As we near another local election, understanding what a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district is and its role in economic development seems unclear to many I talk to.… MORE
Category Archives: Voices – Forum
WJBC Voices: JB the CK
Based on the budget, Pritzker ought to change his initials from J.B. (whatever they stand for) to C.K. (Can Kicker).… MORE
WJBC Voices: Raising the minimum wage–is it so traumatic?
Newly-elected Governor J.B. Pritzker has promised to raise the Illinois minimum wage.… MORE
WJBC Voices: Is Bloomington-Normal segregated?
Despite our efforts to build a unified and accessible community, Bloomington-Normal and central Illinois did not fare well in a recent special report from Governing magazine. … MORE
WJBC Voices: Greet the new day, same as the old day
Anyone hoping for a dramatic change in Illinois politics with the departure of Bruce Rauner from the scene was probably disappointed by the news on our TV screens and emanating from Springfield. … MORE
WJBC Voices: Revitalization key issue in municipal elections
In Normal, one issue will be Uptown development.… MORE
WJBC Voices: Providence conquers guilt
I had forgotten how elaborate the funeral arrangements are for past presidents. … MORE
WJBC Voices: Honor the warrior, not the war
A Veteran’s Day – Armistice Day reflection… MORE
WJBC Voices: Mutual buyer’s remorse?
Buyer’s remorse applies to politics as well as consumer transactions. Possible application: Governor-elect J.B. “No Neck” Pritzker. … MORE
WJBC Voices: The safe, legal and rare fraud
At one time, Hillary Clinton’s mantra about abortion was that abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare.” I suspected then that she really meant only the “legal” part, and time has borne out that suspicion. … MORE
Blogs
Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
Is federal mobilization the answer?
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…