Budget

The Bloomington City Council on Monday adopted a $251.7 million budget, up 9.3% over last year’s plan.

Republican leaders in the Illinois House are calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to propose a truly balanced budget when he delivers his budget address Wednesday, noting he should avoid relying on money that may never materialize.

Illinois State University President Larry Dietz has asked staff to plan for budget cuts of 10% and 20%. In a message to staff who plan budgets at several levels, Dietz said the guidance to develop the scenarios comes amid uncertainty of state support and the impact of the pandemic on future costs.

Staring at a projected $3 million deficit next year, Bloomington aldermen will meet Saturday for a daylong retreat focused largely on right-sizing the city’s budget amid flattening revenues.