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 got this adorable insert with a tiny State Tax refund check: Illinois is spending more funding pensions than they do on K-12 education. It proves who is a priority in Illinois. Keep reading, expect the almost 20% of all spending to increase. The back side brags about Illinois collecting $2 billion […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight Bloomington finally gets to destroy the Market Street garage. The documentation doesn’t say where people parking there now will park during construction of Connect Transit’s transfer center and new parking garage. Excerpts: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/cityblm/0e86386b97bf1b532c53aec744be92750.pdf The documentation claims the City has spent $870,000 in the last 5 years fixing the garage. Is the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Organizations that relied on funding through PATH administration of grants were crushed when PATH failed them. Recycling Furniture for Families isn’t the only one, they are just the only one that reached out to me for help. PATH is no longer responsible for grant applications. The McLean County Center for Human Resources […]
By: Diane Benjamin Communities can already control rent increases – Quit raising property taxes! Quit pretending the needs of government are superior to the needs of people actually earning the money you take. People need to quit electing big government spenders who created the current destructive inflation by printing money. This would be Game Changing […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Unintended consequences are never considered when feelings are used to make decisions. Another Krystle Able post has unintended consequences splattered all over it. What is regulated you get less of. Econ 101. As a Democrat County Board member Able increased rents by voting to seize increased property taxes because property values […]
By: Diane Benjamin It is likely your public school didn’t tell you the Pilgrims tried socialism/collectivism and found out it didn’t work. https://www.aier.org/article/the-pilgrims-tried-socialism-and-it-failed/ McLean County used to be a beacon of freedom, after the November elections the county will probably have a County Board control by socialists/collectivists, also called Democrats. Lucky you! Your tax dollars […]
By: Diane Benjamin Saturday when I was driving across Bloomington my vehicle said the temperature was 92. When I passed the airport it jumped to 94. At my country house it was only 89. What that proves is “record temperatures” depend on where the temperature is taken. This story is in the latest issue of […]
By: Diane Benjamin I continue to get reports of few people at the O’Neil Aquatics Center. According to this article, it cost $13.8 million: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-05-24/oneil-aquatic-center-makes-a-splash-with-memorial-day-weekend-opening H/T a reader. This pic is 6:00 pm on a Thursday night, the pool is open until 7:00: . Keep in mind, instead of replacing both City owned pools that […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Constitution was written to limit government. The founders believed people can govern themselves. The fight ever since has been between people who don’t want government running every aspect of their lives and those who do. Progressives use government to enrich themselves and their friends. That couldn’t be more clear than the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Quotes from this article: https://unionhall.aflcio.org/bloomington-normal-trades-and-labor-assembly/news/bn-trades-hosts-candidates-forum-makes-local “On June 5 the Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly (AFL-CIO) and the Livingston & McLean Counties Building & Construction Trades Council hosted a local candidates’ forum. Specific questions were given to candidates in advance so delegates could compare their answers.” . Read the article, unions endorsed […]
By: Diane Benjamin You don’t know the answer to that because local government doesn’t want you to know. Both cities use the excuse you would be able to figure out how much dispensaries earned if you knew the taxes they paid. Luckily the Illinois Policy Institute figured it out based on taxes paid to the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs sent an email yesterday. He went into a long diatribe about a bike accident he had as a kid that ended with requiring the removal of his spleen. The point of his story is people need to ask for help when they need it. He was […]
The ACLU is the same as the League of Women Voters – both are appendages of the Democrat Party. https://blnnews.com/2024/07/03/league-of-women-voters-are-out-of-the-closet/ So much for protecting civil liberties and the Republic. Seems like both groups forgot about impeachment.
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/illinois-gas-tax-minimum-wage-drivers-licenses-july-1-marks-big-changes-in-state/ar-BB1pcuTJ The Illinois gas tax goes up .02 today AND you get to pay higher sales tax after the gas tax increase. Quote: Illinois motorists also have to pay excise taxes on fuel, which is assessed by the federal government, and state sales taxes, which is applied after the state’s fuel tax […]
By: Diane Benjamin Senator Chapin Rose included this chart in a recent email. Compare your coverage to what non-citizens (illegal aliens) receive in Illinois – at your expense. Democrats value illegals, you are just their piggy bank.
