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 I wonder if she was campaigning again on a City computer? The conversation below took place mostly this morning on the WGLT Facebook page. I’m going to post the entire thing with nothing redacted so I can’t be accused of “editing”.
By: Diane Benjamin From Nikita’s website: https://richardsmcclerk.com/issues/ Read through the whole website, it’s obvious who was a contributing copy writer! Who claimed the Clerk shouldn’t be counting their own votes? (Like they do) Tari Renner! One of Nikita’s goals – in her own words – is to take elections away from the County Clerk and create […]
By: Diane Benjamin It was nice of most the progressives to pose for a pic together. Progressives think government is the answer to every problems. Personal responsibility isn’t required when government can create the future, they just need a ton more money to make it perfect. Nikita Richards announced on Cities 92.9 that she plans […]
By: Diane Benjamin Joni Painter was absent again last night, so her Ward wasn’t represented. None of the alderman asked why government should be in the business of selling insurance! The bigger the government the better. The more people who can not exist without government largess, the more voters they have to keep them in […]
By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 221: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=19712 The bigger government gets, the more it costs you. When government seizes your money for the good of all residents, you are no longer free to self-determination. Notice a lot of really stupid people in recent years? Government has made it possible for way to many to live […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can’t imagine men dying to attend. Since the BCPA doesn’t make money, the tax dollars of Bloomington citizens will be used to fund this show. Note: No one under 18 can attend. Also note who is sponsoring this event – see the bottom of the pic. A video preview is available […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you didn’t receive your new assessment in the mail today, you probably will tomorrow. Property values are dropping all over the County. If your house will never sell for the Fair Cash Value reflected, you must protest now. Time is very limited! You can look up what properties like yours have […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington has ended their “grace” period for bulk waste. If something is on the curb in front of your house and they pick it up, a charge will be added to your bill. The problem is they can’t prove you put it there! I hear they used to at least take pictures, […]
By: Diane Benjamin John Butler wants his trial moved out of McLean County because of remarks made by David Hales and Tari Renner. I was also mentioned as a reason because my lawsuit made him look guilty! Yes it did! Since MANY readers are new, this story recaps the information I was able to obtain: […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council doesn’t think they owe citizens anything. They can have their “secret meetings” (Executive Sessions) and vote to never release the minutes. Evaluations from Tom Hamilton are still a secret, of course the David Hales evaluations are a secret too. At the last meeting of the Normal Town Council […]
There are two Black Lives Matter groups in town – BloNo and Bloomington-Normal. I asked Kimberly Veal why, this was her response: You are correct! There are two local Black Lives Matter groups. We plan to hold a townhall as well as a LIVE podcast to address these questions. We’re preparing a statement that will […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois People’s action was at the Sugar Creek Art Festival spreading socialism, note they target the young who don’t know that socialism kills: One item on the sign is 100% renewable energy. Evidently they don’t know the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. Creating batteries to store energy […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight – two meetings: http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3017 Don’t forget this one-the consult will present their findings on building a sports complex here: Misc money toss: Did you get your invite? This is only for printing: Normal allows pension spiking too: Unlike Bloomington where everything is a secret forever, Normal will be voting to release Executive […]
By: Diane Benjamin We are being intentionally deceived. Politicians do it. Media does it. Schools are doing it. Social media reveals just how bad it is. This pic was not taken locally, but it was posted locally. The person who posted it doesn’t see a problem? Do you? That brings me to Sonny Garcia – […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council was close to sickly sweet to each other last night. Not one of them mentioned the failed attempt by Tari Renner is bully them into passing the welcoming ordinance. Citizens did however. Just hit play to watch Public Comment. If you want to see the guy Sonny Garcia calls a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington City Council meeting tonight: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=18264 Beginning on PDF page 380 Remember the Wayfinding signs? In August 2016 the Council hired a firm to design the signs for $62,190. In December 2017 the Council approved spending another $28,095 for design after the original designs were nixed. They could have held a local contest […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you missed either of the first two stories, see them HERE and HERE The new information comes from another FOIA request I filed to see if STATE EMPLOYEE (as in YOU pay her salary) Judy Valente actually followed through with her threats to file a complaint against the officers involved in her traffic […]
By: Diane Benjamin Earlier this month the City of Bloomington claimed the Public Works party was financed with employee money from vending machine profits: https://blnnews.com/2018/06/04/party-at-public-works/ I FOIA’d the City vending machine contracts, of course my FOIA was extended. Yesterday I received two contracts dated in 2004. This one is for vending machine products other than […]
By: Diane Benjamin Budgets for Heartland Community College only go back to 2012 on their website. Below are tuition increases starting in 2012: PDF page 11: https://www.heartland.edu/documents/bo/budgetfy12.pdf Note tuition was increased $16 per credit hour in 2012. 2013: PDF page 11: https://www.heartland.edu/documents/bo/budgetfy13.pdf Since 2012 didn’t mention a “Student Life Fee” and it’s only $1 per credit […]
By: Diane Benjamin The local paper has an editorial declaring the new City Manager the right guy because Decatur re-did their downtown. They think Normal did, so there is no reason Bloomington can’t. They forgot Normal was in ZERO debt before they spent around $100,000,000 on Uptown. (Is that restaurant space on the Circle still […]
