By: Diane Benjamin I’ve been waiting years for someone to file with the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access division concerning their policies. Public Comment is Freedom of Speech and a 1st Amendment Right to address grievances with YOUR government. McLean County thinks you need to give them 24 hours notice if you want to speak. […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT story on Unit 5 property taxes: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-11-16/unit-5-proposes-151m-tax-levy-but-plans-to-lower-tax-rate Your property taxes are going up because Unit 5 needs the money. Below is a quote showing the mentality of the people you elected: People buy homes to live in. It doesn’t matter how much more your house is worth if you aren’t planning […]
By: Diane Benjamin The purpose of the Local Government Data on the Comptroller’s website is to present finances in a way citizens can understand. When the data isn’t available it should make everyone wonder why! Normal’s year end was last March 31st. The “landing page” for Normal has been updated to reflect the FY 2023 […]
By: Diane Benjamin 5 socialists sit on the Bloomington City Council. There aren’t have enough common sense votes to stop spending that increases the size and scope of local government. You better see the downtown vision: https://downtownforeveryone.com/renders/ Government never produces prosperity. Bloomington will try anyway since they know where to get money. I’m sure they […]
By: Diane Benjamin I remember statements like: “The library was built when the population was only 40,000 people.” Remember this chart from past stories? https://www.bloomingtonlibrary.org/sites/default/files/content/minutes/BPL%20June%202023%20Board%20Packet.pdf This chart is in the June 2023 packet. That is also the last month this chart is included in a packet. Did somebody decide to quit including it because it […]
The “war” has been going on for more than 1 year. Biden has prevented peace talks. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/08/biden-admin-nudging-led-ukraine-to-drop-putin-condition-for-peace-talks-00065679 Meanwhile, we are funding salaries and pensions for people in Ukraine – I believe the total is up to $130 billion with no accountability or transparency on who’s pocket our money ended up in. Ukraine is a corrupt […]
By: Diane Benjamin In case you missed this story in the media: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_bc96b2e2-5338-11ee-a876-73caeb277433.html Clever Real Estate teamed up with moving company Allied Van Lines and found that Illinois has had more outbound moves than any other state in the past six months. Why would people continue to flee Illinois? The Bloomington City Council is encouraging out-migration. 5 of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thanks to no one else running in Ward 1 last April a socialists walked on to the Bloomington City Council without a fight. Nice folks. You should know Jenna Kearns does not say the Pledge of Allegiance which means her oath of office to the Constitution of both the US and State […]
It is impossible for me to cover all local units of government myself, therefore I am going to quit covering Normal. If anyone actually cares about schools, I need help there too. Your part-time mayor driving a vehicle taxpayers paid almost $74,000 for and putting regular plates on it instead of government plates didn’t make […]
By: Diane Benjamin It was the Democrats who wanted to change the agreement made when a 10-10 Board was elected and a Republican was picked as chair. Last night changed nothing. In October the last empty seat will be filled restoring the 10-10 board. A Republican will still be in charge, what the Republicans did […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is the only mention in the agenda attachments of the raise the County Board awarded to Cassy Taylor last night: Board member Chuck Erickson tried to stop it because salaries of Administrators are out of control. He couldn’t muster enough Republican votes to stop it. So, how much is it? I […]
By: Diane Benjamin One Democrat was denied the right to attend the meeting tonight remotely which meant 9 Republicans were present and voting to 8 Democrats present and voting. The rules were changed by the Republican majority to elect a chair based on the majority present instead of a majority of the total. On a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-09-12/group-looks-to-rally-support-for-a-community-land-trust-in-bloomington-normal-aimed-at-housing-affordability Local housing is a problem that the free market will self-correct. Interference in the process is why housing is unaffordable. One thing is certain: Additional housing can’t be created next month. It takes time and creating a Community Land Trust isn’t going to fix anything quickly. They […]
I’m told the established rules require 10 votes for a chair regardless of who is present. By: Diane Benjamin The County Board now has two vacancies. Since every District has two elected officials everyone still has representation. The only District that doesn’t have the same representation is 5, it used to have a Democrats and […]
BLOOMINGTON IL — Ross Webb has announced his candidacy to serve the citizens of the 10th District on the McLean County Board. Ross wants to give a voice to the constituents of the eastern Bloomington district and is delivering a message of common-sense approach to local government. Ross is an advocate for the taxpayer, a […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader This isn’t a “fleet vehicle”. Check the plates.