I was just information DMV isn’t allowed to ask immigration status. That means the country no longer belongs to those who were legally born here. Congrats! By: Diane Benjamin On July 1st illegal aliens can get a driver’s license without any identifying information that shows they are here illegally. Their license is going to look […]
By: Diane Benjamin Democrats need to explain why they passed this one: Excerpt: Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning September 1, 2024, no referendum shall be required to build or purchase a building for school classroom or instructional purposes if, prior to the building or purchase of the building, the board determines, by resolution, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Some state legislatures don’t meet every year. Taxes are lower and citizens have more freedom because elected officials don’t attempt to tell citizens how to run their lives. This is a list of bills that passed both houses in Springfield that started in the House: https://ilga.gov/reports/Preview.asp?t=cr&k=6&ga=17&y=2&h=House%20Bills%20Passed%20Both%20Houses%20(2nd%20Yr) This is a list of bills […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois Budget: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/103/SB/PDF/10300SB0251eng.pdf How many of your tax dollars are going to illegal immigrants? That is ONE BILLION allocated to replacing the citizens that have left this state with unvetted illegals. This is listed elsewhere, funny how the amounts don’t match the above: Maybe passing a bill in the middle of the […]
By: Diane Benjamin $13 billion more than pre-Pritzker. The Center Square wrote this article and Just The News made Illinois a national laughing stock: https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/illinois-senate-advances-largest-spending-plan-state-history-house?utm_medium=social_media&utm_source=mail_social_icon&utm_campaign=social_icons The Senate passed a $53 billion budget. According to the Democrat leadership the House and Senate are close to agreeing. Of course no republicans agree, but they are immaterial. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin Memorial Day was set aside to remember those who died for our country. They took an oath to the Constitution which of course includes the Bill of Rights. The 1st Amendment includes Freedom of the Press. People recognize fake news when they hear or see it. It’s not difficult to notice the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The video below is from the McLean County Finance Committee meeting on May 8th. The price of farmland has risen dramatically since the early 2000’s. Statutes cap property tax increases at 10% a year which means the economic value of the land is higher than it is being taxed. With high interest […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story from the Edgar County Watchdogs: https://tinyurl.com/Leroy-Christmas-Money It is also illegal to hand out taxpayer dollars for Christmas presents. The story has proof Leroy did it but they are far from alone. Using taxpayer dollars for funeral flowers isn’t companionate. It’s illegal to use government money for non-public expenses. Read […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois Democrats have been using tricks to pass legislation for as long as I can remember. Here’s the trick: They just did it again to change election law in the middle of an election cycle: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_2b607af8-08cb-11ef-be4b-4314e8b49453.html?a?utm_source=thecentersquare.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Ft2%2Fillinois%2F&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline When asked about this bill Pritzker claimed it’s an ethics bill. Obviously democrats don’t have any […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-30/isu-students-set-up-pro-palestinian-tent-encampment-on-quad The pictures say all you need to know about the “protesters”: They are all wearing masks outside on a beautiful day: Why wear masks? There is only one reason: To hide their identity. ISU has a “microaggression” policy. The protest is more of a macro-aggression against jewish […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve been out of town the last few days. We actually saw gas $.06 less – not in time to get a pic however. Kentucky: Kentucky gas tax is $.26 a gallon. Illinois gas tax is $.454 a gallon. This morning gasbuddy.com shows local prices exactly the difference in tax higher here. […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was in Springfield yesterday along with thousands of other pro-life citizens. The march is about all life in a state that doesn’t respect any life. There were many inspiring speakers, including pro-life legislators. It was impossible to get pictures of the entire crowd without being on top of the capital, but […]
By: Diane Benjamin We know in 2021 The Immigration Project was 99.95% funded by tax dollars: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/12/the-immigration-project-you-dont-know/ Using the new Benjamin Chat Box on OpenTheBooks.com I searched under “Vendors” for payments made to them. Try it, incredibly easy to use! Results are emailed to you after it searches multiple databases. In 2022 ISU gave them […]
By: Diane Benjamin People lie. Politicians lie. Freedom of Speech is written into the 1st Amendment because the authors thought people were smart enough to hear all sides, inform themselves, and then make decisions based on informed thought. There is no such thing and Mis and Dis information. There are only elites who want to […]
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 HB 4198 is one giant step towards Illinois becoming an ALL VOTE BY MAIL state. HB 4198 provides that each election authority may decide to mail a LIVE vote by mail ballot to all qualified voters instead of sending notices and applications for permanent vote by mail status. A person who has never […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois Policy Institute recapped the Illinois budget JB is proposing. See their story here: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/pritzker-wants-to-spend-record-amount-but-needs-898m-in-tax-hikes-to-do-it/ Of course it’s a record budget that includes massive tax increases. Pritzker made a big deal about eliminating the grocery tax: See that last line? At the last Bloomington City Council meeting the Finance Director stated […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Stay tuned for the NEXT story – Breaking News 2) The hearing in Springfield on banning pre-2010 diesel engines got canceled! This is likely the reason, thanks to everyone who filed a witness slip. 3) Dick Durbin posted this on X yesterday. Dickie doesn’t understand local governments don’t spend money on […]
By: Diane Benjamin A flurry of bills are being filed in Springfield. If you aren’t on the Illinois Family Institute email list, please get on it. They have a list of anti-family bills on their website that need witness slips: https://illinoisfamily.org/ There is another stupid bill that needs massive opposition: A new bill has been […]
By: Diane Benjamin EV owners don’t pay motor fuel taxes, even though they drive on the same roads as those of you who do. Buy an EV (that most people can’t afford) and the taxpayers will subsidize it with a tax credit. In 10 years, that EV will likely be junk because replacing the batteries […]
By: Diane Benjamin Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. One reason Rome fell is because they outsourced their safety to people they conquered. They had no allegiance to Rome when their empire was invaded. HB 3751 grants non-citizens the right to become police officers: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=3751&GAID=17&GA=103&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=149009&SessionID=112 If you are in the 105th […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is a post that is on NextDoor. The writer talks about not getting mail, lost mail, and “busted up” packages. Voting by Mail is too risky if you expect your vote to count! Drop off you completed ballot at the election office or vote early in person instead of trusting the mail.
