The Illinois State Comptroller was forced to intervene after reports that a small town’s mayor refused to turn over necessary financial reports. The state cut funding to the entire town while a much needed financial audit is taking place.
Susana Mendoza, the state comptroller, said she was forced to immediately suspend “offset” funding payments to the mayor of Dolton after the town failed to supply her with the proper reports.
Mayor Tiffany Henyard
Tiffany Henyard, the mayor of Dolton, Illinois, was elected in 2021 and has also served as Thornton Township supervisor since 2022.
She served two previous terms as a member of the Dolton Village Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2021. She is the youngest and first woman mayor of the small town outside Chicago.
Criticism of Mayor Henyard
The money being cut off to the small town totals roughly $135,000. According to The Chicago Tribune, Henyard is also being threatened with a $78,000 fine if the financial reports are not handed over soon.
Many say that the current mayor has been clinging to power despite massive criticism of her lavish spending, management of Dolton, and disconnect from town residents.
Battle Between Mayor and State Comptroller
The Illinois State Comptroller, Mendoza, reiterated that Henyard has “willfully refused to turn over the annual reports all municipalities are required to file” with the office.
the missing reports include a financial report, financial audit, and reports on the performance of Dolton’s three large tax increment financing districts.
Origin Of Offset Money
The offset money that the state takes in is collected from things like parking tickets and fines that a person in the community is delinquent on.
The money brought in is then withheld from the state income tax refunds by the state comptroller. Then, the money becomes distributed throughout towns. Last year, Dolton collected more than $120,000 in relevant offset fees.
Statement on the Issues
Mendoza sent out a statement on the issue she is facing with the mayor of Dolton and accessing the financial reports.
“When municipalities around Illinois are having legitimate problems filing their annual reports with us, based on staffing or other issues, we earnestly work with them to get them into compliance,” she said. “Dolton is different. The Mayor’s office has refused to communicate with us or address the problem. ‘If Mayor Henyard refuses to follow state law, my office will use the tools at our disposal to safeguard the interests of Dolton’s citizens.”
Inquiry Into Improper Spending
Although Henyard called herself a “super mayor”, other officials in the area doubt her abilities. In a single day, she racked up an Amazon bill of over $40,000 on miscellaneous items.
Last week, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot found a massive $3.6 million deficit in the town’s budget, which emerged under Henyard’s watch. Only a year after she took office in April 2022, Donton had already exceeded a $5.6 million budget surplus.
The Town Is Going Bankrupt
Despite the millions in cash available for spending, “the village has been unable to pay all of its monthly expenditures with its available cash balance,” Lightfoot said in a special meeting on Thursday.
Some of the expenses incurred by Mayor Henyard was a $7,700 bill spent throughout Target, Walgreens, Wayfair, and other retailers on September 1, 2023.
Rampant Police Overtime
Another concern raised in the town is the “rampant” police overtime, which costs the town a lot.
Two officers doubled their 2024 pay by making more than six figures worth of overtime each, Lightfoot noted.
Fraud in the Police Force
Last week, Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey was fired from the job and is currently facing nine counts of fraud as a result.
Prosecutors on the case said that Lacey, 61, hid his real income to better position himself in several private bankruptcy lawsuits.
Henyard Was Banned From Spending Any More
Earlier this month, after an Illinois board of trustees brought measures against her, Henyard was banned from using Dolton village credit cards for personal expenses.
The trustees say that they will now only allow a special Director of Administrative Services to use the village’s card on “board-approved purchases” only.
Over Paid Mayor
Mayor Henyard also made a whopping $300,000 paycheck for her public duties. However, she has spent thousands more on first-class trips, professional hair and makeup, and private security detail.
Until the issues are resolved and a full financial audit is processed, it is unclear if Mayor Henyard will remain in power.
