Tag: Quality of Life

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington Admits the Obvious

By: Diane Benjamin Everyone should know by now the Coliseum never performed as sold to the citizens of Bloomington: It will never cost you a dime! Billy Tyus, Deputy City Manager, admitted the obvious to WGLT: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-02-01/with-hockey-team-in-place-bloomington-looks-to-bring-arena-back-to-life?fbclid=IwAR1YSf-4fJksOpolUowyg7i2Qz9WmQlSCllxjwsP0BTE2Yb7G6tkVC6F_6k Excerpt: Note: The hockey team won’t be around long if they have to help the city recoup costs. Meanwhile, Mike Matejka who […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington Roads History and the American Rescue Plan money

By: Diane Benjamin I probably have at least 100 stories since 2012 on road conditions. Tari Renner ran for office promising to fix them – twice. https://blnnews.com/2018/01/24/its-the-roads-stupid/ In 2012 the City passed an Action Plan that included “smooth rides on quality well-maintained street”. https://blnnews.com/2015/02/26/if-you-like-your-roads-you-can-keep-your-roads/ In late 2013 or early 2014 the City borrowed $10,000,000 for […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal on Tuesday: The agenda item I’ve been waiting for

By: Diane Benjamin The meeting is not being held on Monday, no reason given. For years I’ve wanted a discussion on the role of government. Is it to run your life or protect your Freedom and Liberty? Monday night we will find out how the Normal Trustees view government. Every dollar government spends either provides […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Amenity not Economic Development

By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s Bloomington council meeting: Tari Renner and the Clerk had to be reminded Public Comment was skipped. I hope the next mayor can read and follow an agenda, Tari can’t (numerous examples from recent meetings). See around 49:00. There was only one Public Comment. Ward 3 candidate Willie Holton Halbert took […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Meeting for 12 hours provides lots of material

By: Diane Benjamin I can find numerous things citizens need to know after Normal spent 9 hours meeting 1/26 and then another 3 hours last Monday talking about the budget. Pam Reece wants you to know they aren’t spending over $5 million running water pipes on West College to Rivian. So, either they know something […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Koos is a Conflict of Interest

By: Diane Benjamin The University of Illinois at Chicago recently rated Illinois as the second most corrupt state in the country: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/corruption-costs-illinois-taxpayers-at-least-550m-per-year/?fbclid=IwAR11VlYYI6ARmHozjFT0DQgsFig-PgAJNkYwkSGbD1jj3AvL_hCEGbDrJK8 Central Illinois isn’t exempt. The Town of Normal is famous for calling new bike trails a Quality of Life issue. It is – for bike shop owner and Mayor of Normal: Chris Koos. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update: More on One Normal Plaza and the brewery

I just received another FOIA from Normal.  Supporting the brewery was the building owner, Rob Morger.  The Baby fold supported the zoning changes. By:  Diane Benjamin Last night the group of citizens opposed to establishments selling alcohol from a building in One Normal Plaza met with Town staff.  Normal brought the big guns: City Manager […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

More BCPA losses

By:  Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 Two more reports have appeared from March, three are from April. These two shows made money: These three shows lost money, the losses wiped out the profits above.  Note the number of tickets sold: Why does this continue? Because the City thinks you need entertained.  The cost is immaterial.  It’s “Quality […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Quality of Life Fail

By:  Diane Benjamin When Quality of Life is built without funds to maintain it, this is what you get: This is the golf cart path at the Den. In January the City used their credit card (capital lease) to buy new carts  $153,274.35    https://blnnews.com/2019/01/28/fox-creek-gets-new-golf-carts-tonight/ Shouldn’t the path be fixed BEFORE the new carts? Remember the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Last night’s Bloomington Propaganda

By:  Diane Benjamin If you have never watched a City Council meeting, last night is the one you need to watch:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDOCilmu80A I can’t possibly cover everything that happened.  Toward the end of the meeting Joni Painter read something that demanded no more video gaming machines.  It was pretty incoherent.  2 people demanded the same […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

4 pics you need to see

By:  Diane Benjamin First refer back to yesterday’s story:   https://blnnews.com/2019/02/09/remember-when-bloomington-was-broke/ The City of Bloomington will be adding yet another Quality of Life location most of the population will never use.  EVERY Quality of Life location they have now loses money, including the zoo.  Even though local soccer people have finally taken it on themselves to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The budgeted BCPA loss and more

By:  Diane Benjamin I can see why the finance documents aren’t included in the packet on the Bloomington Council nights where the monthly recap is presented.  I’m sure it’s much more fun to claim everything is fine than show the proof.  See what was reported Monday night here:    http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20321 When they talk about Sales Tax […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

BCPA doesn’t exist to even break even

By:  Diane Benjamin For a brief time events report were published for BCPA shows.  It was when VenuWorks was filling the management void.  Reports are available for these shows:   http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1555 (Some shows are available from the prior year too, I’m not looking them all up!) 260 people attended Gobsmacked, the show lost $14,570.51 184 people […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Sport complex is already decided

By:  Diane Benjamin http://www.wjbc.com/2018/04/14/consultant-community-has-room-for-new-sports-venues/ According to the WJBC story. the decision has already been made by the consultants who were just hired:  we need a sports complex. The Pony League fields began in 1988 with no tax dollars.  Hundreds if not thousands of kids and adults play there every summer.  Have you noticed all the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

No Discussion Spending

By:  Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15932 City Council Monday night: Remember the Police Review Board the local activist wanted?  (Public Safety Community Relations Board) I understood this Board was created so after citizens exhausted all other avenues within the police department, they would have another place to go with complaints about the police.  This Board has no […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

UPDATE – Soccer: You had FIVE years

Normal wants a study for between $40,000 and $60,000 to see if a sports complex makes sense. Seriously? ____________________ By:  Diane Benjamin The local soccer people held a press conference in August 2013 to demand taxpayer funding for their complex.  It was complete with cute little kids in their soccer uniforms.  The group handed out […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Jewel No Longer

By:  Diane Benjamin Occasionally the Bloomington elected are still pretending Bloomington is the Jewel of the Midwest. Ask them why 56.72% of the students in District 87 qualify for free or reduced lunches?  https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/libraries/pdfs/il-nslp-eligibility.pdf What income qualifies? SOURCE Obviously way too many people in Bloomington aren’t able to participate in the Quality of Life they […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

WJBC: Scott wrong again!

