A despised Illinois mayor threw an $85,000 party for her town, despite plunging her budget into debt and being cut off from the state for out-of-control spending.
Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, 41, threw the event for the suburban Chicago town, spending $50,000 in taxpayers money to cover 60 minutes of performances and more than $35,000 on activities, equipment and staff.
I was flabbergasted. I was pissed off. Thats my money. Thats the peoples money, resident Jennifer Robertz told WGN 9.
Henyard - who was recently cut off by the Illinois State Comptroller after refusing to hand over finance records - spent $30,000 on R&B artist Keke Wyatt and $20,000 on rapper J. Holiday to each perform for 30 minutes at the The Taste of Thornton Township event.
The self-proclaimed super mayor was seen enjoying the performances with a bright smile on her face, though images from the event show it was sparsely attended.
Henyard spent an additional nearly $36,000 on a sound system, staff, equipment, comedians, and bounce houses - which cost $6,600 alone, according to WGN 9.
Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, 41, threw a party for the suburban Chicago town, spending $50,000 in taxpayers money to cover 60 minutes of performances and more than $35,000 on activities, equipment and staff
Former Dolton trustee Valeria Stubbs called the event a flop and said only about 70 people attended.
She likes to use our tax dollars to promote herself, Stubbs told WGN 9. She does all these events trying to buy the voters.
Resident Sherry Britton added: Tiffany is a narcissist. Shes going to do whatever she wants to do. I feel like she knows this is over but shes going to go down kicking and screaming like an MMA fighter. Its not going to stop until they put cuffs on her.
Most of the events contracts were signed before the townships trustees put spending controls in place, according to WGN 9.
Henyard was banned from using town credit cards last month after the Illinois village board of trustees brought in measures against her.
The trustees said that they will only allow the Director of Administrative Services to use the towns credit card for board-approved purchases.
Henyard spent $30,000 on R&B artist Keke Wyatt (pictured at event) and $20,000 on rapper J. Holiday to each perform for 30 minutes
Henyard spent an additional nearly $36,000 on a sound system, staff, equipment, comedians, and bounce houses (pictured) - which cost $6,600 alone
The high-rolling mayor, who earns $300,000 for her public duties, has spent thousands more on first-class trips, a professional hair and makeup team, and a security detail.
Henyard is also under a federal investigation for overspending.
Just a year after she took office in April 2022, Dolton had a $5.6million budget surplus.
But last month, a probe by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot uncovered a $3.6million deficit in the towns budget, which emerged under Henyards tenure.
Henyard is said to have racked up eye-watering costs, including $40,00 spent on Amazon in a single day.
Henyard was banned from using Dolton village credit cards last month after the Illinois village board of trustees brought in measures against her. However, most of the events contracts were signed before township trustees put spending controls in place
The Illinois State Comptroller has cut state payments to the town that were on pace to total $135,000, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Earlier this year, Henyard was slapped with a lawsuit by a former employee who said he was fired for not going along with one of her schemes.
Dwayne Thrash, 63, a former maintenance manager, alleged in June that a close ally of the mayor approached him in 2023 with a plan to replace the school boards attorney with a law firm he proposed.
After Thrash decided to not support the alleged scheme, he was abruptly fired - while on approved vacation - for unsatisfactory work performance and insubordination, the lawsuit claimed.