The first female mayor of a small Illinois village has been accused of “living like a queen” at taxpayer expense by taking in a $300,000 salary and incurring huge expenses.
Glamorous Tiffany Henyard was elected leader of Dolton, a village of 20,000, in 2021 but has since come under fire for what many see as excessive spending.
She regularly employs the services of a professional hair and makeup team and stylist before making public appearances and photo shoots for the county's taxpayer-funded billboards, which often feature the 40-year-old in what some consider to be shameless perceived self-promotion can be seen.
Henyard is always photographed in tasteful, expensive-looking outfits. She's posted photos of herself exiting a chauffeur-driven SUV, and one Instagram post even appears to show her with a jewelry-laden dog.
Henyard, who often describes herself as “God's darling,” has now sparked further outrage by proposing a new law that would cap the next mayor's salary at $25,000 unless she stays in office, reports Fox32.
Many believe the proposal, which has been labeled “illegal,” is an attempt to dissuade anyone from running against them in the 2025 race. Now trustees in her city have filed a lawsuit against her for falsifying and withholding financial records.
Tiffany Henyard, the first mayor of Dalton, Illinois, was criticized for “living like a queen” and spending extravagantly. She earns $300,000 a year but is trying to reduce her successor's salary to $25,000, which critics say is more likely to discourage anyone from running against her
Henyard is pictured stepping out of a chauffeur-driven SUV in one of her stylish outfits. She is accused of spending taxpayer money on security and professional hair and makeup artists
In a photo posted to Instagram, Henyard even appeared to pose with a jewelry-laden dog
The scandal is just the latest to hit the embattled mayor after she was accused of hiring her former campaign aide as an official to enforce the city's laws, even though he is a convicted child rapist.
She also raised eyebrows after she spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on security measures, including one at an event with seniors and another occasion where she pulled police officers off the street to demonstrate a hazmat suit.
Other expenses included a trip to Las Vegas, where she apparently paid $3,000 for airfare to attend a conference.
Questions have emerged about how she funds her seemingly lavish lifestyle, especially since she repeatedly dodged questions and dismissed criticism by branding community trustees “haters” in TikTok videos.
Dolton trustees say she has not explained the need for her eye-popping security budget. They also allege she issued checks without proper authorization.
“I don't see any justification whatsoever. “And beyond that, it's really a detriment to the citizens of Dolton,” Trustee Jason House told Fox 32.
“If we used the same money for patrol officers on the streets, then residents would see a much better presence and public safety would be better.”
Heynard, a Democrat, was sworn in as mayor in May, becoming the first woman and youngest person to hold the position in Dolton's 128-year history.
Henyard also uses professional stylists and hair and makeup teams before events, but does not disclose their funding
Tiffany Heynard, the first female and youngest mayor of Dolton, Illinois, is facing criticism for hiring her former campaign aide Lavelle Redmond (pictured left) as a code enforcement officer. The 46-year-old is a registered child abuse offender
After a recall attempt failed, Henyard posted this defiant image on Instagram and declared that she “will remain Dolton's mayor forever.”
A year after her election, Dolton residents sparked a recall process driven largely by her hiring of convicted sex offender Lavelle Redmond for a role that would force him to enter people's homes.
Redmond, then 16, and three others reportedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted two girls, ages 13 and 14.
At age 17, Redmond was sentenced to 50 years in prison, but was paroled in 2016 and required To as a sex offender. At the time, Henyard defended the move, saying convicts who have served their sentences deserve a second chance.
However, the dismissal failed due to a technicality and Henyard remained in office, appeared at the next board meeting, played a disco song and danced on the podium.
After the verdict, she also posted a defiant picture on Instagram declaring herself the “mayor of the people” with the caption: “I am Dolton's mayor and will be forever.”
The post is one of hundreds on the politician's profile, which features glamorous portrait photos of her promoting various events and holidays in the city.
She also features heavily on professional stylist Brandon K Momom's account, wearing various hand-picked ensembles for her public appearances.
Visitors to the Henyard website are greeted with a giant selfie and encouraged to donate.
Their antics have drawn comparisons to the show “Parks and Recreation,” a comedy that pokes fun at local government employees.
has contacted Henyard for comment.