By: Diane Benjamin Just so everyone is clear when Charlotte Alvarez shows up at another public meeting: She is getting paid by taxpayers. From the Illinois Comptroller website: https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/financial-reports-data/find-a-report/state-contracts The $1,200,000 was for FY 2021 – right when the border was opened. Coincidence? The $579,000 was for FY 2023. Another coincidence? The $253,926 is also […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m sure this debt comparison is temporary since Bloomington is going on a spending spree (not to fix the roads). According to the Illinois Comptroller’s website – Bond Debt: Bloomington as of 4/30/2023: Normal as of 3/31/2023: The Uptown TIF ends in 2026 meaning Normal’s taxpayers will be paying off the debt […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course the data is now close to moldy. Normal’s is from 3/31/23, Bloomington’s is from 4/30/23. Funny how they both appeared on the same day. Yesterday. Blomington’s TIF reports are now available too. Links to the reports – Easy to read data which is why it wasn’t available until now: https://tinyurl.com/Bloomington4-23 […]
By: Diane Benjamin More on these two stories: https://blnnews.com/2023/11/07/illinois-comptroller-must-have-decided-to-void-transparency/ https://blnnews.com/2023/11/09/comptrollers-office-responded-just-not-with-an-explanation/ As I stated in one of the stories above, government employees would rather talk to me over the phone instead of in writing. That eliminates the paper trail, the email below proves it: On November 9, 2023, at 3:41 PM, “Pallasch, Abdon” <[email protected]> wrote: Hmmm… […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2023/11/07/illinois-comptroller-must-have-decided-to-void-transparency/ I didn’t send that story to them, somebody must have or they found the “tag”. I received an email yesterday: . I didn’t use an email address because the on-line contact form doesn’t have one. See it here: https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/about/contact-us/phone-mailing-addresses I rarely make phone calls because I want […]
By: Diane Benjamin The purpose of the Local Government Data on the Comptroller’s website is to present finances in a way citizens can understand. When the data isn’t available it should make everyone wonder why! Normal’s year end was last March 31st. The “landing page” for Normal has been updated to reflect the FY 2023 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Inflation has caused tax receipts to skyrocket as well as all the money the feds printed to hand out to State and Local Governments. It is not going to last, they just aren’t telling you. The below was found in a FOIA request filed by a reader – not me. It is […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Uptown TIF report was not published with the other 4 TIF reports on the Comptroller’s website because it had errors and was returned to Normal for corrections. That information comes directly from an employee at the Comptroller’s office, she didn’t tell me what errors. You can see the report here: https://files.illinoiscomptroller.gov/LocGovTIF/FY2022/06409531/22TIF06409531Downtown_volpment_1.pdf […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal’s year end was 4/30/2022. Shouldn’t all required reports be completed by now? It’s been over 7 months! One report is still missing: The missing report is for the Uptown TIF. It isn’t “missing” because Redevelopment is spelled wrong, it’s always been spelled wrong. Illinois Comptroller – Town of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last September the Financial Trends Report was presented at a Council meeting. See it here: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20653/2021-2022-Financial-Trend-and-Condition-Report IMRF funding was reported on PDF page 45 at 106.2%. IMRF funds all pensions except Police and Fire. Fire Pension Funding was reported at 56.15% funded – PDF page 44. Police Pension Funding was reported at […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington’s year end was 4/30/2021. The financial statements have yet to be released. If they were a corporation with investors they would all be fired, but they are government so it’s fine. Luckily they also have to submit information to the Illinois Comptroller’s office. Bloomington’s information is available there! […]
By: Diane Benjamin So far I haven’t commented on the financial statements Normal released a few weeks ago. It is much easier to show you facts when the Illinois Comptroller gets around to posting the information in a way it is easier to understand. They finally did today. Debt: Look at the Original Issue Amount […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is the data reported to the Illinois Comptroller’s office by the City of Bloomington. Bloomington hasn’t released their 4/30/2020 financial statements to the public yet – just to the Comptroller who makes them available to everyone. 4/30/2020: 4/30/2019 Population dropped 632 in just one year. Meanwhile full-time employees increased by 7. […]
By: Diane Benjamin $270,944,173 Again this year Bloomington’s finances are on the Illinois Comptroller’s site BEFORE the City gets around to releasing the CAFR (financial statements). The fiscal year ended 4/30/2020 – almost 6 months ago. Why rush? What do they show? Bond Debt: 47,780,000 IMRF pension debt: 12,821,451 Police Pension Debt: 77,693,023 Fire Pension […]
By: Diane Benjamin I downloaded the TIF report for you. See yesterday’s story for directions on how to look up information on the Comptroller’s website yourself: https://blnnews.com/2020/09/29/normal-pay-attention-uptown-tif-report/ This story will prove TIF reports can say whatever the Town of Normal wants them to say. When a TIF doesn’t generate enough money to pay the bills, […]
By: Diane Benjamin All the Financial Information for the Town of Normal is now posted on the Comptroller’s website. It includes reports on the FIVE TIF districts. This site is for citizens because they are in a much easier to read format. The reports used to be easy to find, the Democrat Comptroller redesigned the […]
By: Diane Benjamin One more thing happened at Monday’s Normal Town Council meeting that you need to see. First, some background. Both Bloomington and Normal have decided in recent years to write minutes that don’t reflect exactly what happens at meetings. If citizens want to research something that happened a year ago and don’t know […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tomorrow night the City of Bloomington is finally going to release the financial statements for the year that ended SEVEN months ago. The only reason they are releasing them is because the data is already available on the Comptroller’s website. Interesting reporting: The previous year they reported this: Population is dropping while […]
