Illinois needs to tax retirement income

By:  Diane Benjamin Those aren’t my words – Democrat Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs stated that.  Of course he claims only the “high income” earners will be the victims. Since Democrats don’t believe in learning from history, somebody should tell them that people don’t hang around a state to get their money stolen by taxation.  Every […]

Don’t forget who won’t let you work

By:  Diane Benjamin Indiana is open.  I know locals who have driven to the Beef House right across the border to sit down for a good meal. Iowa is open for full capacity in-restaurant dining. Wisconsin is open after their Supreme Court ruled the governor’s actions illegal. Illinois has Pritzker’s boot on everybody’s neck, he […]

Heartbreaking emails

I redacted the name of the writer because this could have been written by any small business owner.  Note the dates as you read each email.  Large corporations allowed to stay open profited at the expense of your neighbors.  Received by FOIA: Response from Stan Nord: Pam sent this to the Mayor and Council.   The […]

Punting to a Tyrant

By:  Diane Benjamin Somewhere I heard it stated:  Illinois will open when the people want it to open.  Your elected officials aren’t going to help, they are bowing before Pritzker’s tyrannical rule. The County Board debated for two hours last night.  Peoria and the other cities who put together the HOI plan have all backed […]

Update:  County Board – 5:30 today

No decisions were made.  After almost two hours of many thinking they have the right to violate the rights of people and businesses, a motion was made to table.  Some republicans voted with the Democrats not to make a decision. Meanwhile, the surrounding states are open. ______________________ By:  Diane Benjamin Bloomington and Normal have no […]

Renner, Koos, and Pritzker have no power!

By:  Diane Benjamin Executive Orders are not law.  We don’t live in a dictatorship, the only power government has is what you let them get by with!  The Illinois shutdown has morphed from “bending the curve” to tyranny. The Edgar County Watchdogs have been leading since March by simply reading the law.  The State and […]

Who is lying?

By:  Diane Benjamin Yesterday Tari Renner participated in a video conference led by the Peoria’s mayor.  There were MANY other mayors on the call, Chris Koos was not one of them. Below is a clip of just Renner.  He starts by thanking Mayor Ardis for his leadership, he asks a question, then expresses his appreciation […]

Bloomington continues to ignore law

By:  Diane Benjamin Pritzker has no power to shut down businesses.  Neither does Renner or Koos.  Local governments are graveling at Pritzker’s feet instead protecting your rights.  They are probably afraid of losing State grants.  Not living within your means makes them captive to the overlord Pritzker, Has anybody read the Illinois Constitution?  Where does […]

Koos has no power, neither does the Governor

By:  Diane Benjamin READ all the way to the bottom please! The tyrants keeping Illinois shut down have no basis in the law to continue doing so. Start with Chris Koos – his original ordinance #5804:    http://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/16424/ORD-5824—Emergency-Authorization—032320?bidId= That ordinance references: Koos is basing his Executive Powers on the Governor’s Executive Order.  What does the […]

UPDATE: Who wants to sue Pritzker?

This applies to all counties TOUCHING McLean! Here’s the deal: A lawyer friend of mine told me he had talked to some fellow lawyers who know lawsuits are needed to end Pritzker’s unconstitutional lock-down.  He asked if I knew anybody who might be interested in being a plaintiff, I passed on some names. This afternoon […]

Due Process: Illinois business and citizen road map to freedom

The Edgar County Watchdogs are on fire detailing why Pritzker orders are illegal according to the law. Catch up on the stories you have missed here:  https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/ This is the story you need to see:  https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/due-process-illinois-business-and-citizen-road-map-to-freedom “We urge each and every business and citizen to read the road map we are providing to opening up […]

Governor Hypocrisy

By:  Diane Benjamin I’m only printing this story because other local media hasn’t. Governor “All-In Illinois” Pritzker wants you locked in your house, his wife and daughter are in Florida at the family’s $12 million equestrian estate. https://news.yahoo.com/does-illinois-slogan-apply-billionaire-235447722.html Excerpts:

Update: More COVID local facts

4 more cases were found today, none are in the hospital. By:  Diane Benjamin ChicagoBusiness.com posted a database of Illinois hospitals last week.  It proves not only that hospitals are not overrun with Covid patients, but also they are being severely hurt by lack of elective procedures: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/static/section/hospital-beds-database.html?fbclid=IwAR3kr7t03wdAjYToEd3EbVmZhjaRN7JRqwAZ7s0jFE8KNX8eQQG8aPSzdBc Below are the local stats as of […]

BREAKING – Illinois Appellate Prosecutor Chief Deputy Director Memorandum VERY problematic for Governor Pritzker

From the Edgar County Watchdogs: We are of the opinion the Memorandum we obtained today is a game-changer for Illinois and a clear shot across the bow of Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order. From day one we have questioned the overreach and legality of elements of the Executive Orders and now it appears all of our positions have […]

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it

By:  Diane Benjamin The local socialist lost the case for setting prisoners free, so they are moving on.  Below is the latest email sent to every elected and appointed official with any power to hand out money.  Note the writer wasn’t smart enough to put it in her own words, she copied and pasted the […]

Normal’s debt

By:  Diane Benjamin Below are the same charts I used in the Bloomington Debt story:  https://blnnews.com/2019/12/31/bloomington-debt-2/ Liabilities – Government Activities – Due beyond one year:  Source 3/31/19 – $183,410,936 3/31/18 – $171,607,747 3/31/17 – 173,618,828 As of March 31, 2019    Source IMRF pension liability :  $ 20,832,186 Police pension liability;  $ 35,840,310 Fire pension […]

Bloomington debt

By:  Diane Benjamin The charts below are from the Illinois Comptroller’s office – this is information Bloomington reported to them. Government Activity is the column to look at, especially liabilities due beyond one year.  Since it is hard to read:   Source:  Liabilities 2018 – $221,260,896 2017 – $198,984,845 2016 – $216,297,608 What is this HUGE […]

Witness slips needed AGAINST Pritzker’s tax

Since you are smart enough to know Pritzker’s Progressive tax isn’t just going to raise taxes on the rich, fill out a Witness Sip against it now!  Yes, they do matter! ilga.gov/WitnessSlip Enter NONE for any not applicable fields. Mark OPPONENT Mark Record of Appearance Only Track the witness slips here:  http://ilga.gov/legislation/witnessslip.asp?DocNum=1&DocTypeID=SJRCA&LegID=114006&GAID=15&SessionID=108&GA=101&SpecSess=

Illinois is #1

By:  Diane Benjamin WalletHub published a study of State taxation in March.  WallettHub is Tari Renner’s favorite study to quote since in the past they have rated Bloomington as a great place to live.  Those days should be over. https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416/#complete-rankings Including the District of Columbia, Illinois ranks #1 with highest tax burden! “Taxpayers in the […]

The $100,000+ Club

Open The Books has a new interactive map for Illinois which allows users to see Illinois Educators either receiving a salary or pension in excess of $100,000.  Click below to see it.  Keep in mind the pensions go up 3% every year, Pritzker refuses to put a Constitutional Amendment on the ballot to change it.  […]

Witness Slip needed today!

  By:  Diane Benjamin The movie Unplanned will be coming to Galaxy 14 Cine, the date has not been posted yet.    It is rated “R” only because it has a 20 second sonogram video of a baby fighting for it’s life. Take your teenage kids, we can end the slaughter of children with facts.  […]