A READER put this together for me! He took the show recaps in this story and looked up the artist fees: https://blnnews.com/2019/12/11/bcpa-reports-finally-posted/ He saved me a lot of time, I really appreciate it. A previous reader said the Pirate Penelope show didn’t have artist fees. Since it appears the artist fees were not included in […]
By: Diane Benjamin In Bloomington and Normal government believes they are required to spend your money to create economic development. Peoria evidently doesn’t. Maybe it’s because Peoria is too broke – they have made significant budget cuts. Maybe broke government is the key to allowing the private sector to flourish. See this story: https://www.pjstar.com/news/20191210/kim-blickenstaff-purchases-stake-in-peoria-armory-plans-renovation Excerpts: […]
By: Diane Benjamin Source: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1051&Inline=True Does the highlighted name look familiar? https://blnnews.com/2019/11/04/bloomington-fireman-5-gets-off/ You might have missed the Edgar County Watchdogs version: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2019/11/illinois-state-university-police-let-fireman-off-of-alleged-dui-due-to-his-employment/ The BCPA staff uses this building instead of the the BCPA offices. No event reports have been posted for the BCPA since my last FOIA. Citizens have no idea what happens in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unlike the BCPA who think event reports aren’t important, VenuWorks posts theirs. This proves the difference between a company that can be fired and City employees who know nobody cares if they do their job. The BCPA hasn’t posted any event reports since the last time I FOID’d them. Thanks for the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The last event report posted by the BCPA was from October 2: https://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1784 Are they: hiding losses? afraid to show what happening at this TAXPAYER owned building? on a long vacation? way too busy to do a simple report? coming to work late and leaving early? Taxpayers deserve to know what the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Obviously the mission of the BCPA is not to make money or even attempt to break even! No event reports have been posted since the last time I FOIA’d them. The Carole King show was close to a month ago – still no report. It gets better! This show is FREE, I’m […]
By: Diane Benjamin The numbers for the Cultural District were included BELOW Parks and Rec. Thanks to the person who pointed that one out. Update to this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/10/30/hiding-bcpa-numbers/ https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23337 PDF page 195 PDF page 196 Can somebody explain why this is a great idea? Why is attendance way down? It isn’t Quality of Life […]
See update: https://blnnews.com/2019/10/31/update-to-hiding-bcpa-numbers/ By: Diane Benjamin Read this one slow! Lots of info to absorb. The ONLY mention of the BCPA in the just released financial statements is the number of employees – PDF page 194 https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23337 First, note the BCPA is part of Parks and Recreation. Second, celebrate the number of employees has decreased. […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23355 I’m not sure all these PCard purchases were reflect in event expenses. Walking With My Ancestors doesn’t show any catering or concessions: https://blnnews.com/2019/10/22/bcpa-as-predicted-foia-denied/ Of course the $1500 for the announcement party wasn’t included. Why does government send “flowers” and pretend they are sympathetic? Using taxpayer money to express condolences is fraud. […]
It must be too difficult to list each event held at the BCPA separately. The posting buried two shows by posting all on the same link. Normally each show has it’s own link. These two actually made money, one would think they would want people to see them: Since September this brings income to $18,083.26 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Evidently I have to file a FOIA to get event reports posted. They will be posted and then my FOIA will be denied because they are posted. I wonder if they would ever be posted without a FOIA? So far only one report from a month ago is available: https://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1784 This looks […]
Take your pick: (or don’t)
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=22247 Tari and the employees had fun: Add the previous Hawaii expenses of $1,968.00, and Tari’s trip cost $3,892.50. https://blnnews.com/2019/04/18/off-to-hawaii/ This is what the Pantagraph reported: Pantagraph.com twin-city-mayors-focus-on-transit-climate-at-conference The cost of the CONFERENCE was $950.00. The paper didn’t include that part. What did taxpayers get? The bill? Remember the FREE entertainment […]
By: Diane Benjamin That would be – sucking up your tax dollars! June event reports: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 Read the Executive Director’s Comments. Some shows were Free Free Free! How did the “free” Gothic at Midnight show have revenues of exactly $10,000? Bloomington is now pretending to be Normal where people have to be lured downtown […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hear public comment will be worth watching at this meeting. Bring your own camera if you attend. Film the Council instead of the speaker. http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=22075 Note this is ONLY for the hotel: What is BEDC? BASIC Economic Development courses. Was there a course on government getting out of the way to create […]
By: Diane Benjamin For May 2019 the BCPA has only posted one report: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 More proof government isn’t capable of “entertainment”. The poor are forced to subsidize losers at both the BCPA and the Coliseum. When is the Council going to figure it out?