See the comments, they borrowed money. More debt! By: Diane Benjamin Continuing this story from yesterday: https://blnnews.com/2018/04/30/townships-the-hidden-government/ The WAREHOUSE was created by the Illinois Comptroller’s office to give citizens access to local government financial information. It is much easier to read than whatever local units of government call financial statements. It would be a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Note: This information is now 1 year old. The Illinois comptrollers office finally got around to setting up the structure to enter this data. Uptown TIF: ftp://ftp.illinoiscomptroller.com/LocGovTIF/FY2017/06409531/17TIF06409531Downtown_volpment_1.pdf The TIF was organized in 2003. The 2016 report showed positive cash flow of $2,967. 2015 showed a positive $44. TIF theory states increased property tax receipts […]
By: Diane Benjamin I reported yesterday about the Comptroller’s Warehouse website. The Bloomington information from last year is available there when the City hasn’t bothered to release it to you yet. I found a fun page that recaps all expenditures in a succinct format that’s easy to understand. Want to know where your money goes? […]
By: Diane Benjamin When the new and re-elected members of the City Council were sworn it last May 1st, no agenda was posted: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-499/-npage-5 If you watch the video, Tari called the meeting to order anyway, see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfeOZOEU6xs This is the meeting where an illegal oath of office was given. Now that the City […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I did two stories on past due Tax Increment Financing reports: https://blnnews.com/2017/11/03/is-normal-hiding-tif-data/ https://blnnews.com/2017/11/03/bloomington-plays-the-same-tif-game/ First: It is ridiculous the citizens have to wait over 6 months after a year-end for financial information. Second: If you look under Finance on both the Bloomington and Normal websites, there are NO links to TIF reports. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thanks to Steve Vogel who today mentioned in his weekly column that Bloomington is in a recession. Moody’s Analytics reported that in January (and so did I), but the media has been ignoring it. Anyone who attended the Bloomington “Budget Workshop” today would have seen Bloomington is also ignoring that fact. If […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve written for months about Bloomington NOT making their financial statements public yet from almost a year ago. In fact, very little financial information has been released, Renner’s transparency claims are now ridiculous. The City was required to submit this information to the Illinois Comptroller’s office. The year ended 4/30/2016, but with […]
By: Diane Benjamin All of the information below is from the Illinois Comptroller’s website. See it HERE Would you invest in a company that fails to issue Financial Reports? Why would anybody invest in Bloomington – they haven’t issued last year’s statements yet. Tonight there will be a presentation on how this year is going […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is an update to yesterday’s story: https://blnnews.com/2016/12/29/is-past-due-now-costing-you/ Bloomington has two reports that are now past due at the Comptroller’s office. Last night a guy from that office called me after I requested information. First, one of the reports is a TIF report. If the City is trying to use the excuse […]
See UPDATE: HERE By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington is required to file the Annual Report and TIF reports with the Illinois Comptroller’s office. See this message on the Comptroller’s website for Bloomington: Source The original due date was in October, the City filed for an extension until 12/26/2016. They missed the deadline and […]
By: Diane Benjamin See Part 1 here: https://blnnews.com/2016/11/30/connect-transit-lunacy-part-1/ See the Board packet here: November-22-2016-regular-board-packet Below is a few items paid in September and October. Remember, they knew by this time the State of Illinois was late paying them and they were in danger of running out of money. I have no idea what a Vault […]
By: Diane Benjamin The October Connect transit meeting was held earlier than usual, so financial information wasn’t available. The November meeting was held on 11/22, it includes reports from September and October. See the packet here: November-22-2016-regular-board-packet Start here: Page 32 of packet. Then this one: Page 27 of the packet I think it’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin Various reports MUST be filed by law with the Illinois Comptroller. Mike (laws don’t matter) James has failed to file the Downs annual report and two TIF reports. TIF’s under corrupt leadership can be used as a slush fund to hand money to friends. Is that why they aren’t filed Mr. Mayor? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Downtown TIF report filed with the State of Illinois for 2010: 2010 Report Downtown TIF report filed with the State of Illinois for 2011: 2011 Report Both reports are filed by the same guy – the Finance Director at the time, Tim Irvin. You don’t have to be a CPA to see […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is the debt report Allin Fire Protection District made to the Illinois Comptroller’s Office. Note: The report shows debt at year-end (May 31, 2015) of $167,000. See the report here: http://warehouse.illinoiscomptroller.com/ProcessSearchResults.cfm?DisplayMode=GETAFR&AFRDesiredData=Indebtedness&Code=064/010/06&CFY=2015&Menu=Yes&PrintIt=No The report correctly shows a new loan of $45,000 Minutes 12-10-2014 The ambulance purchase reported here: http://blnnews.com/2015/10/14/allin-fire-truth-report/ is still not […]
By: Diane Benjamin Agencies of government in Illinois are required to file reports with the Comptroller’s office. Below is a screen shot of the 2014 report for the Allin Fire Protection District showing debt. The District’s fiscal year runs from 6/1/13 through 5/31/14. The report below shows $90,000 in new debt during fiscal year 2014. […]
By: Diane Benjamin McLean County Board Chairman Matt Sorenson appeared on WGLT yesterday. Either Bloomington passes 1/4 Sales Tax increase for mental health or the County will raise property taxes. http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2015/08/01262_sorenson_SI_MH_spot_web_180041.shtml Instead of jumping at raising taxes, how about cutting administrators Matt? Below is a list of every Taxing Body on the State Comptrollers website […]