By: Diane Benjamin It sounds like both Unit 5 and District 87 are as tired of TIF Districts as the citizens. Both Barry Reilly and Mark Daniel spoke about 23 years of diverted taxes being ridiculous. The Council tabled any changes until better language agreeable to the school districts could be worked out. Bloomington may […]
By: Diane Benjamin Local governments in both Bloomington and Normal forgot a long time ago it isn’t their job to entertain you. Raising taxes to pay for their folly costs everybody. Want to know why Bloomington-Normal is becoming un-affordable? Government tyranny! They know better than you how to spend your money. Worse, capitalism is murdered […]
I just received another response from the City they neglected to include in the previous FOIA response: Nice of them to totally change the story two days later! Why aren’t vending machine profits City money? More FOIA’s —————————————————————————————————- By: Diane Benjamin I heard a rumor that morale at Bloomington’s Public Works was so low, Jim […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve been writing about the Coliseum (Grossinger Motors Arena) for YEARS. This “White Elephant” has been a constant drain on taxpayers since it was conceived. The losses are huge, theft is being prosecuted, the City failed to oversee operations, economic impact numbers are made up, and new management is doing little to […]
By: Diane Benjamin I finally received the rest of the information I FOIA’d from the Downs Fire Protection District late yesterday. One request was for complaints filed against any employees or Board members. I did not receive any “official complaints”, just heavily redacted memos recapping events with all names redacted. I received ZERO complaints about […]
By: Diane Benjamin A while back Diana Hauman told me the city she visited in Arkansas to see their sports complex doesn’t have bus service. The city pays non-profits to give rides, even religious organizations. Maybe they can afford a sports complex because they have more brains than the local leaders! March Connect Transit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LT_orEvHzWxPnw_LZw5tzvv9Y4kxyxDN/view […]
Update: They do charge something for recycling, I’m attempting to find out how much. It depends on where you live in Peoria. The City does have drop off locations. By: Diane Benjamin The City of Peoria just approved a new 7 year contract with a possible 3 year extension for private garbage service that includes […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council thinks they can make downtown a destination. The Coliseum and the BCPA were supposed to do the same thing. Since the Council spent close to two hours last night discussing beautification and streets, it proves the MILLIONS already spent have failed. There were some tiny shreds of fiscal responsibility when […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT posted a story about Connect Transit a few days ago. The author listed is a student along with Charlie Schlenker. See it here: http://wglt.org/post/connect-transit-eyes-locations-downtown-transfer-center Connect still looking for places to build a downtown transfer station. Isaac Thorne wants a place for 10 buses to park at the same time! He claims the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to yesterday’s story: https://blnnews.com/2018/04/07/grant-handout-monday/ Want to know what Mid Central community Actions tax return looks like? The latest one I have is 2016: https://tinyurl.com/MCCATax-Return It gets better: 33% salaries and benefits in 2016. At least it is better than PATH’s 75% salaries and benefits – see yesterday’s story. The tax return […]
By: Diane Benjamin It looks like the Pantagraph is now allowing Tari to write about himself, from March 23rd: http://www.pantagraph.com/special-section/bloomington-a-leader-in-open-government-communication/article_6376ee0b-1adf-58cd-ab19-55d71d5eccfd.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest I wonder what section they ran this in? The article/editorial has some problems. Tari must have forgotten he changed the rules for his “Open Houses”. They aren’t open, citizens have to make an appointment. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin (Something isn’t right about the Habitat solar panels, I’m waiting to hear back from an expert.) The $135,000 sales tax rebate to Habitat got tabled. Austin Grammer stated the City asked Habitat how they could help them with their project. In other words, the City volunteered to give them money. Solar panels […]
By: Diane Benjamin I wish video existed at Tom Hamilton’s last meeting of the Bloomington City Council. I’m betting the accolades were so sugary sweet the then Council and mayor risked diabetes. I’m betting nobody mentioned The Grove or the never used fire station or the unusable water tower built during his tenure. I’m betting […]
By: Diane Benjamin If local governments had not started Live Streaming meetings, the media would be your only source for information. So far I haven’t seen a word about Stan Nord speaking at the Normal Town Council meeting last night. Mr. Nord spoke about property he is trying to develop on West College. He accused […]
By: Diane Benjamin Memory Lane: Remember when Normal promised to pay Bloomington Landmark Development around $1,825,000 to bring Portillos to town? The documentation said Sales taxes will easily cover the cost in about 7 years: https://blnnews.com/2016/12/02/portillo-town-monday-night/ That was in December of 2016. Just over a year later Normal wrote a huge check to Bloomington Landmark […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal is cutting: communications director, economic development director, and assistant to the city manager. If Normal doesn’t need them, Bloomington doesn’t either. Bloomington isn’t twice as big as Normal – but Bloomington’s budget is more than 100% higher! Bloomington is once again looking at a budget that does not provide enough money to […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Chicago Tribune has been doing great reporting and editorials on Mike Madigan’s problem: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-madigan-harassment-investigation-springfield-20180301-story.html Excerpt: I’m glad Madigan refuses to resign. He doesn’t think hiding allegations of wide-spread sexual abuse in Springfield means he should. After he is re-elected by his precinct in November, Democrats will need to vote him back […]
Details will be posted if there is enough interest in attending. Do your rights matter enough? . . . . .
Reprinted with permission from Guns Save Lives: http://www.gunssavelife.com/il-gun-day-wednesday-age-limits-bump-stock-ban-extended-waiting-periods-ban-body-armor-high-caliber-ammo/ Age limits, bump stock ban, extended waiting periods and a ban on body armor and “high caliber” ammo Mike Madigan has quite a lineup ready for Illinois’ residents this Wednesday. Despite government’s failure in Florida to protect those kids from a savage sicko, Madigan and the Chicago Democrat […]
