Tag: McLean County Regional Planning Commision

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Who do you believe?

By: Diane Benjamin If Illinois really wanted to “spur developments and create jobs”, most laws regulating and taxing businesses and their owners would be repealed. The Illinois exodus isn’t for better weather. Since everything is a secret, start connecting dots: 2023 Megasite Investment Press Release: https://www.chicagowestbusinesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/26898-_Governor_Pritzker_Announces_Recipients_of_Megasites_Investment_Program.pdf Excepts: What company agreed to provide $1,736,501? It’s a […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

McLean County Strategic Land Use Plan flawed

By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Planning Commission starts with a flawed assumption: PDF page 7 This plan is designed to guide growth, ensure the efficient use of resources, and maintain a balance between urban and rural areas for the next 20 years. McLean County isn’t growing. Numerous websites show the same as below. Pretending […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Losing Population

By: Diane Benjamin According to US Census Bureau estimates both Bloomington and Normal are losing population: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/did-neighbors-leave-your-town-last-year/ With population declining, why is there a housing problem? Tonight the Bloomington City Council will discuss local housing needs: This group will think they can fix available housing with incentives or government housing. According to the McLean County […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Keep electing socialists Bloomington

By: Diane Benjamin We are witnessing the destruction of McLean County at the hands of progressive socialists. Things that matter to citizens don’t matter to government. I have the roads survey done, results probably tomorrow. Last night the Bloomington City Council heard two presentations. One was from the McLean County Regional Planning Commission about the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Ignoring the elephant in the room!

By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission hired an Indianapolis firm to conduct a local housing survey. The draft version is available here: https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/a2/83/4592f3f04409bcdd453644d32b78/draft-final-rise-plan.pdf Comments can be made on this document until 3/14. I’m not close to going through all 97 pages, but problems are pretty easy to see. The chart on PDF […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Dueling Housing Data

By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I was sent a Bloomington-Normal Housing Analysis that is dated April of 2022. Note: the source is NPR. You can see it here: https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/69/5d/501447894b7cb83e9117e436d098/bloomington-normal-housing-analysis-white-paper-april-2022.pdf I stopped reading it at PDF page 9 because there is a huge problem! Note the McLean County Regional Planning Commission is listed on PDF page 2 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

McLean County Population Projected to Decline

By: Diane Benjamin The County, Bloomington, and Normal rely on data collected by the McLean County Regional Planning Commission to make plans. MCRPC did surveys so much of their data is determined by who answered the survey. Remember Bring It On Bloomington that has a dismal response rate but became the GOLD standard anyway? https://blnnews.com/2014/09/19/bring-it-on-bloomington-flops/ […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Regional Planning report

By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission issued a report last October – 311 pages. Connect Transit will be here forever because these people think it is an essential service. Losing $1.2 million every month isn’t a problem since the Feds and State cover most of it. See the history on PDF page […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

MCRPC Transportation Draft Document

By: Diane Benjamin If you haven’t looked at the DRAFT Long-Range Transportation Plan yet, see it here: https://d2gfvfkk60hy7j.cloudfront.net/file/1076/09022022_DRAFT_MLRTP2050.pdf This plan is updated every 5 years and estimates needs for the next 25 years. PDF page 25 talks about Connect Transit. Some people continue to say Connect should be a Mass Transit District which means they […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Where’s the PASER report?

By: Diane Benjamin In case you forgot, PASER is the Pavement Rating and Assessment Project the Normal Town Council passed last October: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3770 See PDF page 35. The Council was told the total cost would be $100,000 with a grant arranged by the McLean County Regional Planning Commission for $80,000 of that. The Town would […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Survey in THREE Languages

By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission launched a new survey you MUST take. Those who believe government solves every problem will be taking this survey. If you believe in limited government, your thoughts need to be included too. The intro says it will take 15-20 minutes, it will take that long only […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Julie Hile’s contract

By: Diane Benjamin Normal paid the McLean County Regional Planning Commission $54,000 as their last meeting:  https://blnnews.com/2020/06/13/normals-asininity/ I previously wrote about Julie Hile’s involvement with the MCRPC here:  https://blnnews.com/2020/05/21/progressive-julie-hile/ I received a copy of the contract Hile signed with the MCRPC.  See it here:  Vision_Zero_Contract-HG-20190619_(Final_Executed)_redacted Excerpts: The contract was sign in July of 2019, so […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington meeting was PAINFUL

By:  Diane Benjamin Public comment: Most of the speakers were there to talk about video gambling.  A big fear of the local business owners is the State of Illinois raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.  Even though democrats think business owners have stashes of cash in the back room, they don’t.  Many of […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update to: Driving Must End Story

By:  Diane Benjamin Original story:  https://blnnews.com/2019/05/09/driving-must-end/ The McLean County Regional Planning Commission held a contest with prizes for people choosing to use some transportation method other than cars. Keep in mind, MCRPC is funded by government.  In the real world that would disqualify people associated with where funding comes from.  The MCRPC’s job is to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Driving must end!

