By: Diane Benjamin If the potted plants agree citizens should have no voice in their government – it will happen Monday. Tari attempted to shut down Judy Stearns while she was on the Council. Tari attempted to shut me down with his vile comments on my site. I made a big mistake by not pressing charges against him […]
By: Diane Benjamin What did Bloomington citizens tell their elected officials? Fix the roads and no spending public money on a downtown hotel. The Mayor and Council heard the same mantra over and over, but did they listen? Obviously not. Stay with me here . . . I get the same emails from ICMA – International […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since a white women can now pretend she is black, and a guy can pretend he is a woman and he/she get an award for bravery, and all of us are supposed to approve and keep our mouths shut: Today I’m pretending to be the Mayor of Bloomington! Here’s what I’m going to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Alderman Tari junior, Scott Black, was just on WJBC talking about the three hour Executive Session last Monday. It ended in the Giebelhausen downtown plan being killed. Evidently the discussion could have been held in public. Black wasn’t shy about what was discussed. Since the meeting was held behind closed doors, the voters will never know who said what and why. Black used […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari: Congratulate your Economic Development people for bring Hy-Vee to town. It just cost you a Cub Foods. I wonder who Green Top Grocery will put out of business? How many hotels were put out of business when Normal decided they needed a Marriott? What will happen when Normal’s second hotel opens? Still want a hotel in downtown […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve heard for years that Executive Sessions are secret. Council members have been threatened with censure if they talk about anything said behind closed doors. The threats are illegal! Local government has used threats because either they don’t know the law or they want to keep information from the public. Read what the […]
By: Diane Benjamin I get a lot of tips from readers, this is one of them. Decades ago downtown Bloomington was heated by steam. Below the old existing buildings are pipes, and no surprise – they are wrapped in asbestos. Didn’t you find it strange that the Giebelhausen “shovel ready” project won’t be shovel ready? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Mayor Tari wants the Front and Center building torn down so he can get a downtown hotel. Other City departments want the windows and roof fixed. Um. Haven’t citizens been told over and over and over the City can’t force Huffs to fix the building? It would take too much time and […]
The WJBC Renner interview is now posted: http://cdn.stationcaster.com/stations/wjbc/media/mp3/Tari_Renner__Bloomington_mayor__6_10_15-1433957937.mp3 The exact words Tari used to describe IPI were: they have an ideological agenda. He switched the conversation to tax rates when he learned he was wrong. He claimed Illinois has comparable taxes to surrounding states. Why is everybody leaving Illinois? Other items of note: Tari has massive interest from […]
By: Diane Benjamin A vote on the Giebelhausen downtown redevelopment deal could be as early as June 18th. Renner’s folly for a downtown hotel makes this project dangerous for the future of Bloomington. Citizens said no public money, so Tari is borrowing it instead. Does anybody trust their government? Citizens said NO Coliseum, they did it anyway. […]
By: Diane Benjamin On Monday night the City of Bloomington will hold another Council meeting. Lots of you have commented on this site about the Dukowitz-Renner-Hauman attempt to silence the Press. I STRONGLY encourage you to speak at Public Comment. Too often the Council sees the same people at every meeting. The Council can ignore your […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are some interesting items approved for payment at the last City Council meeting. Bills and Payroll – 5/26/15 http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8606 Moving expenses for the new City Clerk from Nevada: CHERRY LAWSON 00000 INV 04/30/2015 MVNG EXP NV 4/15 115554 1 10011310 70632 CtyClerk Pro Develp 2,604.55 Invoice Net 2,604.55 CHECK That’s pretty cheap considering […]
By: Diane Benjamin Most council meetings are scripted. The Mayor and City Manager take their favorite aldermen to lunch at your expense and brief them on how to vote. If the ONLY conservative on the council, Kevin Lower, says anything – nobody but citizens care. Expect the next 2 years to be filled with 8-1 votes. Besides Public Comment being part […]
By: Diane Benjamin Quote from today’s editorial: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/opinion/editorial/editorial-united-front-is-only-way-to-drive-economic-development/article_942a3be9-533e-5f46-b2f8-d0f15d3ac211.html There must be a consensus to step forward as a group to support ideas or processes that are in the best interest of the county as a whole. I didn’t need to attend the joint Council + County meeting this week to know what was said. I […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last weekend a soccer tournament must have been held on the fields by the airport. Cars and kids were everywhere, so many that a Bloomington Police officer was on duty ALL day to control traffic. Did the soccer people pay his salary or the citizens of Bloomington? Both Normal and Bloomington are […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I posted the City Code section that spells out who is NOT allowed by law to vote on municipal contracts. http://blnnews.com/2015/05/20/conflict/ Jamie, you appear to be looking at running again for City Council against Alderman Kevin Lower. You and your wife own a downtown business. Read the law. You would therefore […]
