Bloomington City Council

Add Bloomington to the list of Illinois municipalities enacting a local grocery tax to replace the state tax that’s set to expire at the start of next year.

Gov. JB Pritzker called the grocery tax regressive and abolished it last year, effective in January 2026. Local communities can approve their own 1% percent sales tax on groceries.

Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady is trying to reassure citizens concerned about potential changes in zoning.

The Bloomington City Council adopted code text amendments pertaining to downtown development and multi-family residential districts, while acknowledging receipt of the "missing middle" housing analysis report from Opticos Design, Inc.

A longtime organization that fosters an inclusive community has called on Bloomington city officials to reaffirm a pledge against intolerance and bigotry.

Bloomington city leaders continue to explore potential plans and opportunities to address the “missing middle” portion of the city’s housing shortage, as the administration seeks guidance on potential zoning and subdivision code changes.

The City of Bloomington has agreed to vacate a one-block portion of Elm Street in front of a former tavern south of downtown, paving the way for a growing local restaurant business to expand.

The Bloomington City Council voted Monday to approve a one-year pause on contributing revenue to the McLean County mental health and public safety sales tax fund, following last week’s matching action by the Town of Normal.

McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said she made no assumptions about whether the city and town would still push the suspension after the county tried to let the idea die, but she said she supports the audit and hopes it can provide a new framework “so that we were all beginning the negotiations again from a shared financial footing.”

A modified plan for the first phase of Bloomington’s downtown streetscape project sparked a lengthy discussion during Monday’s city council meeting.