By Patrick Baron
BLOOMINGTON – As fiscal year 2017 draws to an end, the Bloomington City Council examined the proposal for fiscal year 2018 at Monday’s council meeting.
Totaling approximately $213.8 million, council members explained the budget is all about balance. Ward 7 alderman Scott Black said the budget allows the city to prioritize what needs to be addressed in a timely fashion. He said he would like to see Bloomington’s historic district as one of the top items on the list.
“I think it’s prudent for us to take a look at our contracts to see if this is the best way we can be spending our time and our resources, if we can spread it out over a period of time to get the best value for our historic core,” Black explained.
The proposal also calls for three percent of the budget to go to U.S. Cellular Coliseum – approximately $6.6 million, which marks an $800,000 increase. Council members explained most of the funds for the Coliseum would come from revenues, rather than from the taxpayers. Black described how the Coliseum is a key component of Bloomington’s economy.
“If we take away Country Music Night, shut down the Coliseum, what are those bar owners going to say? What are those restaurant owners going to say? What about the hoteliers, people coming to our community? 35 percent of the visitors to the Coliseum don’t even live in Bloomington-Normal,” Black explained. “These are things that are revenue-positive that may not reflect the city budget, but have a definite important impact and we cannot neglect that view.”
The city council will examine the budget proposal again on April 10, when they will have the opportunity to approve the proposal or shut it down. If there is no vote at that point, the city council will vote on April 30, the deadline for approving a budget for the next fiscal year.
Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].
