By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington is showing signs of disrepair, and a candidate for alderman seeks to reverse the trend through aggressive marketing to land new businesses and closer ties with Normal.
Josh Barnett has two years left in his term as a Republican McLean County Board member in District 10, but he’s decided to run in next year’s nonpartisan race for the city council seat in Ward 8, covering parts of Bloomington’s east side.
Barnett told supporters Tuesday at Rollingbrook Park there are reasons for residents to feel uncertain about the future.
“You see struggles at Eastland Mall, you see challenges facing downtown, the potholes on your street,” said Barnett, who previously served on Bloomington’s Planning Commission.
Barnett said the city must invest in infrastructure, public safety, and parks, while creating favorable conditions for entrepreneurs to start small and medium-size businesses. Barnett wants to curb spending on consultants and aggressively market the city worldwide.
“In today’s global economy, we’re not only competing for jobs and new companies against Peoria and Rockford, but with Johannesburg, South Africa and Mumbai, India. We have to be aggressive and bring home winds like never before,” Barnett said.
He also wants developers receiving tax incentives to hire local labor and use locally-produced materials.
Barnett said Bloomington has to again become a trusted and reliable partner for Normal after terminating a 30 year tax sharing agreement last year for the west side metro zone.
Barnett is the only announced candidate running so far for the seat held by Alderman Diana Hauman, who’s not seeking reelection.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