By: Diane Benjamin Does anybody read the City Code? Do you know elected officials who might be benefitting “indirectly” from the Giebelhausen fleecing? Chapter 16 : Section 57A : City Officers Not to Have Interest in Municipal Contracts. http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=262 No officer of the City shall be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract made and entered into under the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Mayors indoctrinated to believe a city’s future is downtown have popped up all over the country. Where do you think Tari was trained? See this article http://www.salina.com/news/downtown-improvements-take-major-step-forward/article_886e78b7-5518-52de-8655-92062c1f2fba.html It’s short, not reading it is not an option! Don’t miss the end.
By: Diane Benjamin The Ensenberger building is held by the Huffs as Ensenberger Building Corp. They own other properties under Front N Center and Consolidated Properties Inc. To view the County Recorder of Deeds website you have to apply for access, so I will just give some highlights: No Ensenberger condo sales are listed since 2013, the only activity […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City had no problem with massive legal fees fighting the arbitrators ruling on Scott Oglesby. The City had no problem with big legal fees to put Paradigm together before the citizens knew Bloomington was even involved. The City has no problem sending $50,000-$60,000 a month to the Springfield law firm for […]
By: Diane Benjamin Judy Markowitz will always be known as the mayor who inflicted Bloomington taxpayers with the Coliseum. Tari’s plan for his shrine can be seen here: http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=531 The City wants to pay $8.2 Million for blank land after Giebelhausen demolishes historic buildings. The Front and Center building is not in any danger of falling down, according to […]
By: Diane Benjamin The March edition of David Hales’ City Manager report is out: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8528 The usual Strategic Plan is on page 5, note how many items the City of Bloomington is failing to achieve – Financially sound City providing Quality Basic Services See parts a-e. Upgrade City Infrastructure – Quality roads Check the rest […]
By: Diane Benjamin Does government create economic activity? Tari Renner believes he needs to control what happens to downtown Bloomington. Obviously Chris Koos had the same thought when he created Uptown. Meantime, tax revenue is down in BOTH cities. Both mayors believe more government intervention is needed to force economic development and growth. Now they […]
By: Diane Benjamin Listen to the interview here: http://www.wjbc.com/2015/05/13/renner-tif-could-pay-for-downtown-development/ Tari seems possessed by Ronald Reagan. Lately he has been saying often that TIF’s were suggested by Reagan. Tari, Ronnie also cut taxes and created a boon in job creation and economic development. Reagan also wanted to stop funding for Regional Planning Commissions because they exert control from DC […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I wrote about the exchange at Monday night’s Council meeting between Alderman Lower and Public Works Director Jim Karch. Numbers to fix the roads were revealed, much higher than the current budget. http://blnnews.com/2015/05/12/13-7m-9-5m-what-tari-didnt-want-to-hear/ Karch referenced a report on the City website, I looked for it. I couldn’t find it, so I emailed Jim. […]
by: Diane Benjamin If the bird-cage liner or the low information radio station ever want creditability – here’s a tip: When a government official glibly says the law doesn’t say we can, or I can’t by law – CHECK the law! I’ve seen a pattern with the local officials. To deflect further questions or discussion, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari didn’t want to consider any budget cuts last year, so he forced through 3 tax increases. Tari didn’t want to consider any budget cuts this year, so he is taking $3M from savings. Tari didn’t like the results the citizens summit and surveys, so he’s putting a commission together to study […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two schools of thought are in play locally: 1) Government exists to create Quality of Life – no specific definition 2) Government exists to provide essential services citizens can not provide for themselves – police, fire, streets, sewers etc Normal switched to option 1 when Koos was elected. Everything that happens there […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington has been trying to revive downtown since at least the 80’s. I don’t know when this program started, but I saw references on-line to loans being made through this program in 1982. Remember Chinatown nightclub and later the Xi Do restaurant (Bou Chu)? Chu borrowed $200,000 and received […]
By: Diane Benjamin Here is a summary of the downtown Bloomington deal: Remember the Life commercial – two brothers want their little brother to try it first? “Let’s get Mikey” Substitute Tari: Much more in the coming days!
