By: Diane Benjamin Missing Middle Housing is supposed to be on the September 8th Bloomington City Council Agenda. There are some things the City and the Council either don’t know or do and aren’t telling you. No wonder some on the Council wanted a fast vote. Opticos has been using the same canned program for […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was notified last night that Surena Fish died. Surena was on the PSCRB Board and West Side neighbors. She was a voice for downtown business owners and a frequent Public Commentor. This story has a video of one of her comments: https://blnnews.com/2024/07/16/two-public-comments-last-night-you-need-to-see/ Bloomington lost one of it’s champions and I lost […]
By: Diane Benjamin Keep in mind the City has stated they have budget deficit for the upcoming year of $6 million. Motor Fuel tax keeps dropping, at least partially because EV drivers don’t pay it. Last night’s Bloomington Council meeting can best be summed up by George Bush: “I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Committee of the Whole is meeting tonight. The only way government can fix the “housing crisis” is to get out of the way. Quit raising property taxes, quit applying for grants the feds printed money to pay that caused inflation. Live within your means and concentrate on essential services. It will […]
By: Diane Benjamin It is likely your public school didn’t tell you the Pilgrims tried socialism/collectivism and found out it didn’t work. https://www.aier.org/article/the-pilgrims-tried-socialism-and-it-failed/ McLean County used to be a beacon of freedom, after the November elections the county will probably have a County Board control by socialists/collectivists, also called Democrats. Lucky you! Your tax dollars […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Council meeting was ridiculously long. Council discussion were not the reason. More on that later (maybe). Nothing is ever on the Bloomington council agenda that is not going to pass. Details and discussion take place in 3 on 1 meetings because appearing united is vital. The Downtown Southwest TIF was […]
By: Diane Benjamin Let’s review: The US Census Bureau claims the population of Bloomington-Normal decreased in 2023: https://blnnews.com/2024/05/20/losing-population/ The US Bureau of Labor Statistics claims local employment dropped just since November 2023 and the unemployment rate increased: https://blnnews.com/2024/05/20/stats-you-needs-to-see/ Patrick Hoban, CEO of the Economic Development Council, sang a different song last night. His comments are […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thursday the Normal Planning Commission will approve destroying a single family neighborhood: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4822 Everyone on that commission is appointed by Chris Koos to do his bidding. No one represents citizens because citizens can’t even know who Koos appoints until after the Council votes. It won’t matter how many citizens show up to […]
By: Diane Benjamin EDC director Patrick Hoban showed up at the Bloomington City Council meeting to push for the $750,000 downtown study. He claimed downtown is the heart of the City (heard that before?) and he has studies that claim the Return on Investment is between 100 and 500%. He also claimed we don’t need […]
By: Diane Benjamin 5/25/22 Unit 5 School board meeting video: This video should go viral, no I’m not going to tell you what EDC Director Hoban said. Hoban had just run through all the potential incentives offered to new businesses. The EDC might want to speed this up if they are going to push it, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yes folks, the Bloomington Council meeting was 4 hours last night. I heard a radio person say something astounding yesterday: We have never been a nation of laws, we are a nation of wills. That explains why some people get away with crimes the rest of us would get life sentences or […]
By: Diane Benjamin Every time Normal wants something big they recruit local elites for Public Comment to praise the project. Last Monday was no exception. Former mayor Paul Harmon spoke both at the beginning of the meeting and the end. Patrick Hoban, the President and CEO of the local Economic Development Council was first up. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Committee of the Whole: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1103&Inline=True Businesses are flocking to low tax states with limited regulations. Proving yet again companies have to be paid to locate in Illinois: Illinois is perfectly located to successful promote economic development without incentives. Standing in the way is Illinois government and the massive debt and unfunded liabilities. […]
By: Diane Benjamin EDC is the Bloomington Normal Economic Development Council. They get your tax money but are not subject to FOIA. Bloomington cut their subsidy because of accountability. The President/CEO, Patrick Hoban, spoke at the joint the meeting of Bloomington, Normal, and McLean County held September 30, 2019. On this video at 5:40 Patrick […]
By: Diane Benjamin How many former Decatur people are going to recruited? Tim Gleason, Billy Tyus, and now the new director of the Economic Development Council: https://www.bnbiz.org/news/patrick-hoban-chosen-as-new-president-ceo/?fbclid=IwAR1bT5mkeg0vyoW2wiZo07OX0jOUAa65_sTAZcVCPo7UxpPIXiTv1aTt4YM Patrick Hoban gets the job. At least he didn’t come directly from Decatur: Hoban has served as the economic development manager for the Village of Tinley Park since […]
