You may not realize it, but when you leave Chicago, you’re doing more than just crossing a border.
That is because in many Chicago suburbs — and the majority of municipalities across Illinois — there are no independent watchdogs. Chicago — like the state, Cook County and the federal government — has its own independent inspector general empowered to independently investigate public officials and bring accountability to government.
The results speak for themselves. A 2012 University of Illinois at Chicago report showed the Chicago region to be the nation’s most politically corrupt for decades, with an average public corruption conviction rate of 51 government employees per year.
On Wednesday, the Tribune editorialized on the situation in Burnham, where the former village clerk has been charged with stealing more than $650,000 in taxpayer money. The Tribune asked a pointed question: “Who was watching in Burnham?”
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The answer? Tragically nobody.But the alleged victimization of Burnham’s residents did not occur in a vacuum. Throughout Illinois, countless towns and villages have been mismanaged — many to the edge of bankruptcy. Some of the perpetrators have been caught and appropriately punished; others have emerged unscathed, with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
A year ago, the newly elected mayor of Dolton took office and inherited a village treasury teetering on the edge of insolvency with barely enough funds to pay Dolton’s police and firefighters.
When Dolton’s new mayor came to me for help, I offered him a strategy that seemed simple enough but turned out to be nothing short of unprecedented in a state where “transparency” is a dirty word. I became Dolton’s inspector general. I was allowed to investigate past instances of fraud and misconduct that destroyed the village’s economy, while providing a safe place for residents to submit tips regarding any ongoing corruption.
The response from the people of Dolton was so overwhelmingly positive that the concept took on a life of its own. After Dolton, five additional suburbs — Maywood, Country Club Hills, Richton Park, Crestwood and Steger — have adopted ordinances to bring in the Cook County Sheriff’s Office as an independent watchdog. In these towns, the sheriff’s office has the right to investigate any past or present allegations of fraud, waste, mismanagement and corruption. For the first time, these citizens have an independent agency looking out for them (to be fair, Dolton had an inspector general prior — it was the previous mayor’s brother).
I have since made identical offers to every municipality in Cook County. The investigations would come at no expense to municipal budgets.
I was elected with a broad mandate to protect the people of Cook County, regardless of where they live. Most local governments are run by dedicated and concerned officials needing no oversight. But when the people charged with upholding the laws fail, we must have mechanisms in place to hold them accountable. Wherever you live — equal protection is a right, not a privilege.
Tom Dart is the sheriff of Cook County.