By: Diane Benjamin Social Media is full of outrage because people recently got their property tax assessment. They see HUGE increases and think their property taxes are going up. They haven’t gone up YET, only you can stop it. The assessed value is used by all the government units on your tax bill to decide […]
By: Diane Benjamin In case you forgot, this development was opposed by area property owners because they feared it would devalue their property: https://blnnews.com/2022/07/31/north-normal-normal-and-barickman-want-to-devalue-your-property/ Normal resident Doug Fansler was concerned when the Town gave preferential treatment to a developer. See this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-10-08/normal-council-amends-annexation-agreement-for-carden-springs-townhouse-project Carden Springs is being developed by Fairlawn Capital from Champaign. What […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal has three trustee seats up for election and only 3 filed. Three filed for president: The three that filed for Trustee don’t even have to campaign because they automatically win unless someone files for write-in. Know who Rory is? He’s on the McLean County Regional Planning Commission now. Since he represents […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal is has three Council seats up for election next year, so far only Kevin McCarthy has filed. The other two up for election are Scott Preston and Chemberly Harris. Harris claimed she’s running for mayor but hasn’t filed yet. Watch filings here: https://www.normalil.gov/114/Municipal-Elections The only new filing in Bloomington is Ward […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to this website: https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx this plant is closing in Normal effecting 99 employees: Logan’s Roadhouse also closed as did Kentucky Fried Chicken. Others? Everything is fine though. 🤦♀️
By: Diane Benjamin Filing for local councils started yesterday. The election is April 1st and most voters won’t even know about it. Bloomington filings: https://bloomingtonelectionsil.gov/2025-consolidated-elections/ Dan Brady and Cody Hendricks filed for mayor. If Jenna Kearns decides to run again, she will have a challenger in Ward 1: Benjamin Zimmerman Sheila Montney is running for […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal hasn’t submitted data to the Comptroller’s office from the year ended 3/31/24 yet, it’s only been 6 1/2 months since year end. Bloomington hasn’t submitted data from 4/30/24 yet, they are only 5 1/2 months after year end. The below lists local tax receipts for the last 3 years. A summary […]
I give up trying to figure out when candidates need to file. If you are running in Bloomington ask BEC, otherwise ask the County Clerk! Some filing dates seem to have been changed. It almost like outsiders need to stay off the ballot. By: Diane Benjamin If anyone wants to try to abolish the Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Normal Town Council just gave her a 4% raise. Inflation must be killing her. Put “City Manager Salary in Illinois” into your search bar. I got this: https://www.salary.com/research/salary/recruiting/city-manager-salary/il Only 5% of Americans earn more than $200,000. https://gcelt.org/what-percentage-of-americans-make-over-200k-a-comprehensive-look-at-income-distribution-in-the-us/#google_vignette That article also states: “the sectors most commonly associated with big bucks are finance, […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Many companies have realized DEI is ridiculous for business because it puts people in positions they didn’t earn and are not qualified for. The Town of Normal didn’t get the message: 2) I was notified by a friend that his deceased mother is still on the voter roles. Evidently the Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin Just living in Illinois means citizens are required to fund pension without asking any questions. You should at least know how the funds are performing. Normal’s last year wasn’t great. These numbers are as of 3/31/2024 which is Normal’s year end. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) will require higher contributions since it […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos and Chemberly Harris are trying to defend passing a 1% grocery tax in the press. https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/04/normal-narrowly-approves-local-tax-groceries/ If you didn’t watch the meeting video you missed even some far left trustees hammering Pritzker for claiming he reduced taxes by eliminating the 1% tax. It was never State revenue, they just collected […]
By: Diane Benjamin I decided to tune into the council meeting last night only to see the 1% Sales tax vote. No one from the Town mentioned how much more they have been raking in from increased Sales Tax revenue. Several Trustees did. Everything you buy costs more so they are collecting a LOT more […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/02/normal-decide-tuesday-1-local-grocery-tax-replace-state-tax Excepts: Maybe 4 member of the council will vote yes for a local grocery tax which allows the 3 running for mayor to vote no. Maybe a few will be “sick” and unable to attend. 😁 I don’t plan to watch, you need to. This is why EVERY tax increase should […]
