By: Diane Benjamin Evidently the media wasn’t listening to public comment at the 7/14/25 County Executive Board meeting. Former Board member Susan Schafer was heavily involved with the mental health funding and spending. She spoke about the expense involved implementing EGIS. It is some replacement 911 system that is going to cost $20 million over […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) July 1, 2025 State gas tax is increasing to 48.3 cents per gallon. https://tax.illinois.gov/research/publications/bulletins/fy-2025-23.html Meanwhile Springfield politicians still don’t have enough money so they are considering a per mile tax too. Add another 8 cents per gallon for Bloomington and Normal. 2) The 1% Sales Tax for schools goes into effect […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-04-16/some-electric-bills-in-bloomington-normal-are-about-to-go-up Excerpt: The new rate starting in June will be close to 40% higher than what energy customers are currently paying — with rates rising from $.07 to nearly $.11 per kilowatt hour. MUCH higher electric bills follow Bloomington raising water rates May 1st by another THIRD for what they deemed “generational” […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) . 2) Beside massive inflation, high interest rates and minimum wage increases, anybody want to help Krystle understand the housing shortage? Anyone? She’s probably never heard of supply side economics. 3) The below was received by FOIA. They are excerpts from a Daily Activity report by the Bloomington police. All of […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/illinois-gas-tax-minimum-wage-drivers-licenses-july-1-marks-big-changes-in-state/ar-BB1pcuTJ The Illinois gas tax goes up .02 today AND you get to pay higher sales tax after the gas tax increase. Quote: Illinois motorists also have to pay excise taxes on fuel, which is assessed by the federal government, and state sales taxes, which is applied after the state’s fuel tax […]
By: Diane Benjamin See 1:12:00 Tim Gleason tells the Council they can’t discuss the 2nd dispensary location because the city might get sued. You will never know the details of who is behind this location or hear if any ways have been found to detect drivers under the influence. Discussion was shut down by a […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4265 Chris Koos is back to traveling at taxpayer expense: The agenda is pretty slim, taxpayers will get an update on your last Sales Tax rate increase: PDF page 44: The Council will be holding an Executive Session (Secret meeting) to discuss personnel issues. This has to be about specific employees, not […]
By: Diane Benjamin Recap of Normal’s tax history: This story has screen shots from the Normal website on May 30, 2012: https://blnnews.com/2012/05/30/normal-il-what-is-up-with-the-debt/ All current rates can be found from this site: http://www.normal.org/129/Taxes-Fees What is the rate now? 8.75% 3.5% going to the Town of Normal What is the rate now? What is the rate now? […]
By: Diane Benjamin City Manager Tim Gleason has mentioned to Council could pass increasing the Gas Tax with a sunset date. History shows the Council will cancel any sunset clause. I found this while looking for something else: PDF page 9 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=6766 The Council not only cancelled the .25% sunset in 2014, in 2015 they […]
By: Diane Benjamin It looks like Bloomington has to be destroyed by government spending before people realize local elections matter. Or, maybe only the people who can’t move will be left paying the bills which are about to get much bigger. Monday night the Bloomington will see the results of doing “Wants” before Needs. MANY […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tomorrow at the Den: Public Comment – sign up before 8:00 http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9090 Monday night at Council: Public Comment – sign up before 7:00 http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9124 Same meeting – time undetermined: Public Comment will be allowed again on Raising the Sales Tax. If you want more of your money stolen by government, stay home. […]
by Diane Benjamin Last August I received information from the City of Bloomington under the Freedom of Information Act about the BCPA. I wanted to know how much the 1/4% indefinite sales tax generated for them. (http://blnnews.com/2013/08/19/bpca-14-sales-tax-you-pay/) It’s strange the numbers just happen to be even amounts, but they can give a guide to how […]
by: Diane Benjamin Make a list of the 30 community members who will voice support next week for getting your money. The kids need a huge soccer complex and the city kids need a community center. It’s always for the kids. Pull some heart-strings and open your wallet. How many kids play soccer? My […]
