Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com:
Harvey is threatening to lay off half of the town’s police force and other essential workers as a result of an escalating political conflict in a community long plagued by high crime, corruption, and financial instability. Mayor Eric Kellogg’s administration has informed union leaders that layoffs are imminent for police, fire, public works, and water department staff.
For months, Kellogg has been at odds with a majority of the City Council, who have been pushing for greater transparency in a town that has lost millions of taxpayer dollars through questionable deals—some of which are under FBI investigation. The council members argue that without proper oversight, they cannot ensure that public funds are being used responsibly.
Under state law, Harvey must pass an ordinance by December 29 specifying how much property tax should be levied—a critical source of funding for the town. If this isn’t approved, the mayor warns, the town will face a severe budget shortfall. In response, four of the six council members have refused to approve any financial measures, including the tax levy, until they gain control over key committees meant to oversee spending.
“This isn’t the city’s money—it’s the taxpayers’,†said Alderman Christopher Clark, one of the four dissenting council members. “We can’t just hand over the money without knowing where it’s going, especially after years of questionable spending.â€
Kellogg, however, claims the council is blocking progress for political reasons, putting the town on the edge of financial collapse. His spokesman, Sean Howard, stated that the mayor wants to avoid layoffs but blames the council for the crisis. He warned that police numbers could drop from 72 to 36, and firefighters from around 40 to 20 if the situation continues.
The two sides met behind closed doors last Thursday but failed to reach an agreement on committee structures. The council then voted down the tax levy ordinance. On Friday, Alderman Donald Nesbit revealed that the council had proposed a compromise: splitting control of key committees between supporters and critics of the mayor. But the proposal was rejected.
Clark and his allies claim they have legal authority to control the committees, but Kellogg refuses to recognize their role. Now, they say, the mayor is demanding a vote on a $15 million tax levy without prior review—an action they see as reckless and undemocratic.
This conflict is part of a broader struggle between the mayor and his opponents, who have sent letters to federal and state agencies requesting investigations into alleged misconduct, and have filed a lawsuit claiming that the mayor and clerk have systematically undermined the council’s ability to hold the administration accountable.
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