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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
By: Diane Benjamin If Normal passes an ordinance tonight to punish small businesses just trying not to close permanently here is what they are doing: Ignoring where COVID does kill people There is no proof bars and restaurants spread the virus but there is lots of proof nursing and group homes do. We know what […]
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 […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin When David Hales was still City Manager, the Council held a meeting to look at every program the City has. They couldn’t come up with a thing to cut. They failed because a conversation on the role of government is never allowed to take place. Instead Bloomington has been allowed to grow […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can’t imagine men dying to attend. Since the BCPA doesn’t make money, the tax dollars of Bloomington citizens will be used to fund this show. Note: No one under 18 can attend. Also note who is sponsoring this event – see the bottom of the pic. A video preview is available […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin The second session of the retreat was 3 hours and 33 minutes. I DID NOT LISTEN TO EVERY SECOND! I jumped around and listened to more than half. It was obvious Quality of Life is not going to be in proposed cuts. The discussion involved real spending for the first time in […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Quality of Life? it’s not if you can’t afford to live here or participate! Details for anything listed as Total are in this document FY 2017 Budget Detail It’s searchable, so any item is easy to find. Much of the below is what Bloomington spends to entertain you. I’m purposely not including […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night 2 Aldermen made their governing philosophies clear. Remember what they said when your taxes are raised again. First, listen to Amelia Buragas. This comment came after the spending for flamingos passed and spending for new filters at the water treatment plant. . Now listen to Alderman Lower on why he […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