By:  Diane Benjamin Scott Laughlin clarified this morning on WJBC why the local media is useless.  The host hates people who think government should do nothing. Scottie doesn’t realize “those”  people don’t want government doing nothing, they want them doing only the things the population can’t do themselves.  Like fix the roads!  How are the Bloomington […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

TAX projections down in Bloomington!

By: Diane Benjamin 2017 numbers are from PDF page 120  http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=10626 2018 numbers are from PDF page 108 http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=12224 . . . .   Total revenue projections are down from last year $211,282, but the entire budget increased $6,000,000 . .. . . . .   . Personal income in 2015 was less than 2014 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Quit pandering to millennials – they grew up

By:  Diane Benjamin I don’t think Tari Renner and most of the City Council are keeping up to date!  We are constantly told we need Complete Streets because millennials want to ride their bikes to work.  We need to spend millions downtown because millennials want to live there. Since (I think) Tari just got back […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Local elections CAN’T be non-partisan

By:  Diane Benjamin Tonight there is a mayoral debate at the Doubletree – 7:00pm.  Come early, at least some candidates will be there early. Two candidates won’t be there:  Diana Hauman and Robert Fike Either they aren’t serious candidates or they are afraid to answer questions, the debate is being held by Cities 92.9. Tari […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

New Library?

By:  Diane Benjamin Anybody find it amusing that both Bloomington and Normal suddenly need new libraries?  Book stores are closing, some libraries have gone digital, but TWO small cities side by side need new libraries. Maybe it has nothing to do with books. Source:  https://blnnews.com/2015/12/18/why-bloomington-is-expanding-the-library/ This pic is from Normal – but it’s the reason […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

NOrmal – time to say NO!

By:  Diane Benjamin At the October 17, 2016 meeting, this was approved for payment:  http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2193 Monday night this payment is scheduled to be approved:  http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2214 Did tax dollars really pay $700 for a carriage in ISU’s parade, or was this guy paid twice?  Is this how taxpayers want their hard-earned money spent? Some other items […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Remember Renner saying . .

By:  Diane Benjamin Numerous times Mayor Renner said they could abolish Parks and Rec and not balance the budget.  It was his way of justifying tax increases. A found this document from 2015 on-line:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8116 Many documents exist on-line that were only done once.  This is one of them.  Evidently the City can’t decide on […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Better ARM yourself

By:  Diane Benjamin See this survey of the safest cities in Illinois with a population over 5000:  http://www.homesnacks.net/cities/safest-places-in-illinois/ 291 cities included.  Bloomington was a dismal 226 out of 291, Normal wasn’t a lot better at 189.  The survey is from 2014.   How’s that for  Quality of Life!  The meaning of rank out of 291 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Oops – Bloomington slipped

By: Diane Benjamin See this link:  http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2015/12/08/on-a-list-of-top-cities-for-tech-job-and-wage.html On a list of top cities for tech, job and wage growth, Chicago and Illinois rank low On a new list that ranks U.S. cities for their growth in the technology industry, wages and jobs, Chicago and the rest of Illinois don’t fare very well. Excerpts: How were […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Vogel announces Lower is running for Mayor!

By:  Diane Benjamin Steve Vogel announced in the Pantagraph today that Alderman Lower is expected to run for Mayor against Steve’s buddy, Tari.  Remember his daughter was Renner’s campaign manager twice.  Since Vogel didn’t add that to his story, I need to make sure you know the truth. Now it’s clear why Tari Junior (Scott […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Quality of Life Myth

By:  Diane Benjamin City officials for decades have justified spending by calling it Quality of Life.  Frequently cited is “people and businesses will move here”, it was just used to justify flamingos.  With State Farm and Mitsubishi leaving, how’s that working for you? Quality of Life is why the Coliseum was built.  That’s why the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

So, the Zoo gets $700,000

by:  Diane Benjamin Miller Park Zoo is getting $700,000 from the State to add monkeys from Africa and some building projects.  The McLean County Museum of History is getting $254,800 from the State for restrooms and lighting.  The Children’s Discovery Museum is getting $116,800 from the State to indoctrinate kids on green energy. That totals […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington: Where the money goes

by:  Diane Benjamin Click on the picture to enlarge.  The below is from Book 1 of the Bloomington Budget: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6393 Other Public Works has no explanation. How did parks go up to 62 in 2008, then down to 46 in 2013? Baseball fields, Basketball courts, and Tennis courts are great, but the maintenance money is always […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington spending priorities-you decide

by:  Diane Benjamin Number one complaint of citizens:  roads falling apart.  So the City borrows $10,000,000 and plans to budget another $4,000,000.  The budget comes out and the $4,000,000 is cut.  The City can’t find a way to keep your car from getting damaged dodging potholes. Guess what they can find money for? Golf paths. […]