There are many of us who will not go away, when it comes to fighting against a form-based code mentality along the Main Street Corridor, in Bloomington/Normal.  (Highway 51-Main Street)

The several town/city/county/university plans in an around Bloomington/Normal and McLean county, which all include the words "form-based code", won't go away either.

To many business and residents along what is termed the Main Street Corridor down Main Street from north Normal to South Bloomington, form-based code is an assault on property rights.  If you want to do your own research and formulate your own unbiased opinion, Google form-based code, New Urbanism and Sustained Development.  When researching, also ask city leaders in Bloomington/Normal, when they speak of one particular plan for Main Street, presented by Farr and Associates from Chicago,  that is termed "A call for investment"; whose investment?  It's not the City of Bloomingto nor the Town of Normal's; they're nearly broke.  The investment for their dream of what Main Street should look like, will come out of  the pockets of the business owners and the taxpayers.

I'm certain the business owners along the Main Street Corridor would like some of the "grant" money that is being given to Normal businesses.  More on this later.

I'm going to talk about the Illinois Gubernatorial candidates and how this race is shaping up, but before I do I want to make a brief comment on last week's Cities 92.9 radio commentary, where I talked about the form-based code. . . again. . . and the vote by the Bloomington City Council on a resolution of their support of the Regional Comprehensive Plan written by the county.  In three different areas of this Regional Plan, was mention of the form-based code.

 When the newly formed Main Street Association, made up of several Bloomington/Normal Main Street business owners, expressed concerns about the form-based code, (many of whom consider it an assault on Main Street property rights),  were told the language was "softened", and basically, no worries.  We were worried, especially since we were told the Bloomington City Council wasn't going to vote on anything related to form-based code last Monday, and then find out two days before the meeting, that a resolution had been added to the agenda, in support of the Regional Comprehensive Plan, which contained "form-based code" in three locations in the plan.

 While yes, due to our continued vocal concerns, language in the Comprehensive Plan had been "softened" in two of the three areas, (we still don't know what "softened"  means; the pig still has lipstick on); however, for those of us who actually read the 168 page plan, on page 123, there were those three little words, form based code.

 There was much discussion by the city council members last Monday, with David Sage, Judy Stearns and Steven Purcell leading the charge to strike that language from the Plan before voting on the resolution.  Public discussion was denied because of a Parliamentary Procedure move by a motion  made by John Hanson to adopt the code as written. Councilman Sage said to Councilman Hanson:  "You mean as is, with the form-based code wording left in on page 123?" Councilman  Hanson's answer:  "Yes".

 The vote was taken.  The vote was 7 to 2 to reject Hanson's motion. The other councilman voting to leave the form-based code in on page 123, was Jim Fruin.  A second motion was then made to adopt the resolution removing the form-based code language from page 123, and it passed unanimously.  Confusing, very confusing.

 Councilmen Hanson and Fruin are taking some heat on that first motion and vote to keep the form-based code language in the resolution, which everyone tells us doesn't mean anything anyway. Which begs the question. . . what?  The council meetings are painfully long; so let's add a resolution to vote on something that doesn't mean anything anyway?

That's a discussion for another day.

Councilman Hanson says that he is a friend to business owners, he's a business owner himself; and his motion and vote were a procedural matter.  He'd like to talk to the Main Street business owners newly formed Association to explain procedure.   We look forward to the understanding of City Council procedure, and certainly give Councilmen Hanson and Fruin the opportunity to explain a procedure that 7 of their fellow councilmen and women disagreed with. 

 On to the Illinois race for Governor.  It's a crowded field, and several were in Bloomington last night at the Lafayette Club, at a forum hosted by the McLean County Freedom Coalition.  What's that coalition? It's a group, made up of other groups, who have formed not necessarily with the Republican or Democrat Parties, but other interested and concerned citizens, the 912 Group, and the Tea Party group are two.

It was a good effort to bring these Gubernatorial candidates to Bloomington; like their first event a month ago, Freedom Night, which brought in over 200 like-minded concerned voters.  Lex and Karen Green, along with many others, organized this  question-answer type of forum, and of the 13 candidates invited; yes, there are currently 13 candidates for Governor, 6 made the effort to attend, including the more recognizeable names of Bill Brady and Dan Proft.

So who is running for Governor?  Perhaps the question should be, who isn't?

For the Democrats, so far declared are current Governor Pat Quinn, and current Comptroller, Dan Hynes.  In a recent poll, Quinn leads by a good margin; but it's certainly early.

 For the Republicans, it's Sen. Bill Brady, Sen. Kirk Dillard, DuPage Co. Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, political consultant Dan Proft, former Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, a wealthy Chicago businessman, Andy Andrejewski, and one still on the fence, but getting closer to announcing, former Attorney General Jim Ryan.  There are also Independent, Constitution and Libertarian Party candidates. I'm sure I've forgotten someone, but I'm running out of breath. 

The same poll gave Bill Brady a slight lead; this poll was taken before former Il Governor Jim Edgar endorsed his former Chief of Staff, Kirk Dillard.

Illinois is a financial disaster.  Neighboring Indiana is taking our businesses and offering jobs in their state, while Illinois fights with Michigan for bottom-place in the jobs and business market.

 Whoever the winner is, and says he won't raise taxes in Illinois to get us out of this mess, is a liar; and they all know whoever says he will raise taxes to get us out of this mess, is a loser.  We and the nation, joke about Illinois politics. 

 It's not so funny anymore.