By: Diane Benjamin If plans to build a fancy underpass for 10’s of millions of dollars only for pedestrians while vehicles are forced to sit waiting from trains to clear the tracks on Linden and College doesn’t prove common sense doesn’t exist in Normal, keep reading. From NextDoor: . I’ve written numerous stories about Normal’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin The property Normal is going to build a new Fire Station on is 1.69 acres. Normal paid $450,000 for it even after area residents petitioned the Town to just move it across the street: https://blnnews.com/2020/06/04/normal-isnt-listening/ It could have been located by the Town owned dog park, of course the opinions of citizens […]
By: Diane Benjamin Everyone’s first thought is property taxes. The fleecing of property owners on unrealized gains does contribute, that is no different than taxing you on stocks that have increased in value but you haven’t sold them. To pay taxes you would have to sell. Of course, if the value decreases you don’t get […]
By: Diane Benjamin Fitch Ratings, the smallest ratings agency, has always been the only one to have Normal at AAA. On August 12th they downgraded Normal to AA. That is a huge drop – skipping over AAA- and AA+. https://www.fitchratings.com/research/us-public-finance/fitch-downgrades-normal-il-idr-to-aa-from-aaa-due-to-criteria-change-outlook-stable-12-08-2024 It looks to me like long term debt caused the downgrade and Fitch changing how […]
By: Diane Benjamin Pritzker signed the bill eliminating the 1% grocery tax. Showing the ridiculousness of Illinois, that 1% was collected by the State but went to local governments. He wasn’t working for the little guy by giving away tax money the State never kept. Pritzker quote for the story below: . Did Pritzker spew […]
By: Diane Benjamin Review this story from yesterday: https://blnnews.com/2024/07/29/when-local-governments-celebrate-grants/ Next read this story: https://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2024/07/30/mil-osi-usa-following-sorensens-advocacy-mclean-county-receives-funding-to-extend-historic-route-66-trail/ Rep Eric Sorensen announced a grant to McLean County to design the final 9 miles of the Historic Route 66 Bike and Pedestrian Trail. $675,000 to DESIGN. Another grant will be needed for construction, I think in the past the feds […]
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-07-15/chris-koos-announces-bid-for-6th-term-as-mayor-of-normal I wonder what the price tag for the underpass (only walkers and bikers can use) is up to now? I hear he has told people for many years he doesn’t want to run again but does anyway. What is he trying to make sure nobody finds out? . .
By: Diane Benjamin Instead of a LOW – it’s tragic. Connect managed to lose more than $1.4 million in just April: PDF page 7: https://connect-transit.com/file/2405/05%2028%202024_Board%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf Compare that with 3 short years ago – May meeting in 2021: PDF page 9 https://connect-transit.com/file/186/May%2025%202021%20Board%20Packet.pdf That is an increased loss of $461,194 in just 3 years. All of those […]
By: Diane Benjamin Not a list they want to be on and one they won’t admit: Cities Americans are abandoning in droves https://247wallst.com/population-and-social-characteristics/2024/05/13/cities-americans-are-abandoning-in-droves/ Obviously Normal is included in the population. Champaign-Urbana is #34, Chicago area is #36, Decatur is #24. California has numerous cities that made the list. “Migrants” are moving in while citizens are […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Normal Mayor Chris Koos didn’t say those words. For once he is very transparent in what he did say: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-02/mayor-of-normal-town-does-not-owe-alan-beaman-a-further-statement The case was filed by Alan Beaman in 2014. How much did Normal waste on legal fees before they decided to settle? Would a jury have awarded Beaman more money? […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you forgot the details of this case, see this story: https://tinyurl.com/fkwse7hd Mr. Beaman lost at least 13 years of his life, of course the Town of Normal won’t admit the police blew the investigation. Jennifer Lockmiller’s killer is still free. He deserves at least this much money. From the documentation – […]
By: Diane Benjamin The YWCA is obviously a leftist organization. Proof is their national website: https://www.ywca.org/who-we-are It’s easy to tell when leftists need other people’s money, a conga line of speakers show up to provide “their” facts. In the case of Stepping Stones it was 6. The Stepping Stones program lost federal grant money but […]
By: Diane Benjamin For the low price of $1100 a month you can rent this 2 bed 1 bath apartment in Normal. It comes complete with a PVC pipe sprinkler system that evidently passed inspection. This is part of the property ISU used to own on Shelburne. The two guys who bought the property must […]
