By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – If Bloomington’s budget task force is going to be successful in creating a new park district as a separate taxing body to alleviate come of the city’s financial burden, it will have to do so without mayor Tari Renner’s support.
“Special districts that only do one thing are basically like a special island or silo, whatever metaphor you want to use, for a specific bureaucracy and that pulls it away from public control,” Renner said.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with Renner on WJBC.
He told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, such a taxing district would present the city from shifting money from parks for things like public safety and doesn’t save taxpayers money.
The task force suggested this is one way to help plug the city’s budget deficit and suggested the city possibly form a park district jointly with Normal or McLean County.
The city hasn’t taken formal action on the proposal.
Pipeline
Renner said the city will look into concerns that a crude oil pipeline could jeopardize the city’s water supply, but he said there’s only so much he can do.
“The main leverage I have is the using the mayoral bully pulpit,” Renner said.
Renner added for now, Enbridge seems to be complying.
“They have said the right things, whether they always follow through is what we are going to check upon,” Renner said. “I don’t think we are anywhere near legal action.”
The company is building a pipeline that crosses the Mackinaw River and two creeks that all feed into the city’s water supply. A local environmental activist urged the city council this week to make sure there are no leaks in the pipeline.
The pipeline runs each of Bloomington-Normal and stretches across Livingston, McLean and DeWitt counties.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
