve-suess-podcast/ Tari Renner’s interview with Steve Suess starts around 45:00. Lie #1 Nobody has ever stated your entire police force is corrupt. I stated a bad cop can make ALL of them look bad. Lie #2 Diane makes stuff up. Since Tari claimed he doesn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin WJBC has reported Tari Renner wants to end the moratorium on new video gaming machines: http://www.wjbc.com/2019/07/29/renner-sides-with-businesses-seeking-to-end-bloomingtons-video-gaming-freeze/ I remember when the moratorium was put in place, Tari was outraged that $50 million a year went into the machines. It sounds like he changed his mind. Back in 2016 Tari was on WJBC talking […]
By: Diane Benjamin Clearly Emig is Tari’s pick for Ward 4, he’s holding an open house at his house for her. If you aren’t a left winger and want to attend, just show up. Responding on Facebook will get you blocked. Remember about a year ago when various Council people held “priority based budgeting” townhalls? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll The arena continues to fleece taxpayers: I wonder how many payments there will be? Legal Fees For October (the boot of government?): History Museum and Visitors Center: Following Normal’s lead, Bloomington will be taxing short-term rentals! All residents who rent their property will be required to register. If the website […]
By: Diane Benjamin It is very easy to describe government in Normal: “Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” Ronald Reagan Hotel occupancy in Bloomington-Normal is way down, according to […]
By: Diane Benjamin The proposed Zoning changes cover a lot of ground, but let’s start with downtown. Obviously everything the City does revolves around putting lipstick on this pig. This map is included in the documentation: http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=19954 The Purple proposed to be D2. The Green proposed to be D1 Light Blue proposed to be […]
By: Diane Benjamin It looks like the Decatur newspaper actually investigates government, unlike the Pantagraph. Both are owned by Lee Enterprises. (Stock price $2.75 a share) It’s a long read, but it NEVER mentions Decatur’s former City Manager (and now Bloomington’s) Tim Gleason. Everything is blamed on the City Council. City Managers are hired to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night Alderman Scott Black presented his want list: Most of them took up way too much Council time, a total of 8 minutes for each was extended for most of them. Scott doesn’t really want to know how other communities fund downtown redevelopment, he wants new fees or taxes that are […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course a feasibility study was done before the Coliseum was built. It predicted Revenue of $7.1 million and expenses of $4.8 million. Operations would easily cover the cost of building it. https://blnnews.com/2016/02/11/the-tale-of-the-coliseum-tari-a-hotel/ At last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, VenuWorks stated the arena would never lose LESS than $500,000. Any […]
By: Diane Benjamin The VenuWorks report is not the audited version, it is therefore immaterial. Time allowed for the presentation is 5 minutes, included will be the fictional economic impact of the arena. See PDF page 40: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=19928 Financial information is on PDF page 39. The loss does not include depreciation on the building which […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=18588 Expenses that can be avoided by eliminating the Bloomington Election Commission: Renner feeding himself in MARCH: Remember when America was a melting pot? People didn’t come here to be different, they came to be Americans. Those days are long gone in favor of “diversity”: Even Americans don’t want […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight Bloomington is holding a special meeting to talk about TIF’s. Again, they believe they can create prosperity with the “Right Fit”. Here’s the article they need to read: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/6/18/running-government-as-a-business Excerpts: If you’ve been here with Strong Towns for any amount of time, you know the suggestion that, “the object of a […]
A reader sent this pic of the “test” changes going on downtown: Comments? . . . . . . . /
When the City of Bloomington decided to hire the Downtown Bloomington Association staff because they could support themselves: They created ANOTHER empty space downtown: (read the awning)
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I toured the downtown core with a friend. If the pics below have spots blurred, it because a reflection was caught in the pic. My partner wishes to remain anonymous. The Core area is bordered by Front, East, Market, and Madison. It’s 12 square blocks. First, I was surprised by the […]
The tables in Champaign stay out all night, the chairs are secured in stacks on top of them. ________________ By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner was on the radio this morning again proclaiming no city is successful without a successful downtown. He of course learned that at the US Conference of Mayors, he’s going to another […]
By” Diane Benjamin I found an article talking to the author of a book called: Incentives to Pander: How Politicians Use Corporate Welfare for Political Gain Although the story talks a lot about mega deals like a new Amazon headquarters, the same principles apply locally. Quotes: There are consultants, there are companies, there are elected officials, […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to Wikipedia: Back in 1967 virtually nothing existed where Eastland Mall is today. Locals tell me the City Council cheered the new mall without understanding moving anchor stores from downtown would result in today’s conditions. How many employees did the Pantagraph formerly have downtown? They recently created another empty large building […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tuesday night the Bloomington City Council is going to talk about TIF districts: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=17858 PDF page 209 Bloomington has a long history of projects that aren’t the “Right Fit”. Start with the Coliseum and the BCPA, both catalyst project that did nothing to revitalize downtown. Between the two, around $100,000,000 has been […]
By: Diane Benjamin The building below used to be the piano and music store: It has been vacant for quite a while even though the rent is cheap for such a large space. http://www.cityfeet.com/cont/listing/retail-space-for-lease/417-n-main-st-bloomington-il-61701/cs11356072 According to the County website, taxes on this building are $1,511.88 a year. http://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/view/RE/21-04-189-003/2017 The building is owned by ZCV3 LLC. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.point2homes.com/US/Commercial-For-Sale/IL/Bloomington/Downtown-Bloomington/602604-N-Main/51134568.html The building is owned by downtown supporter Mike Manna. Is he fleeing? One caveat: The taxes listed are on a much lower Assessed Value: $93,787 http://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/view/RE/21-04-178-016/2017 Multiply that by 3.33 and it is supposedly the value of the building. That would be $281,361. Is the asking price too high or the […]
When does the first person trip and sue? If the City doesn’t want to pay for stop lights, why aren’t they out-doing Normal with TWO roundabouts? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout Did a planter used to be in front of Rosie’s too? I heard one was there briefly! Can anyone confirm? .