By: Diane Benjamin Fitch downgraded the US credit yesterday: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/shock-u-s-credit-rating-downgrade-by-fitch-rings-alarm-bells-about-economy/ar-AA1eGOTE This is a quote from the story: According to the company, despite the fact that the debt ceiling standoff was resolved two months ago, “the repeated debt-limit political standoffs and last-minute resolutions have eroded confidence in fiscal management.“ Let me interpret: Fitch would rather see […]
By: Diane Benjamin One Public Comment was given at the last School Board meeting by the mom of a bullied student who was punished for defending himself. See 30:55 https://vimeo.com/event/3579210 When the Unit 5 School Board approved contracts on July 19th there was NO DISCUSSION. No recap for the public – nothing. Various Board members […]
By: Diane Benjamin Congressional earmarks were brought back this year by the REPUBLICAN HOUSE. WGLT did a story detailing how Rep Eric Sorensen is bringing home the deficit spending: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-07-19/b-n-project-grants-advance-in-u-s-house Of course WGLT didn’t mention DC’s money printing is destroying the value of the dollar. Seen inflation? The rate of increase is slowing but it […]
Steve Deace is a Blaze Radio host and podcaster. If you want to hear a biblical culture view you need to listen to Steve Deace. Spotify site: https://open.spotify.com/show/2pJ9TfiD74kY2oqSYj5186 Steve posted his rules for winning elections on Twitter. He helped turn Iowa redder than Texas, so his opinion is worth posting. So you truly want to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read WGLT’s version: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-06-30/former-town-council-member-sues-normal-over-high-haven-cannabis-dispensary-permit Jeff Fritzen would get a lot more support if he hadn’t sided with the Town of Normal against the citizens who wanted representation according to Illinois law. He sided with the Town instead. If you haven’t heard, Pritzker signed the legislation making Normal the only Incorporated Town that […]
By: Diane Benjamin The PIN # of the property taxpayers are demolishing on W Jackson was corrected, otherwise the property wasn’t discussed. The contractor is required to pay prevailing wage since public money is being used. You evidently gave a present to the labor unions and the property owners. Congrats. For all the anti-religion people […]
By: Diane Benjamin Citizenship in America is meaningless as illegals continue to flood the border. They are handed benefits paid for by you. If you haven’t asked yourself why tax dollars are used to house them you probably went to a public school that didn’t teach what immigration as always been: opportunity, not freebies. You […]
By: Diane Benjamin Celebrate now Bloomington – your water bills will increase. The City did a study and you just aren’t paying enough as compared to other area municipalities. See 43:30 on the video below. Water rates haven’t increased since 2012, everything else the City charges on your bill goes up 3% automatically every year. […]
By: Diane Benjamin This meeting lasted almost 1 1/2 hours, 4 people spoke at Public Comment. Mayor Mboka always reads a prepared statement before public comment. That statement is incorrect. Public Comment isn’t for the Council, it is for citizens. The Council regardly ignores what citizens say, that happened again last night via Mollie Ward. […]
By: Diane Benjamin This was the vote on Tom Crumpler’s motion to add requirements to the agreement with the East Washington developers to pay prevailing wage: . This was the final vote on the project: . Danenberger and Hendricks flipped their votes. The Hendricks flip doesn’t make sense since he was bought by the communists […]
By: Diane Benjamin The streets and sidewalks presentation from Monday night is now online: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/29386 PDF page 2 states Bloomington has 842 Lane Miles (streets). Below is the same graphic I posted earlier, except this one is readable – PDF page 12: From 1995 to 2022 Bloomington resurfaced a total of 359.6 lane miles. 27 […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s always nice when the clueless show up and claim they elected the new members of the Bloomington City Council. Unfortunately they are right. The new members plus Mboka and Tom Crumpler knelt before them. I love this visual – the first communist who spoke surrounded by police: The police weren’t there […]
