Tag: 1% Sales Tax Increase

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Local Taxes Fun

By: Diane Benjamin Remember when the Local Sales Tax Rate increased back on 1/1/2016? This is what Bloomington residents were told it was for: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/9197/636130888246430000 PDF Page 2: This year the City of Bloomington budgeted $7.2 million for streets and sidewalks: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/26008/637508827017530000 The Local Motor Fuel Tax projected revenue this year is $4.1 million. https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28561/638022024003730000 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Homeless in Bloomington-Normal

By:  Diane Benjamin According to a report by WMDB TV, there are around 250 homeless people in Bloomington-Normal. See their report here:  http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/homeless-in-central-illinois/856395912 Safe Harbor and Home Sweet Home Mission are the only two emergency shelters in town, according to the story.  Both are constantly at full or almost full capacity. Bloomington raised the Sales Tax […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

More from last night

By:  Diane Benjamin Joni Painter proved she isn’t fit to serve on the Council.  During alderman comments she read a statement about changing the speed limits on Hershey Road.  Hit play below.  Painter said she started talking about the speed issue in May 2014.  It took her almost three years to get a Council vote […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Minutes finally released

By:  Diane Benjamin Even though the Open Meetings Act calls for approving and posting minutes within 30 days, Bloomington finally has approving the minutes from 9/21/2015 on Monday’s agenda. Law: Why was the law not followed? Maybe because this is the meeting where the 1% Sales tax increase was rushed through.  Maybe they don’t want […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Jan City Managers report-TAXES

By:  Diane Benjamin David Hales finally finished the January 2016 City Managers Report:  http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=21&parent=9539 Attendance at the BCPA was dismal, but I guess that can be expected for January: The most interesting part of the report is tax receipts – see page 19.  Except for Auto Rental, all other taxes are above projections.  The additional […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Sales tax down for TWO years

By:  Diane Benjamin January 1st the local Sales TAX is going up 1%, just because.  Maybe this chart from the Bloomington financial statements explains it:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9336  Page 175 Tax receipts have been declining for two years.  Instead of spending less money to compensate for an obvious economy in decline, the City of Bloomington raised the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The truth about Bloomington taxes

By:  Diane Benjamin Monday night the Council will hear that almost every tax received is higher than budgeted. That must make citizens wonder why the Sales tax increase was rammed through! What’s the truth? The City of Bloomington LOWERED most expected receipts compared to what was budgeted last year: Maybe now they can pretend the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Did aliens take over the Pantagraph?

By:  Diane Benjamin Is Halloween early this year?  The bird-cage liner appears to be playing trick-or-treat with today’s editorial. Too bad it wasn’t written BEFORE both Bloomington and Normal passed the 1% Sales tax increase.  Better-late-then-never doesn’t really work since neither city is now going to give the money back. I RARELY link to one […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Snookered again Bloomington

By:  Diane Benjamin Two council meetings ago Renner rushed through a 1% Sales Tax increase.  .25% is going to the County, the rest was passed because Tari wanted it.  There was no specific purpose mentioned other than his “structural deficit”.  All that means is the City spends more than they take in. Monday night the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Who supported the 1% Sales Tax?

By:  Diane Benjamin Filed on the City of Bloomington website – under Staff Responses – was this letter from the McLean County Chamber of Commerce:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9176  Yes – they supported it. I didn’t realize the Chamber was part of the staff. From the Chamber of Commerce website:  http://mcleancochamber.org/advocacy The McLean County Chamber of Commerce is […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Taxes increases would be easier with TRUTH UPDATE

How did I forget?  5 years ago Tari, Bloomington wasn’t sending around $50,000 PER MONTH to Springfield for legal! By:  Diane Benjamin Renner on WJBC:  http://cdn.stationcaster.com/stations/wjbc/media/mpeg/Tari_Renner__Bloomington_mayor-1442412227.mp3 Renner on WGLT:  http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2015/09/01831_09-15Renner_070330.shtml Tari Renner:  We aren’t doing anything today that we weren’t doing 5 years ago.  Inflation is causing the need for tax increases. 5 years ago […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

They REALLY don’t care

By:  Diane Benjamin Bloomington is so “blessed” to be run by people who have no interest in good government.  All they want is money, more money, and control. The video failed to capture the beginning of the meeting.  I wonder if that was so Tari shuffling the comment cards wasn’t shown.  Public Comment was over […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Is Common Core why the schools want a tax increase?

by:  Diane Benjamin I asked Unit 5 how much Common Core was costing them.  Them claim ZERO.  Unit 5 and District 87 were test sites, so maybe they haven’t incurred costs – YET. Here’s a little history: The Common Core State Standards, meant to guide K-12 instruction in math and language arts, were written by nonprofit education […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

McLean County Sales Tax Referendum – Vote No!

March 9, 2014 by Drew Meiner Source:  http://www.championnews.net/?p=132570 McLean County voters have to decide whether or not they support a new 1% sales tax when they go to the polls, March 18th. Tucked away on the back side of the March primary ballot is a proposition that reads, “Shall a retailers’ occupation tax and a service occupation […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Decossas responds to Pantagraph-1% Tax

Maria – your article in today’s (March 8, 2014) Pantagraph regarding Unit 5 Sales Tax Referendum seems to contradict prior Pantagraph reporting. Just wanted to point out these to you.   From today’s article… Only 10 days before the sales tax referendum vote, Unit 5 is now ‘pledging’ to return the first $3 million dollars […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Pantagraph: REALLY?

by:  Diane Benjamin Today the Pantagraph supported the 1% Sales Tax for schools.  Here’s the actual wording that will be on the ballot: Shall a retailers’ occupation tax and a service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a “sales tax”) be imposed in The County of McLean, Illinois, at a rate of 1% to be […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Wallet Alert! Vote March 18th

by:  Diane Benjamin Every McLean County resident will be asked to approve a 1% SALES TAX increase for schools.  You do NOT need to choose a Democrat or Republican ballot to vote on this issue.  Just ask for a non-partisan ballot. Here is why you should Vote NO 1)  This is a permanent tax.  Your Property […]