Read the Comments By: Diane Benjamin Meryl Huff received TIF money to develop the Ensenberger building, how many condo’s have been sold? The Front and Center building was taken as collateral by the City and 2.2 Million was loaned to Huff. Under Steve Stockton the loan was forgiven! Poof! 2.2 Million gone. Now the City […]
By: Diane Benjamin A group called Prairie PAC donated $2500 to Renner for Mayor before Tari was elected. So who is Prairie PAC? According to the link below – Dick Durbin. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?cycle=2010&strID=C00347195 Dickie’s side of the aisle loves to complain about Citizens United, the ruling that allowed PACs. They have no problem collecting money with […]
By: Diane Benjamin Evidently Tari is running for reelection and is already raising money. He must think more people love how he spends your money than don’t. This one was sent to me. Tari: My RSVP is NO! You’re invited to a Renner for Mayor Fundraiser Please join Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner after work for […]
By: Diane Benjamin Renner had a motion ready via Alderman Schmidt to move Public Comment to after the presentation last night by Giebelhausen. Mayor Transparency: Information should have been posted before the meeting so citizens could review it. Instead YOU chose to shut down citizens by presenting information without allowing citizens time to process it. Can we expect […]
Fruin showed up – vote was 8-1 to spend staff time and around $25,000 on consultants so the issue can be examined. An answer has to be reached in 4-5 weeks. NOBODY asked why the building owners haven’t been held accountable for the condition or how much they and the developer will make off taxpayers. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight the Bloomington City Council will hear from a developer who wants to acquire buildings downtown, tear them down, and then sell the blank canvas to the City. The price will be revealed tonight. Assume it’s high or it would have been made public before tonight. The agenda still says “possible vote”, […]
By: Diane Benjamin It is no accident that a special meeting was called for the City of Bloomington days after the new Council member took the oath of office and the others were sworn in. Renner has been possessed with downtown since being elected. The new Alderman has a problem though. Amelia Buragas’s father, David Dorris, is a property owner downtown. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Democracy in action! Renner wants a hotel downtown and he wants it now! The future of Bloomington is downtown – how many times does he have to say it before taxpayers understand he will bury you in debt to get it. A hotel is his agenda and he has a stacked council salivating at his […]
By: Diane Benjamin Why should Bloomington and Normal not merge into one city? Since Normal already has offices nicer than most corporations, Uptown would be the new center of government. Citizens could save a ton of money on overhead and administration salaries. Koos is already running Bloomington anyway, so let the savings begin. A hotel downtown didn’t wait for a […]
By: Diane Benjamin On April 20th the Bloomington City Council held a meeting with area legislators. I hear only 2 showed. Here’s the facts: The meeting was held in a room where live-streaming wasn’t possible. The local bird-cage liner didn’t do a story on the event. Governor Rauner has proposed cuts to dollars sent back […]
