Tag: Renner

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

High taxes – People leave!

By:  Diane Benjamin Attn:  Bloomington Budget Task Force, McLean County Board, and Normal City Council Illinois has the second highest property tax bills in the country!  https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-homeowners-pay-the-second-highest-property-taxes-in-the-u-s/ People are leaving both Bloomington and Normal:  https://d2dv7hze646xr.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Population_Change_JobsGrowth.png Just because you have some project you want to do doesn’t mean you can raise taxes to do it., If […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Less employees at the City?

by:  Diane Benjamin Tari Renner and David Hales continue to proclaim the City has cut staff.  Judge for yourself: From the payroll report in Bills and Payroll for approval at Monday’s Council meeting:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9024 Bi-Weekly Payroll shows 448 employees Weekly Payroll shows 423 employees That’s a total of 871 employees. Some are seasonal, so compare […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Tari podcast APPEARS!

By:  Diane Benjamin Surprise!  WJBC decided to post the Renner podcast.  Yes, he did call anybody who objected to spending money for flamingos “loud nasty voices”.  Listen here. http://cdn.stationcaster.com/stations/wjbc/media/mpeg/Tari_Renner__Bloomington_Mayor_8_12_15-1439477301.mp3 I bet you didn’t know the Zoo Master plan is a contract to fund their projects!  The Council is always told Master Plans don’t assure any […]

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$54,212 for the plan they created:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8974 The plan was out of date before it was issued because it pretends Bloomington is growing.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

Proof: Pantagraph Corrupt

By:  Diane Benjamin Steve Vogel doesn’t think he needs to disclose EVERY TIME he writes about the City of Bloomington that he is Renner’s Campaign Daddy.  His DAUGHTER ran 2 campaigns for Renner, but I’m positive he isn’t the slightest bit corrupted by his baby’s allegiances.  Just like Lisa Madigan doesn’t take any direction on […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tari Transparency

By:  Diane Benjamin Tari was on WJBC yesterday talking about the budget: http://cdn.stationcaster.com/stations/wjbc/media/mpeg/Tari_Renner__Bloomington_mayor-1438177885.mp3 He claims the City costs go up 2% every year, the County and Normal just increase taxes and its no big deal.  He wants the same powers. Tari and the interviewers agreed that government isn’t run like a business.  Nobody mentioned that maybe it […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Hales: Bid golf, not Coliseum

By:  Diane Benjamin News flash:  Bloomington City Manager David Hales will put the sale of 3 golf courses out to bid if the budget task force recommends selling them.  He will seek “proposals from golf management companies with an established track record of success”. Meanwhile, 2 guys with a track record of failure are renegotiating […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

It’s a SPENDING problem

By:  Diane Benjamin I found this chart in the 2012 Bloomington Budget:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=2018  Page 114 Since the City of Bloomington can’t print money, expenditures should have been close to revenue.  I do remember they got into trouble by dipping into reserves though.  I wonder where that “recession” that caused the City to slash jobs was?  […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Making their own Rules

By:  Diane Benjamin Tonight the Bloomington City Council is asked to vote on changes to the Public Comment policy.  Mayor AttackMyOpposition will demand the right to declare a speaker out-of-order, thus terminating their time, if he deems them threatening or disorderly.  This is the same Mayor who wrote this on my site: NO! Diane! It […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Isn’t Communism Great!

By:  Diane Benjamin First the good news:  Pantagraph writer Steve Vogel has temporarily learned that telling elected officials to ignore citizens (check your email instead)  speaking during Public Comment was foolish.  He also learned that using 50+ people to describe how many attended Alderman Lower’s Town Hall was deceptive on the bird-cage liners part, so […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Well, Well, Well

By:  Diane Benjamin Remember yesterday’s story about Renner’s Budget Task Force?  http://blnnews.com/2015/07/08/bloomington-your-budget-task-force/ It turns out TWO (2) members don’t live in Bloomington! Deanna Frautschi lives at 2802 Hendrix Dr Bloomington IL.  The address is Bloomington, but it isn’t inside the City limits! This is the map of Ward 2:  http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=88  Look at the bottom right side […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Millennials and Amenities

By:  Diane Benjamin I keep hearing, especially from Bloomington’s mayor and an alderman, that we need amenities in order to get millennials to stay here or move here. Articles on-line talk about what millennials want in BIG cities.  They want apartments with fitness centers, pools, and Wi-Fi.  They want health food, resale shops, nice restaurants/bars, and public […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington: Your Budget Task Force

By:  Diane Benjamin City Manager David Hales isn’t capable of producing a balanced budget.  (Maybe he needs more than $200,000+ a year) The Council that you elected isn’t allowed to produce a balanced budget. Instead, Mayor Transparency hand-picked people he wanted to write a balanced budget:   http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=607  Position Name Term Exp    Member – Alderman Sage, David 9/30/2015 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Will Lisa Madigan do her job?

By:  Diane Benjamin Lisa Madigan started a Public Access office so citizens and the press can hold their government accountable.  Just like Not In Our Town doesn’t hold signers of their pledge accountable, virtually nothing happens when a complaint is filed with her office.  Our local State’s Attorney could prosecute cases filed against the City, but […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

I know you are sick of the Pantagraph, but . . .

