By: Diane Benjamin Making budget cuts isn’t a matter of cutting BIG things. It a myriad of small things that add up to big bucks. Here’s one example: This pic is from Normal’s budget: Normal will be handing over $109,250 to the CVB and $100,000 to the EDC. Why is Bloomington also giving the EDC […]
By: Diane Benjamin The event calendar for the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is mostly blank. They do have one event scheduled for October. Unfortunately it is a fund raiser for themselves: https://www.artsblooming.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/13308/762 Remember the grand plans for the Creativity Center? Details here: https://blnnews.com/2019/01/26/what-no-one-in-bloomington-talks-about/ The City even hired a fundraiser for the Friends of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Jamie Mathy urged citizens to look at the upcoming shows at the BCPA during Aldermen comments at last night’s Council meeting. He claimed a show that costs $100 in Chicago could be only $30 here. See upcoming events: https://www.artsblooming.org/events/calendar Meanwhile, the last event report posted for the BCPA was a show held […]
By: Diane Benjamin Next Monday is when the Bloomington City Council will make their final decision on manufacturing, processing, distributing, selling, and use of marijuana. Merry Christmas Bloomington, dollar signs and social justice warriors will decide Gettin’ High is the Way To Fly! 12:15 Chris Collins of Housing Our People Everywhere wants some of the […]
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 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 I drove by the Creativity Center on my way to the Bloomington Council meeting last night. The signs on the north side of the building are no longer there! City Manager Tim Gleason has not responded to my email. Evidently removing the signs is his response: https://blnnews.com/2019/09/19/remember-the-signs-at-the-creativity-center/ If you watch City […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/09/09/why-is-bloomington-allowing-propaganda/ Last week I was downtown so I took my own pictures of the signs in the windows on the Chestnut Street side of the GOVERNMENT owned Creativity Center. Here are the three most offensive and obvious propaganda: I sent these pics to Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason along […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Creativity Center is still a mystery to most Bloomington taxpayers. See this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/02/14/it-a-secret-bcpa-creativity-center/ Taxpayers are funding the salary and benefits for a fundraiser – but you aren’t allowed to know how much money she has raised! She is raising money for the Friends of the BCPA a 501-3C that doesn’t […]
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 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 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 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 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 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, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington and Normal are the only cities doing their own garbage pickup in the area. According to the Pantagraph, Normal did their own investigation of rates. They declared NO money could be saved by privatizing garbage pickup. See the chart here: http://www.pantagraph.com/graphic-waste-collection-fees-services/pdf_a5d93a81-e7db-537c-b830-c5fafd8a34bc.html The Pantagraph must not have noticed some of those other cities […]
By: Diane Benjamin PDF Page 10: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12766 Last April the Council unanimously approved spending $114,999 to hire Greenplay to develop a Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Master Plan. Keep in mind, the only reason for Master Plans is to bind the hands of future Councils because millions have been spent planning. Even with this massive expense, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Creativity Center isn’t ADA compliant! Lisa Madigan will target them next, and thanks to the Bloomington City Council you will be on the hook for that building too! The below is from the minutes of the 10/24/16 meeting in the packet for approval Monday night: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11609 See PDF page 34. Joni […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course the TIF District passed last night 8-1. Only Kevin Lower knows government doesn’t create economic development without taking your money to do it. Free markets are dead in Bloomington. I hear Giebelhausen is still planning a hotel for the Pantagraph building, not where the City wants one and not in […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) East Side Highway meeting tonight: 6:00-9:00 Central Catholic High School 2) If you aren’t protesting your property assessed value – you are a sheep being led to slaughter. I’m sure it says how and where to protest on the letter you received. 3) I finally listened to the video from Monday’s […]
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