Illinois comptroller stops some state payouts to Dolton, threatens fines

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Thursday she is immediately suspending what are called “offset” fund payments to Dolton for the village’s failure to turn over annual financial reports to her office.

The money this year is on pace to total $135,000, and Mendoza said she is also threatening fines if Dolton doesn’t file the required reports. Those fines could total $78,600.

The “offset” money comes from things such as parking ticket and traffic fines that an individual who lives in the community has not paid, according to Abdon Pallasch, a spokesman for Mendoza’s office. The money owed is withheld from individual state income tax refunds by the comptroller, then distributed to municipalities.