By:  Diane Benjamin The ONLY reason I started this site IS the Pantagraph.  I watched years of their misreporting that turned to lack of reporting.   They messed with the WRONG person!  Citizens deserve news, the Pantagraph doesn’t report it unless it fits their purpose.  They are completely in bed with local government, Steve Vogel’s daughter was […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Video of Bloomington’s future

By:  Diane Benjamin A reader found this video on-line.  Thanks Mike. Tari wants the ability to terminate comments from citizens if he doesn’t approve.  Watch the video – this is Bloomington’s future. A lady on the Council leaves the chamber and asks citizens to join her outside so they can petition their government for a redress of […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tari Tales

By:  Diane Benjamin I wonder if Renner is going to make it back from San Francisco in time for tonight’s meeting.  Maybe he will pass out souvenirs since taxpayers paid for the trip. By changing the public comment rules tonight, Tari thinks he can limited public complaints.  Most of the speakers chastise the Council for their […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

More travel at your expense!

By:  Diane Benjamin Tari Renner and Chris Koos just got back or are on the way back from San Francisco!  I’m willing to bet it was at your expense since they were attending the US Conference of Mayors.  This link shows both signed up to attend:  http://usmayors.org/83rdAnnualMeeting/PreRegisteredMayorsPhotos.asp I’m just going to list some highlights so you can […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tari declares his Supremacy over YOU

By:  Diane Benjamin If the potted plants agree citizens should have no voice in their government – it will happen Monday. Tari attempted to shut down Judy Stearns while she was on the Council. Tari attempted to shut me down with his vile comments on my site.  I made a big mistake by not pressing charges against him […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Hillary and Bloomington

By:  Diane Benjamin Hillary Clinton and the City of Bloomington have a lot in common! Both think they are entitled to decide who is press and who isn’t. The UK’s Daily Mail frequently reports on things the American Press refuses to.  One of their reporters was banned from covering Hillary events.  The American press is in […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

It’s simple Econ Tari

By:  Diane Benjamin Tari:  Congratulate your Economic Development people for bring Hy-Vee to town.  It just cost you a Cub Foods.  I wonder who Green Top Grocery will put out of business? How many hotels were put out of business when Normal decided they needed a Marriott?  What will happen when Normal’s second hotel opens?  Still want a hotel in downtown […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

What are they hiding?

By:  Diane Benjamin I’ve heard for years that Executive Sessions are secret.  Council members have been threatened with censure if they talk about anything said behind closed doors. The threats are illegal! Local government has used threats because either they don’t know the law or they want to keep information from the public. Read what the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Will they stay or will they go?

By:  Diane Benjamin Another tip from a reader: No, this time it’s not about State Farm leaving.  Think Mitsubishi Motors. See this link titled: Mitsubishi Plant Fate Could Be Decided This Year  (http://tinyurl.com/ohsn7j8) The article contains a lot of information the local media has failed to notice.  The plant is extremely underutilized. Either Mitsubishi will […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Feeding themselves

By:  Diane Benjamin A reader filed a Freedom of Information Request for food receipts where charges were listed without explanation.  He filed for what showed on the statement approved for payment at the April 27th Council meeting.  Keep in mind, all the PCard charges used to reflect dates and who the meal was with.  Changing how the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

WGLT, WJBC – anybody listening? Update

The WJBC Renner interview is now posted:  http://cdn.stationcaster.com/stations/wjbc/media/mp3/Tari_Renner__Bloomington_mayor__6_10_15-1433957937.mp3 The exact words Tari used to describe IPI were: they have an ideological agenda.  He switched the conversation to tax rates when he learned he was wrong.  He claimed Illinois has comparable taxes to surrounding states.  Why is everybody leaving Illinois? Other items of note: Tari has massive interest from […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Tari scam to silence citizens

By:  Diane Benjamin At Monday’s Council meeting Tari shut off public comment.  Unless the rest of the Council refuses to tolerate it, citizens have a much smaller voice at City Hall now under Tari. The rules say 15 minutes is allotted.   3 minutes for 5 speakers weren’t a problem before Tari’s agenda was revealed because 5 people […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Raising taxes – On The Way!

By:  Diane Benjamin The work session last night before the Council meeting was more interesting than the Council meeting.  Alderman Sage had questions for the Council about the direction his budget work group should be taking.  Code:  They want tax increases, but didn’t want to look stupid bringing them back to the Council without permission.  Since […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tari is a tiny little man

By:  Diane Benjamin Each speaker at public comment is given three minutes. Time allotted is a total of 15 minutes. Previously if more than five citizens signed to speak the rules were suspended. Not tonight! Karen Schmidt has always supported suspending the rules.  Crickets from her tonight as Renner skipped asking for a motion.  Kevin […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Fox is raiding the hen house

By:  Diane Benjamin A vote on the Giebelhausen downtown redevelopment deal could be as early as June 18th.  Renner’s folly for a downtown hotel makes this project dangerous for the future of Bloomington.  Citizens said no public money, so Tari is borrowing it instead.  Does anybody trust their government?  Citizens said NO Coliseum, they did it anyway.  […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Hauman’s Vision and more

  By:  Diane Benjamin On Monday night the City of Bloomington will hold another Council meeting.  Lots of you have commented on this site about the Dukowitz-Renner-Hauman attempt to silence the Press.  I STRONGLY encourage you to speak at Public Comment.  Too often the Council sees the same people at every meeting.  The Council can ignore your […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Council complicit in Renner lies

By:  Diane Benjamin Facts: The Normal police did NOT arrest Fistbump for knocking on Nora Dukowitz’s door. Dukowitz dropped civil action against Fistbump the day before it went to court. Tari proclaimed in open session that Fistbump was being investigated for a felony:  Start watching at 5:30.  https://youtu.be/PzTrILJQlLY Diana Hauman believed a person representing Cities 92.9 is not fit […]