By: Diane Benjamin The obvious alien writer at the Pantagraph, Steve Vogel, demanded .04 a gallon gas tax increase today. Maybe he sneaked into the country when the old Soviet Union dissolved. Maybe he was dropped on his head. He thinks the City needs more money for roads. Citizens expect their government to handle: Police […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m sure you’ve seen Bloomington’s symbol: What the symbol means is listed on the City website and in the presentation for Tuesday night. It isn’t new, no Tari didn’t change or create the definition: According to dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/progressive 1) Favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington is asking interested parties to register for the Empire Street Corridor TIF. http://www.cityblm.org//index.aspx?page=18&recordid=2743 The covered area is MUCH bigger than Colonial Plaza. It goes from Veterans to Colton Ave – the road west of Bloomington High School. The total is 201 acres. You can read how far north […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight the Bloomington City Council will approve an Enterprise Zone. The majority will vote yes because they believe government creates economic activity. From the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Activity website: The Illinois Enterprise Zone Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and neighborhood revitalization in economically depressed areas of the […]
By: Diane Benjamin From tonight’s Bloomington City Council Bills and Payroll: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9366 Three employees took advantage of Sick Leave Buy Back-the HOURS is blank, see pages 11 & 13: SLBB 12,195.20 ___________ ________________ ________________ Total: 12,195.20 Total Employees: 1 SLBB 12,192.35 ___________ ________________ ________________ Total: 12,192.35 Total Employees: 2 (From 10/12/15: SLBB 12,192.37 2 – […]
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night the City Council approved: Consideration of adopting a Resolution endorsing BN Advantage: A collaborative economic development strategy for the Bloomington-Normal-McLean County Region The Vote was 8-1, Alderman Lower was the NO vote. . BN Advantage is composed of: EDC – Economic Development Council McLean County Chamber of Commerce Bloomington-Normal Convention […]
By: Diane Benjamin Does government create economic activity? Tari Renner believes he needs to control what happens to downtown Bloomington. Obviously Chris Koos had the same thought when he created Uptown. Meantime, tax revenue is down in BOTH cities. Both mayors believe more government intervention is needed to force economic development and growth. Now they […]
By: Diane Benjamin Today the City of Bloomington Annual Account as of 4/30/14 was published in the Pantagraph. If it wasn’t required by law, I’m sure the City wouldn’t do it. How much did the Pantagraph earn from the City of Bloomington? $126,344.49 It’s easy to see why investigative reporting is banned. Maybe the Pantagraph […]
