By: Diane Benjamin EDC director Patrick Hoban showed up at the Bloomington City Council meeting to push for the $750,000 downtown study. He claimed downtown is the heart of the City (heard that before?) and he has studies that claim the Return on Investment is between 100 and 500%. He also claimed we don’t need […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Commerce Bank location at 104 Broadway in Uptown Normal is closing in just a few days. If you have never heard of ESG scores, it is here and detrimental to everything American. Start getting informed here: https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/esg-definition-meaning/ Large corporations are being forced to adopt ESG. Commerce Bank is all in: https://www.commercebank.com/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility/esg […]
By: Diane Benjamin Someday SLBB is going to end. It cost you MILLIONS because employees were allowed to spike their pensions which meant additional funds had to be paid into the retirement system. Add that to the MILLIONS spent on a never used fire station and more spent on a never used water tower. Add […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal owns a building at 102 W. North. ISU used it for awhile, the front is now rented to Ohmfit. You might not know the back is rented to Friends of Dan Brady for a campaign office. Since the building is being rented, property taxes should be paid, the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s meeting is delayed because at 7:00 there is a tree lighting ceremony on the circle. THIS HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE WEATHER. The meeting is still at 7:30. http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3436 A few choice payments tonight: This is the Florida guy who tells Normal how to operate: Who else contributes and what […]
Eminent Domain was meant for government to obtain land from private citizens for the public good. Until 2005, public good meant for schools, public buildings, & roads, but the Supreme Court decided eminent domain could be used against a private citizen for use by another private citizen. The Town of Normal is now famous for […]
I drove by this lot today to see who is allowed to park there. The part labeled 2 is mostly reserved for the Coffee House on Beaufort. 3 – I didn’t see how to access it, but I may have missed something. This is NOT a straight parking lot where it is clear what you […]
All the the following is public information or it was obtain under the Freedom of Information Act. On August 20, 2008 – Simon Wilson sold the following parcels to One Main Development for $1,412,500: 14-28-435-013 114-122 E Beaufort 14-28-435-027 North of -013 to College 14-28-435-014 North of -013 to College 14-28-435-030 North of -013 to […]
by Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal doesn’t have just 1 or 2 Tax Increment Finance districts, it has 4 – all started since Chris Koos became mayor. The original intent of TIF districts was to encourage developers in blighted areas. According to one of my sources, TIF districts are now used more to provide […]
Normal didn’t stop at 2 Tax Increment Finance Districts – More tomorrow by Diane Benjamin The last report on properties bought – sold – given away – and held by the Town of Normal focus on the Normal Uptown Increment Redevelopment. Part of that strategy is to pay for the plan using the difference between […]
by Diane Benjamin Since Chris Koos has been elected Mayor more than once – You Did! In previous posts about the Town of Normal, I stated in 2003 every citizen was $11.52 in debt to Normal. By 3/31/11 every citizen was $1725.18 in debt. The 3/31/12 financial statements have not been issued yet. A look […]
