Small Illinois town is cut off by the state in desperate effort to stop out of control mayor’s spending

The Illinois State Auditor General has halted payments to a small town after the town’s mayor refused to turn over financial reports.

Susana Mendoza said she would immediately suspend payments from the “compensation fund” to Dolton because the village had not submitted financial reports.

According to the numbers, the money is on track to total $135,000. The Chicago Tribuneand threatens to fine them a total of $78,600 if they fail to hand over the reports?

Mayor Tiffany Henyard clings to power despite criticism of her management of Dolton and alleged excessive spending.

Mendoza said Henyard had “deliberately refused to submit to her office the annual reports that all municipalities are required to file.”

The compensation money is collected from parking tickets and fines that an individual in the community has not paid. Last year, Dolton collected $120,000

The reports include a financial report, a financial audit, and reports on the performance of Dolton’s three tax increment districts.

The compensation money is collected from parking tickets and parking fines that a person in the community has not paid.

That money is then withheld from state income tax returns by the comptroller before being distributed to cities. Last year, Dolton collected $120,000.

Susana Mendoza, pictured here, said she would immediately suspend payments from the “compensation fund” to Dolton after the village failed to provide financial reports

Mendoza said in a statement: “When municipalities in Illinois have legitimate problems filing their annual reports with us, due to staffing shortages or other issues, we work hard to bring them into compliance.

“Dolton is different. The mayor’s office has refused to communicate with us or address the issue.

“If Mayor Henyard refuses to follow state law, my office will use the resources at our disposal to protect the interests of the citizens of Dolton.”

Dolton’s self-proclaimed “super mayor,” Henyard, is said to have racked up exorbitant expenses, including spending $40,000 in a single day at Amazon.

Last week, an investigation was launched by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealed a $3.6 million deficit in the city’s budget that had developed under Henyard’s tenure.

Just one year after taking office in April 2022, Dolton had a budget surplus of $5.6 million.

Mayor Tiffany Henyard clings to power despite criticism of her management of Dolton and her alleged extravagant spending.

“The village has not been able to pay all of its monthly expenses with the money available,” Lightfoot said during a special meeting on Thursday. Chicago Sun Times defeated.

One of those expenses was a $7,700 spend at Target, Walgreens, Wayfair and other retailers on September 1, 2023.

Lightfoot does not indicate that Henyard made the transactions and says her officials rarely provided proof of purchase.

Other troubling revelations include “rampant” police overdrafts, which saw two officers double their salaries in 2024 by each taking six-figure overtime, Lightfoot said.

Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey was fired from the police department last week and now faces nine counts of fraud.

The wealthy mayor, who earns $300,000 for her public duties, has spent thousands of dollars more on first-class travel, a professional hair and makeup team and a security team

Prosecutors say Lacey, 61, hid his true income to better position himself in multiple bankruptcy cases.

Henyard was banned from using credit cards in the village of Dolton earlier this month after the Illinois village board took action against her.

The administrators said they will only authorize the director of administrative services to use the village credit card for “board-approved purchases.”

The wealthy mayor, who earns $300,000 from her public duties, has spent thousands of dollars more on first-class travel, a professional hair and makeup team and security.