By: Diane Benjamin What causes deficits? What causes “structural deficits”? Duh! Spending more money than you take in. Bloomington has a spending problem! Every budget includes spending every penny they expect to receive in taxes. That allows them to “cry” when they don’t receive what they feel entitled to. (Just like you right?) Every budget […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is on the website for the BCPA: https://www.artsblooming.org/about/history I guarantee this tax won’t expire in 2025. The sales tax passed to fix the “structural deficit” will never expire either even though the deficit was gone years ago. See this document: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=6644 It shows all the tax increases to balance the 2015 […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you thought Unit 5 was bad, wait for the City of Bloomington! They are projecting ending the year with $51 million in reserves. Inflation has been devastating to citizens, credit card debt is record high. Government is fine, you aren’t. If Tim Gleason didn’t have the votes for this it wouldn’t […]
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 It was nice to see everyone back in the same room last night and not mumbling through masks! While inflation is raging and gas prices are wiping out disposable income, Jeff Crabill sees increased revenues to the City as a pot of gold. He claims there were things they couldn’t do in […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20759 Tari is giving his State of the City address – it will be a can’t miss event! Listen for “Right Fit” and “Structural Deficit”. Of course everything is rosy. Amelia (let’s move the library) Buragas is being reappointed to the B-N Economic Development Board. Rob (gas taxes don’t raise the price […]
By: Diane Benjamin As of 3/31/18 Normal had total debt of $89,823,286. $88,125,000 won’t be paid off until 2041. Interest rates range from 2.00% to 6.30%. Source As of 4/30/18 Bloomington had total debt of $242,010,034. $57,095,000 won’t be paid off until 2035. The interest rates aren’t listed. $173,646,119 is liabilities for pensions and associated […]
By: Diane Benjamin We used to get lots of interesting information in the City Manager’s monthly reports. The City Manager quit doing them because the reports showed information the City didn’t want you to know – like monthly tax receipts and library traffic. The financial statements the City just got around to releasing from almost […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Tari Renner verbally attacked Judy Stearns at a City Council meeting? What the citizens of Bloomington need to hear again are Tari’s pre-attack comments. He claims local politics is not about ideology and philosophy. Local government is about “Protecting citizens and delivering services to them at a reasonable cost”. […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to a report by WMDB TV, there are around 250 homeless people in Bloomington-Normal. See their report here: http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/homeless-in-central-illinois/856395912 Safe Harbor and Home Sweet Home Mission are the only two emergency shelters in town, according to the story. Both are constantly at full or almost full capacity. Bloomington raised the Sales Tax […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tax receipts are flat. The City of Bloomington is facing more “structural deficits” they created. What to do, what to do? Let’s hold a retreat Saturday at the Den where it can’t be video taped! The citizens have no right to know we are going to raise property taxes: Packet PDF page […]
By: Diane Benjamin From time to time even I am shocked by what comes out of the mouths of Aldermen during a City Council meeting. I’m awarding TWO “Seriously?” awards from last night’s party. Since the Special Meeting started at 5:00, I bet food was served. It used to be announced, but it wasn’t listed […]
By: Diane Benjamin Deficits are just fine with the Bloomington City Council because they can tax you. It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford it, they have needs – you have the money. Only David Sage realized that last night – years late, but better late than never. He voted against hiring the Downtown Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin The ballot will say Sue Feldkamp or Jamie Mathy for Bloomington’s Ward 1. Mathy owns two businesses downtown, but I’ve heard he claims Bloomington’s attorney Jeff Jurgens doesn’t see a problem with him voting on downtown issues. I bet the taxpayers will have a problem with him voting to enrich himself! Conflict […]