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21875 The BCPA has a show tomorrow night, they NEVER pay this much for an artist: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/BLOM/?cts_legacy_app All the colored dots are tickets still available, the cheapest seats are $49, they go up to $64: Jamie Mathy went to a conference in Denver. Room rates are normally $160-$180. Billy Tyus has a […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 Two more reports have appeared from March, three are from April. These two shows made money: These three shows lost money, the losses wiped out the profits above. Note the number of tickets sold: Why does this continue? Because the City thinks you need entertained. The cost is immaterial. It’s “Quality […]
By: Diane Benjamin Nothing is more frustrating than government employees who can’t get their story straight. Here’s another example: See PDF page 4 of the February City Manger’s report: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21477 According to the guy in charge, the BCPA held 6 events in February. How many do we have event reports for? http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 TWO! Where are […]
By: Diane Benjamin Sam’s Club payments show up frequently on Bloomington’s Bills and Payroll. I filed a FOIA request for receipts on this one: This was the first response: Sam’s Club invoice for FOIA 19-04-0403_Redacted The invoices show purchases of lots of food. By looking up the person who placed the order, I can see […]
By: Diane Benjamin WalletHub published a study of State taxation in March. WallettHub is Tari Renner’s favorite study to quote since in the past they have rated Bloomington as a great place to live. Those days should be over. https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416/#complete-rankings Including the District of Columbia, Illinois ranks #1 with highest tax burden! “Taxpayers in the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Did the BCPA have only held 3 events during March? Only 3 reports are listed on the City website. All three lost money and had dismal attendance: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 Other events took place according to the event calendar: http://www.artsblooming.org/events/calendar?cury=2019&curm=3&curd=31&curview=month Zero transparency for those. The losses above do not include salaries and other operating […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/02/02/bcpa-reports-mirror-coliseum/ Facts: The BCPA belongs to the citizens of Bloomington – not the City The BCPA is a WANT, not a need The BCPA has zero transparency unless I FOIA reports The BCPA doesn’t come close to breaking even NONE of the February event reports have been […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21131 The BCPA hasn’t posted an event report since my last FOIA. Transparency isn’t part of their game! Most artist fees are $5000 or less, not this one. Do I really need to FOIA every report to get them on the website? Looks like throwing parties for themselves. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Operations of the BCPA and the Creativity Center are looking a lot like a private club for the well-connected. Zero transparency existed with shows until I FOIA’d the recaps, all of them have not been posted. The last event report posted is from November. Obviously unless I FOIA the information nobody will […]
By: Diane Benjamin I filed a FOIA request for all the event reports missing from the BCPA site. I actually found this earlier Friday, the FOIA denying my request was finally received at 4:45 pm Friday. It’s pretty clear why event reports weren’t on the website. http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 I recapped the events for you: How can […]
By: Diane Benjamin The first thing that is NEVER discussed is what government should do verses what they are doing. Budgeting requires making choices, Bloomington has decided roads aren’t that important. What they want it more important. You will probably be saddled with some type of water park and a sports complex this year. Let’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin It wasn’t a smart move by the City of Bloomington to pretend to deny my FOIA request for the event recap of the Naked Magicians show because it was posted on the website. As I reported, no event reports between February 2018 and November 2018 have been posted – just the one […]
By: Diane Benjamin I filed a FOIA request for a recap of the Naked Magicians Show held at the BCPA. My request was denied because the report is on-line, I was directed there instead. Here’s where it gets funny for me, likely tragic for Bloomington taxpayers. http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1555 These are the only shows listed, no event […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can see why the finance documents aren’t included in the packet on the Bloomington Council nights where the monthly recap is presented. I’m sure it’s much more fun to claim everything is fine than show the proof. See what was reported Monday night here: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20321 When they talk about Sales Tax […]
By: Diane Benjamin The BCPA was created for the local well off folks. The entire City is taxed to subsidize entertainment for people with above average wealth. Remember these guys: https://blnnews.com/2018/09/26/one-you-must-see-to-believe/ Ticket prices: How many people can afford this show? Evidently not many – there are still a lot of seats available: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/BLOM/?cts_legacy_app Maybe […]
By: Diane Benjamin On September 20th I reported a check labeled “refund” written to the Shirk Foundation for $75,000. https://blnnews.com/2018/09/20/gleason-is-going/ The City stalled my FOIA, I finally received an answer late Friday. In 2009 the Shirk Foundation made a donation to the BCPA for the Creativity Center. Since nothing is happening there, except the City […]
By: Diane Benjamin For a brief time events report were published for BCPA shows. It was when VenuWorks was filling the management void. Reports are available for these shows: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1555 (Some shows are available from the prior year too, I’m not looking them all up!) 260 people attended Gobsmacked, the show lost $14,570.51 184 people […]
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 The budget for the BCPA is buried in the Parks and Rec. I FOIA’d a detailed Parks and Rec budget to see exactly what it costs. The budget predicts Revenue of $3,073,270. It predicts Expenses of $3,349,098. That is a loss of $275,828. But that’s not the story! $1,700,000 of that $3 […]
By: Diane Benjamin From Bills and Payroll for 7/23/2018 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=18360 PCard charge for Tari Renner – Hotel only, US Conference of Mayors in Boston: Since Tari doesn’t have a PCard, it must have been booked with this card. 3 nights for Chris Koos including two charges at the hotel’s Champion Sports Bar was only $1209.99. https://blnnews.com/2018/07/13/normal-we-must-entertain-and-more/ […]
By: Diane Benjamin YMCA, State Farm, and now Specs Around Town are just some businesses who have or will be leaving downtown Bloomington. City of Bloomington: Whatever you are doing is causing flight from downtown. Downtown is for bars, restaurants, lawyers, and government. Until Bloomington quits trying to make downtown something it isn’t, the few businesses […]
By: Diane Benjamin So much spending, so little information. Some items require an explanation, leave a comment for items YOU will FOIA. I have far too many outstanding FOIA’s already. Bills and Payroll for Monday: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=16156 Your March contribution to mostly empty buses: Anybody want to guess what this is? Media payoff: I wonder how […]
By: Diane Benjamin Documentation for the 7:00 pm meeting is 648 pages: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=16030 The 5:00 pm meeting is only 35 pages: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=16026 This item is on the agenda for discussion at the 5:00 meeting: Another City employee complete with benefits and pension! Then it gets funny because approval is on the Consent Agenda for the 7:00 […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15932 Now for the meat of tonight’s Bloomington City Council meeting! Finally we have arrived at the tax increases. Solid Waste – AGAIN! PDF page 130 The Council will get a choice – all of them cost you more: Ordinance 1: “High Service Level, High Fee Increases” Ordinance 2: “Medium Service Level, […]