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll Monday night: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=17676 Bi-Weekly Overtime! (hours/payment – PDF page 6) Weekly employees Overtime: Two entries for Sick Leave Buy Back. Pension Spiking: More expenses for the Coliseum? They haven’t gotten to the elevator yet. Consultants – Administration How many downtown properties aren’t paying taxes because Bloomington bought them? Maybe […]
By: Diane Benjamin YMCA, State Farm, and now Specs Around Town are just some businesses who have or will be leaving downtown Bloomington. City of Bloomington: Whatever you are doing is causing flight from downtown. Downtown is for bars, restaurants, lawyers, and government. Until Bloomington quits trying to make downtown something it isn’t, the few businesses […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15904 The report from Tari’s Downtown Task Force is back on the agenda for Monday – minus moving the library and tearing down a parking garage. One question that won’t be asked or answered: The current downtown businesses didn’t care enough about downtown to fund the Downtown Bloomington Association. The City took […]
By: Diane Benjamin First the news: Pepsi is not paying the Ice Center anymore for naming rights ($50,000 a year), the Coliseum is no longer receiving $125,000 from Pepsi as a sponsor there! Both deals expired 3/31/2016. I bet you didn’t know that! total lost: $175,000 Nothing is clearer than the lies told by Arena […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve heard from a reliable source that State Farm is not remodeling their downtown Bloomington building. It will be empty in mid January. Grand Cafe is not going to re-open. Maybe you can help compile a list of businesses no longer downtown. Lancasters Chocolatier Mueller, Reece & Hinch Attorneys Who else? Anybody open […]
By: Diane Benjamin If the “welcoming ordinance” discussion isn’t divisive enough, the Downtown Task Force plan will also be presented. Most of the crowd will be gone when the previous discussion ends. The mob will only be there for the “No Justice No Peace” part. The Council should have held a special session only for […]
By: Diane Benjamin When the last Downtown Bloomington TIF ended, I hear David Bentley wasn’t happy with the money he got to rehab the CII East Building. He sued the City in 2014. See the 2014 TIF report here: ftp://ftp.illinoiscomptroller.com/LocGovTIF/FY2014/06402530/14TIF06402530Dwtwn_Cendistrict.pdf Since the TIF was pretty much over, expenses for legal fees were all that is […]
By: Diane Benjamin Downtown businesses didn’t even support the Downtown Bloomington Association. Now the DBA employees are happy City employees complete with higher salaries, benefits and pensions! The Coliseum and the Bloomington Center for Performing Arts (BCPA) were supposed to brings hoards of people downtown. The Visitor’s Center in the McLean County History Museum was […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is the Pantagraph story announcing CIAM (John Butler) would not be renewing the contract to manage the Coliseum: http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/u-s-cellular-coliseum-to-receive-new-management/article_194a2f7c-d482-5d82-8885-7e5eafddb2b4.html That was March 8, 2016. Tari Renner is quoted saying CIAM might get a short-term contract to help with the transition – maybe 30-60-or 90 days. Obviously Renner had no urgency to remove […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Tari had to have a hotel downtown to “benefit the Coliseum”? Remember when he said over and over developers were lining up to get projects started downtown? Today Tari’s Downtown Task Force has the brilliant idea of moving the library and creating a bus transfer station. Neither will be private […]
By: Diane Benjamin Your elected aldermen in Bloomington really have guts! On the same day they found out at least $1 Million was stolen from you – they voted to slap higher sewer and storm water rates on the victims of their ineptness! Yes, that would be Bloomington taxpayers. The conversation was really amusing. Scott […]
By: Diane Benjamin You already know that Tari Renner’s handpicked committee doesn’t represent the interest of anybody outside their tiny group who think downtown is the future. (Decades of facts to the contrary are immaterial) https://blnnews.com/2017/05/03/taris-downtown-task-force/ I know you don’t need proof, but: You can see what they have been up to here: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-552 I […]
Unbelievably busy!
By: Diane Benjamin Tari’s Downtown Task Force mostly consists of people who had their hand out for your money and Council people dying to give them more. The entire rest of Bloomington has no representation. Maybe that’s why moving the library and adding a bus transfer point got shredded at the meeting Monday night. See […]
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night the Council has bills to pay, massive pension payments to approve, and a little misc stuff. http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14583 See page 285. A consultant came up with a “Branding Concept” for downtown: . That means signs: Payment to KMA design of $62,190 was approved in 2016, Monday they get another […]
By: Diane Benjamin Nothing coming from this Council or Tari’s Downtown Task Force should surprise anybody. Vote for Big Spenders and you get the same policies that has the State with $15 Billion in unpaid bills! (after the tax increase) The people Tari appointed to plan downtown spending think just like him. (Are any on […]
