Category: Koos

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal’s 4 Year tax history

By: Diane Benjamin The first thing to notice from the charts below is Normal doesn’t provide the detail Bloomington does. The first chart is from PDF page 28: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19327/Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report-21-FINAL-DOC?bidId= The second chart is from PDF page 26: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23148/Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report-23-FINAL-DOC Below is also a recap of a few. Normal revenue is up $29.5 million in 4 years. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Where’s the housing study? Data? Proof?

By: Diane Benjamin Thursday the Normal Planning Commission will approve destroying a single family neighborhood: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4822 Everyone on that commission is appointed by Chris Koos to do his bidding. No one represents citizens because citizens can’t even know who Koos appoints until after the Council votes. It won’t matter how many citizens show up to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Taxes are Theft, many criminals are elected

By: Diane Benjamin Every year Normal claims property taxes have to increase to fund pensions. Last night the Council did it again. Only one person showed up to speak at the Public Hearing. Meanwhile the Cost of Living here is rising dramatically because every unit of government sees $$$$ they can steal. https://www.bnbiz.org/coli

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Everybody is raising property taxes – because they can

By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 3: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4825 Normal is required to hold a Public Hearing. The norm is nobody shows up to speak. Thus citizens get the government they deserve: After a few to none show up to protest this fleece, the Council will vote to approve taking more of your money.

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Fritzen Case still alive

By: Diane Benjamin Jeff Fritzen’s case against the Town of Normal and High Haven is still active. Fritzen claims Normal code does not allow reconsideration of a special use permit for a year after it was rejected. The Normal council had rejected High Haven’s application but with a few changes the council then approved it […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Is Normal getting paid to destroy quiet single family house neighborhoods?

By: Diane Benjamin See this link directly from the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/09/fact-sheet-president-bidens-budget-lowers-housing-costs-and-expands-access-to-affordable-rent-and-home-ownership/ One excerpt: Restrictive zoning means not allowing multi-family housing in established single-family neighborhoods. Biden is willing to pay LOCAL government for EQUITY. So how much is Normal planning to collect to change the zoning at Beech and Shelbourne? Since no one currently elected […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Comptroller’s office finally tells the truth

By: Diane Benjamin More on these two stories: https://blnnews.com/2023/11/07/illinois-comptroller-must-have-decided-to-void-transparency/ https://blnnews.com/2023/11/09/comptrollers-office-responded-just-not-with-an-explanation/ As I stated in one of the stories above, government employees would rather talk to me over the phone instead of in writing. That eliminates the paper trail, the email below proves it: On November 9, 2023, at 3:41 PM, “Pallasch, Abdon” <[email protected]> wrote: Hmmm… […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Uptown TIF fallacy

By: Diane Benjamin Source: https://files.illinoiscomptroller.gov/LocGovTIF/FY2023/06409531/23TIF06409531Downtown_volpment_1.pdf Page 1 states the TIF was formed on 5/5/2003. Now see page 11. Why did the Town of Normal use 1999? The TIF wasn’t active in 1999, was this to make the return on investment look better? What private or public investment took place between 11/1/99 and 5/4/2003 that shouldn’t […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Smart City: Normal Il

By: Diane Benjamin Another reader temporarily sucked me back into covering Normal. If you didn’t know Normal adapted Smart Cities a few years ago it is likely because they don’t want you to know. See this link: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19666/Smart-City-Report-January-2022 Smart Cities aren’t locally run, they take marching orders from international organizations that exist for government, not […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Letter to the Editor the paper did print

Since most people never saw it, the writer asked me to print it too. LETTER: Chung, council ignore taxpayers Normal made two recent requests seeking public input regarding art and the proposed Vernon Avenue improvements. However, Normal only accepts input when it supports the proposed project as presented to gain public support for the projects. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Covering one thing in Normal only because a reader found it important

By: Diane Benjamin A total of 1,609 scientists, professors and other scholars have signed on to a new declaration that argues there is no climate change crisis. https://www.thecollegefix.com/more-than-1600-scientists-and-other-scholars-sign-no-climate-emergency-declaration/ That didn’t stop Normal City Manager Pam Reece telling WGLT Normal has been affected by Climate Change: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-09-22/climate-change-impacts-noticeable-in-bloomington-normal Reece claims the trees were affected by heat and […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Announcement:

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 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal: Operating the way citizens want it

By: Diane Benjamin Ever wonder why people keep voting for leftists in cities being destroyed by progressives? See Chicago. Normal is well on their way to defeating all opposition – just like Chicago. The meeting video which includes a short Liquor Commission meeting was 34 minutes long. There was a Public Comment at the beginning […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Did Connect Transit throw away $9 million?

By: Diane Benjamin I was shocked when Connect Transit picked Proterra as their electric bus supplier. It appears the Board members appointed by the mayors of Bloomington and Normal didn’t bother to do a simple Google search. Plenty of stories were easily available detailing the problems with these buses and cities that quit using them […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal: Applying for grants again

By: Diane Benjamin So far this fiscal year the federal government has spent $1.61 TRILLION more than it collected in taxes. That is why inflation will continue. That didn’t stop Normal from applying for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. They want $100,000 and will find out in November is they get […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal tonight: you will comply!