By: Diane Benjamin Inflation has stolen close to 20% of your buying power – just since 2021: . Inflation will continue unless government policies change. Facts: https://www.bidenomics.com/ According to GasBuddy, the cheapest local gas is at Huck’s on West Oakland – $3.39. Three years ago gas was more than $1 less a gallon. https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/gas-prices-2021-year-in-review According […]
By: Diane Benjamin I mentioned in this story a reader told me he/she witnessed an electric Connect Transit bus being towed: https://blnnews.com/2024/03/04/two-things-i-wish-i-had-pics-of/ It turns out it wasn’t an electric bus. Obtained by FOIA: Connect Transit is forced to use OLD buses because the new electric fleet is junk. In case you can’t read that email, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Alderman Donna Boelen mentioned at the Council meeting last night Connect Transit hasn’t presented their budget to the City as required by the Inter-Governmental agreement. They never do. The budget includes $800,000 more for them anyway. It was reduced last year when CT said they didn’t need the money. Now it’s back. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Payroll approved at the last Bloomington City Council meeting showed 953 employees. Payroll tonight shows 999. Source 1: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30070/638429797206570000 Source 2: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30104/638441880489500000 Evidently that still isn’t enough employees since two items are on the Consent Agenda to “brand” the City. $10,960 + $55,450 = $66,410 to make them Employer of Choice! I […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this story? https://blnnews.com/2024/02/07/is-normal-doing-a-secret-survey/ I wrote that story on February 7th. On February 12th WGLT did this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-02-12/normal-seeking-public-feedback-on-future-environmental-priorities The Town of Normal is doing that survey. See this quote by Town Planner Mercy Davidson in the story: . Let me interpret: This survey is only for supporters of the Town agenda. If you don’t believe in their […]
By: Daine VBenjamin Further proof nobody elected in Normal is looking out for you: The rent for the 2nd floor of 1 Uptown Circle keeps going up. This year the Town will throw away $455,147 because a big hole in Uptown needed filled. Nothing would have been built if Normal hadn’t made taxpayers responsible for paying for it […]
By: Diane Benjamin Is this a scam? As seen on social media: Normal Vision 2050/Sustainability Plan Survey I couldn’t find promotion of this survey on the Town of Normal website promoting this survey. See Vision Plans here – no mention of a new survey: https://www.normalil.gov/1738/Vision-Plans The main Town of Normal website page usually links to such initiatives, but it’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin I saw a social media post asking why the arena was built downtown instead of along the interstate that could have brought people in from nearby cities. (Common sense?) I didn’t respond but the answer is clear. It was built downtown because the people who are elected to represent you have been trying for DECADES […]
By: Diane Benjamin All previous electric bus stories: https://blnnews.com/2024/01/30/3-more-shocking-emails-electric-buses/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/30/foia-emails-from-rivian-to-connect-transit/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/24/connect-transit-random-finds/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/23/one-more-connect-transit-for-now/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/23/proterra-is-solyndra/ From this story: How much of your money has been wasted on Proterra buses? Since ADHD is both a blessing and a curse, I could have missed some payments. Note, Proterra filed for bankruptcy in August of 2023. The oldest electric buses are two […]
By: Diane Benjamin I have not finished reading everything I received. There is likely more to report. Make sure you read to the bottom. Connect’s General Manager doesn’t want you to know any of this. Refer back to the HUGE November loss: https://blnnews.com/2024/01/23/connect-loses-more-than-the-coliseum/ Salaries were almost twice normal. I thought Connect had a hiring spree of drivers and were no longer […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Connect Transit Board meets at 4:30 today. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFica7k-pGY Will any of the below be discussed? 🤣😂 Remember when Solyndra was supposed to create a ton of solar panels, got tons of federal money, and then declared bankruptcy. Of course no one was ever held accountable, so this “making friends of government […]
By: Diane Benjamin November is a new record loss. See wages and stay tuned. This is going to take more than one story. I have proof the Proterra Electric buses are junk. Connect has 12. One might still be operating, the count of working electric buses changed weekly. It never went up – only down. Many millions of your tax dollars were […]
