By: Diane Benjamin I know some of you read stories on your phone and emails I post can be difficult to read on a small screen. Here’s the recap: A Rivian employee wrote an email to Connect Transit because she considers them “experts in the Electric vehicle industry”. The email is dated November 28, 2023. Rivian was having problems […]
By: Diane Benjamin McLean County Regional Planning Commission: Metropolitan Long-Range Transportation Plan 2050 This report will be used by all local governments to make transportation decisions. Reading it will make you aware of what is coming. It is 311 pages, you don’t have to read every page since many are just the same information in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington Planning Commission packet from April 6th: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/27751/637846706526470000 This meeting was not on video because it was held in the Osbourne room of the Police Station. If all new vehicles will soon be required to be electric, why would anyone build this: This was on the agenda, it will be around Market […]
By: Diane Benjamin The data below was FOIA’d by Doug Fansler from the Town of Normal. Guess who is paying to charge Electric Vehicles? That would be the taxpayers of Normal, State of Illinois (ISU), and Heartland College district taxpayers. Maybe after paying way more for an EV than a gas powered vehicle free electricity […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you are a Corn Belt customer we are in the same boat: Paying more for electricity. You will get Illinois Country Living Magazine however. One story in this month’s edition that is NOT on-line concerns charging electric vehicles. Considering electricity is more expensive for Corn Belt customers, I don’t know why […]
By: Diane Benjamin Connect must be having a difficult time hiring a new General Manager. They are meeting again today in Executive Session to discuss “personnel matters”. Remember the corner by Portillos the buses can’t navigate? A reader received the email below from MARCH stating CT had contacted the Town of Normal for solutions: Nothing […]
https://www.ntd.com/hyundais-recall-of-82000-electric-cars-is-one-of-the-most-expensive-in-history_572514.html Hyundai will recall 82,000 electric cars globally to replace their batteries after 15 reports of fires involving the vehicles. Despite the relatively small number of cars involved, Hyundai’s recall is one of the most expensive in history, signaling how electric car defects could create hefty costs for automakers—at least in the near future. By: Diane […]
By: Diane Benjamin This news just broke, more information should be available later today or tomorrow. Ford kills Rivian deal with Lincoln (for now) amid economic challenges during pandemic See this story: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2020/04/28/ford-rivian-deal-lincoln-coronavirus-pandemic/3042670001/ Update: Another story: https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/28/21240212/ford-lincoln-cancel-rivian-suv-ev-coronavirus-pandemic-investment
By: Diane Benjamin May 2, 2013: Tesla Ordinance We know taxpayers are subsidizing electric vehicle charging in Uptown, recently it was reported at a Council meeting the Town found it too expensive to install equipment to make people pay for the electricity they use. What about the Tesla charging stations? We know if they are […]
By: Diane Benjamin I love reading a site called Michigan Capital Confidential. It isn’t run-of-the-mill boring news, these guy actually investigate. Most of their investigations pertain to Michigan, but a lot of what they find applies to politics in Illinois too. A story today mentions Rivian and Ford’s investment. The bottom line is: Unless government […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council held a Committee of the Whole meeting last night. The first topic was roads. City Manager Tim Gleason did a nice summary – just hit Play below. Points made during the discussion: 1) The ratings chart for streets has changed, the City thought they were too conservative for […]
By: Diane Benjamin Spending priorities at the City of Bloomington have ZERO to do with what citizens expect them to fund: Police, Fire, Water, Sewer, Storm Water, Roads. If they could get by with taxing you for calling 911 they would. The City of Bloomington created Enterprise Funds to make it easier to take more […]
By: Diane Benjamin Order your electric vehicle from Rivian yet? Do you drive an electric vehicle? See this article: https://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/taxing-the-poor-to-pay-for-your-electric-car?fbclid=IwAR0oVqcC6_ltCO7ccJgyVJQyhE_Ez2I5sGD0w8YtL86IUZn5DAOVz6xgEfw People who own electric vehicles have higher than average incomes. They also own a second car for traveling. Of course the manufacturers get taxpayers subsidies to build them. Buyers get tax subsidies to purchase […]
by Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission has been very busy planning how to spend YOUR money. The complete Long Range Plan is available at: http://www.mcplan.org/egov/documents/1350666761_64351.pdf Keep in mind, these people are un-elected. You will never vote on the members of this commission. Some are elected in other areas of government, some are […]