By: Diane Benjamin https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4719 West College isn’t being fixed because it is STILL being designed: Maybe the Town is trying to decide how to build it since inflation ate their grant. Gravel parking lots aren’t good enough in Normal. (don’t they drain better than paved?) They were good enough for a special use permit in […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

6 Things you need to know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) For readers who get email notifications of stories: I did change a setting that should make your email notification look different. I needed the change to make the stats calculate accurately. 2) This is the article that makes what the Town of Normal wants to do with banning natural gas illegal: […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Koos is a Climate Change hypocrite

By: Diane Benjamin Quote: “Climate change is getting to be a significant issue and we’re going to have to do things outside of the realm of just makes economic sense,” he said. Source: WGLT Does Chris Koos know heavy equipment doesn’t run on electricity? Economic sense isn’t spending a likely $30 million to dig a […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Has work started on West College and the Underpass?

By: Diane Benjamin West College was despicable when the Normal Town Council approved a plan to fix it clear back in 2020: https://blnnews.com/2020/06/23/normal-on-fixing-west-college/ According to the Community Investment Plan the Town first had to extend sewer lines to the West side of Rivian Motorway.  That work should have been completed in FY 2023 which ended […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Documenting the Master Plan

By: Diane Benjamin Doug Farr was paid $80,000 for the Uptown South MASTER PLAN that includes no natural gas: https://blnnews.com/2023/03/07/normal-buy-local-is-immaterial/ This story is to document what the 4-3 vote was proclaimed to mean. In a year or two when a subsidized developer is found I predict the same council will claim the document labeled MASTER […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal: Your freedom takes a backseat to Climate Change

By: Diane Benjamin No the science isn’t settled. Real science is never settled. The “science” of Climate Change is computer models and non-scientist Greta Thumburg angrily proclaiming we have 8 years before the world is destroyed. For decades clowns have been claiming the same thing. Predictions have not come true, just stealing your freedom to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal: Rolling in $$$, can’t afford microphones

By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s meeting is going to take more than one story. Let’s start with the ridiculous. The microphone issues have been happening for months. Many of the council’s “buzzed” when they spoke, Scott Preston’s made it impossible to hear him. He’s wearing a microphone in addition to the one on the desk. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal is planning more debt

By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s packet: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4708 This meeting won’t be 10 minutes. Most of the agenda won’t be discussed but a few items probably will. Approval of the Uptown South Master Plan: The plan does include no natural gas lines even though that is illegal. Typical for progressives, do it and see it anyone sues. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Chris Koos: See 1936

By: Diane Benjamin The climate change pushers ignore facts. When they claim the earth is burning because of fossil fuels they use temperatures since the 1960’s when a new ice age was being predicted. They will not tell you the 1930’s were hotter than now! https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/bloomington-normal/month-august Why were the 1930’s so hot? It certainly wasn’t […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Fitch proved why credit ratings are a joke

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 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Paying mileage would have been cheaper Normal

By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Normal bought the two Rivians? The pickup was $73,631. The SUV was $77,931. Both numbers include $1000 down payment. Council thought the two vehicles would be added to the fleet so they could be used as necessary. The pickup has regular plates that no one has ever explained. The SUV […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal: FOIA Requests

By: Diane Benjamin Freedom of Information requests wouldn’t cost near as much if the Town of Normal Clerk wasn’t trying so hard to hide information. I FOIA’d information pertaining to BOTH Rivian vehicles they purchased, I did not receive everything I FOIA’d. It appears the second Rivian vehicle has government plates. The first one doesn’t […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal holding another SHORT meeting

By: Diane Benjamin https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4698 Another $1,050 in performance fees for Make Music Normal are on PDF page 11. That brings the total to over $37,000, not including staff time. https://blnnews.com/2023/07/05/how-much-did-normal-charge-you-for-make-music-normal/ There are lots of other performance fees listed the taxpayers get charged for. Call it government approved entertainment. A reader FOAI’d the performance fee for […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

6 things

By: Diane Benjamin 1) The smoke from Canada is back: 2) The company Bloomington hired to do the $750,000 downtown study is all in on DEI. https://www.cmtengr.com/dei/ The report is due in August. The City keeps using recommendations from old outdated reports like Bring It On Bloomington and the Downtown Bloomington Task Force. How many […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

I don’t care if you think it’s a conspiracy theory

By: Diane Benjamin If the citizens of Normal want to believe their government works for them, go for it. The below is from the World Economic Forum website. They are pushing a Smart City plan for cities worldwide. They have “experts” who plan for cities and then members fall in line with the plan. FYI: […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

I love the new short meetings!

By: Diane Benjamin Taxpayers won’t, but I do. The video is 25:28 minutes long. Around 5 minutes is a Liquor Commission meeting before the Council meeting. Around another 5 minutes is Trustee comments, only Chemberly Harris mentioned Make Music Normal, it shows she doesn’t care what you think about a taxpayer funded drag show, just […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal delayed meeting until today

By: Diane Benjamin I hope you were able to take Monday off, the Town of Normal was supposed to meet since that was the first Monday in July. Of course they needed a 4 day weekend instead. Agenda and Packet: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4685 I was in Normal on July 3 to see The Sound of Freedom at […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

How much did Normal charge you for Make Music Normal?

By: Diane Benjamin All of the below are payments made to performers (MMM). This is likely not the complete list. Not included is the staff time it took to hire and pay all these performers. It also doesn’t include advertising. Government entertainment means government gets to pick your entertainment, not you. Normal doesn’t want to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Fritzen sues the Town of Normal

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 […]