By:  Diane Benjamin Guess where this statement is: Even with insurance, gas, oil changes, and new tires every 2-3 years – anybody spend $8000 on maintenance a year?  “AAA” looks like a link, it doesn’t work. This statement is on a website called GoodToGoMclean.org It should be obvious who sponsors it, the guys with priorities […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Chickens, bees, bikes, and plants

By:  Diane Benjamin The Planning Commission delayed sending the new zoning ordinance to the Council over concerns in historic districts. What you need to see are the minutes from their last meeting.  They aren’t listed separately on the City website, but they are included in the packet for yesterday’s meeting.       http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20520 PDF page […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

End of Bloomington starts tomorrow

By:  Diane Benjamin Ever since Tari was first elected, a never-ending supply of Master Plans covering everything in Bloomington has been produced at great expense.  In order to get Council support they were sold as “advisory”.  They never were meant to be advisory, they are considered law.  The hard-core leftist on the current Council frequently […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Why downtown is all the matters

By:  Diane Benjamin The short answer is because of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission. The MCRPC is an organization most citizens know nothing about.  In 2013 a new executive director was hired:  Vasudha P. Gadhiraju.  The formerly conservative Commission took a hard turn to the left immediately after.  According to the MCRPC website, 2013 is […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Transportation Planning Funding and the MCRPC

Across the country, transportation planning is the responsibility of metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) established by the Federal government. The McLean County Regional Planning Commission is the agency designated as MPO for the Bloomington-Normal region. The planning process includes the local governments of McLean County, City of Bloomington, and the Town of Normal, plus Connect Transit, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Does a Unit 5 School Board member have a conflict?

By:  Diane Benjamin A Statement of Economic Interest is required to be filed by EVERYONE who is elected and appointed to any unit of government.  Other employees may also be required to file. It is the law that SEI must be filed. Everyone on the Unit 5 School Board did file, unlike some other units […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

More Monday Jocularity

By:  Diane Benjamin Tari Renner received thousands of dollars from unions for his April election – including this one: See PDF page 120 for details of the Public Safety and Civilian Review Board:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14322 This Board will be approved because of the “feel good” Council, but it will be completely meaningless by design.  The documentation […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bike Blono runs Bloomington

By:  Diane Benjamin Bloomington wouldn’t have a Bike Master Plan without Bike Blono.  Bloomington wouldn’t have a Complete Streets plan without Bike Blono.  Bike Blono had private meetings for months with Public Works to make lanes on Washington happen.  (as stated by Michael Gorman of Bike Blono) Bikes have always been allowed on the roads, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington’s Award Good?

By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington recently announced they won an award for excellence in comprehensive planning:  http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=18&recordid=3855&returnURL=%2findex.aspx The award was for Bring It On Bloomington It doesn’t matter that Bring It On Bloomignton was a flop!  https://blnnews.com/2014/09/19/bring-it-on-bloomington-flops/ The McLean County Regional Planning Commission wanted 7,660 people to complete the survey.  They got 1,160.  It was declared […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Redistribution of wealth – SURVEY

By:  Diane Benjamin If government wants to help a segment of people: It has to steal money from some to hand to others It has to remove any incentive for personal responsibility It has to weaken the economy by not allowing earners to keep their money It has to pay bureaucrats to administer programs It […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Amelia votes to send husband money!

By:  Diane Benjamin Alderman Amelia Buragas normally recuses herself from votes when they involve sending money to Farnsworth Group.  Her husband Michael is employed by them. Last night she didn’t recuse herself from this vote: These are the people promoting bike paths on major roads and subsidizing buses. They also promoted the East-Side Bypass and […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Michael Gorman? Please stand up

By:  Diane Benjamin Only two short month ago, the Council approved the appointment of Michael Gorman to the McLean county Regional Planning Commission.  He was appointed to represent the City of Bloomington on the Commission. Dec 14 2015 – Page 2 Michael Gorman is associated with Bike Blono: Note his middle initial is C. Tonight […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

UPDATE: Tari’s True Colors

Update: Gorman is an IWU graduate and employee.  Is IWU a prerequisite?  Diversity?  How many IWU people are now in government?  Renner, Black, Schmidt, Robustelli, ? By:  Diane Benjamin Monday night Tari plans to appoint Michael Gorman to the McLean County Regional Planning Commission.  This is the Commission responsible for Bring It Bloomington and bike […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tonight: Throwing more money away

By:  Diane Benjamin Tonight the Bloomington City Council will approve paying the McLean County Regional Planning Commission $54,212 for the plan they created:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8974 The plan was out of date before it was issued because it pretends Bloomington is growing.  Before Mitsubishi announced it’s closing, Bloomington was showing negative growth.  Now 1,200 jobs are being […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Conflict of Interest?

By:  Diane Benjamin Alderman Amelia Buragus didn’t think she had a conflict of interest with votes to spend taxpayer money to redevelop downtown Bloomington, even though her dad owns property very close to the properties proposed. Michael Buragas, Amelia’s husband, works for Farnsworth Group, a frequent receiver of taxpayer funds: Is it a conflict of interest to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Meeting today-Planning Commission

By:  Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Planning Commission is holding a meeting at 4:00 today in the Council Chambers.  There will be a Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Bloomington Plan put together by the Regional Planning Commission. Nice of them to hold a meeting when most people are still at work! Claims will be made that […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bike survey FAILS citizens

by:  Diane Benjamin Government asking citizens what they think is a great thing.  Obviously it didn’t work with the Coliseum, but government has since learned a better way to ask questions.  Yes/No doesn’t achieve the correct results. Google Delphi Method.  Delphi is technique City leaders and those with an agenda are TRAINED in so consensus […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bike plan WANTS your input

The below was sent to me by Scott Fowler of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission.  I agreed to post the information.  I asked Scott how many cyclists were in the area, this is his response: We currently don’t have a number for how many cyclists live in Bloomington-Normal.  We are hoping that this effort will […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Why local government doesn’t have money

by:  Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission is busy planning for Bloomington.  Most of this commission consists of un-elected people who tell every level of government what to do by dangling money in front of them.  In addition to Bloomington, their website has plans for Normal, the County, and the schools.  That’s how […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

YOU WANT PROOF, HERE IS THE SMOKING GUN-Agenda 21

Sustainable Development is not implemented in the open, as the APA claims, but in back rooms filled with the proper NGO organizations, which surround your elected officials and pressures their actions. In that way it is changing our American society and form of government, making government more powerful and more invasive in our daily lives. […]