Kev Phares (Cities 92.9) interviews protestors in Peoria, of course they claim he has to have a press badge. Free speech isn’t allowed by some of the protestors. These people must not know DEMOCRATS re-elected Ron DeSantis. The “Don’t Say Gay Bill” doesn’t exist, these people haven’t heard the truth and won’t because of #FakeMedia. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Proving Democrats represent government and not citizens, HB 3337 passed both houses in Springfield. Once Pritzker signs this bill – written only for the Town of Normal which is illegal – Koos will have the right to pass an ordinance changing Trustees from elected to appointed. Read it yourself: https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3337&GAID=17&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=148499&SessionID=112&GA=103 Democrats pretend […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois doesn’t care about passing illegal laws. They play sue me if you don’t like it, their oath of office is meaningless. HB 3337 is attempting to make Normal legal by changing the rules that ONLY apply to them. Equal justice under the law doesn’t apply to the citizens of Normal. It […]
By: Diane Benjamin This pic will give you an idea of how many citizens showed up in Uptown last night for the Normal Town Council meeting. Most of the speakers who were allowed to speak didn’t want the Council to approve either dispensary on the agenda. Below is how the mayor greeted them – some […]
By: Diane Benjamin The final amounts spent to win a Trustee seat on the Normal Town Council won’t be available until second quarter reporters are filed. The numbers below are through 3/31/23. There were another 4 days to campaign and expenses could have continued to come in even after the election. Normal doesn’t want Wards […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course democrats won’t care if they pass an unconstitutional law, they do it all the time. The Town of Normal sure doesn’t care either since they are behind HB 3337. Rep Sharon Chung and Sen Dave Koehler have proven they just do what they are told. https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7696/Chapter-02—Officers-Elected-and-Appointed?bidId= PDF page 10 It […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Uptown attractive! Where Normal is headed now that many residents have no representation in their government: h/t another reader In a Unit 5 classroom: What is PFLAG? Interpretation: Trans students get EQUITY, females get erased. See Lia Thomas and Riley Gaines. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/equality-not-elitism/gaslit-into-silence-swimmer-riley-gaines-explains-why-she-spoke-out-against-lia-thomas-and-trans-athletes This is Unit 5’s gender affirming care: […]
By: Diane Benjamin 33:10 – Mayor Mwilambwe recognized the 4 aldermen that are leaving office April 30th. Mboka gave a short speech and presented each with a plaque. (Remember when Normal totally ignored Stan Nord’s 4 years?) Public comment starts at 44:00. Two speakers thanked their outgoing aldermen. Gary Lambert is a can’t miss at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Sen Dave Koehler is doing Normal’s bidding in the Illinois Senate by sponsoring HB 3337. This is the Chung bill ONLY for Normal that exempts them from complying with Municipal Code for Incorporated Towns and allows them to continue operating with a City Manager instead of a Supervisor. An elected Clerk would […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m sure you’ve heard Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking over. If you want to try it, go here for a free account: chat.openai.com Interesting AI story: https://www.theblaze.com/news/google-ceo-admits-he-doesnt-know-how-his-own-ai-works I tried typing in a few different things but the program didn’t like either, so I tried something easier. Everything below AI wrote, it is […]
By: Diane Benjamin Flashback to April 15, 2019. RC McBride was voted off the Town Council and Jeff Fritzen opted to retire after serving 32 years. (Obviously the Normal voters don’t believe in term limits) Not only did Fritzen get a bike from Koos’ shop at taxpayer expense, both got proclamations for their exemplary service […]
By: Diane Benjamin Watch which local media sources report this story. It will prove who is #FakeNews and who isn’t. Refer back to this story: https://blnnews.com/2023/03/07/normal-buy-local-is-immaterial/ Chris Koos wants Uptown 2.0 built without any natural gas pipelines. Normal thinks that is “sustainable”. It’s also illegal. In Koos world laws don’t matter however. He didn’t want […]
