Illinois halts some payouts to Dolton, comptroller says ‘it’s a hot mess over there’

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — For months, the village of Dolton has been the target of federal scrutiny over how Mayor Tiffany Henyard has handled finances in the south suburbs. Two of her top allies are facing bankruptcy fraud charges, and now, state leaders are cutting the village off from one flow of money.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard has, for more than two years, refused to turn over annual reports, including an annual financial report, to the state of Illinois.

In response, the state is suspending all offset funding to the village of Dolton. The funding refers to money that the state of Illinois provides to municipalities, such as Dolton, to help offset any deficits that arise when residents owe their local government money.

“Let's say you get a ticket in the village of Dolton, and you don't pay that ticket,” Mendoza said. “If you have not paid that ticket even though [Dolton] has tried multiple times to get you to be compliant, then … when it's time for you to get your tax returns, [the state of Illinois] would offset your tax returns by the amount that you owe the village of Dolton. We would send that money to the village of Dolton.”

Mendoza said these offset funds can add up significantly. In 2023, Mendoza’s office sent about $120,000 in offset payments to Dolton. This year, the village would be on track to receive about $135,000.

The comptroller said the Dolton employee who was formerly in charge of the village’s Freedom of Information Act requests was “essentially fired and was not allowed to have access to any information within her own administration.”

“It’s a hot mess over there,” Mendoza said. “It’s time for us to hold them accountable and just say, ‘Once you get compliant, we will reinstate them with the offsetting, but we are not going to do that until we are sure that you’re in compliance and that they’re not using those funds for wayward purposes.’”

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