Investigation Into Treasurer's Office Finances Spurs Reaction

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 4, 2011 5:20PM

We've all seen the bumpers this week on CBS2 where Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas tells Pam Zekman, "Channel 2 is not gonna tell Maria Pappas how to run her office." Maybe not. But the CBS2/Better Government Association investigation that brought to public attention Pappas' $94,000 driver and $57,000 cleaning lady has uncovered more wasteful taxpayer spending in the form of Pappas' Treasurers Outreach Program (TOPS), a program former Treasurer's Office employees said is nothing more than an excuse for Papppas to throw a good old-fashioned Greek party that they were forced to work.

As a result of the latest CBS2/BGA report, longtime party planner Hazel Barr (listed in Pappas' budget as "assistant treasurer") and Patricia Michalski (listed as a "chief of government and community affairs") have been laid off by Pappas from their respective $95,382 and $96,375 salaries; the TOPS program has been terminated, and two other part-time employees have been transferred to other tasks. It's unknown if those tasks involve polishing the $23,000 desk Pappas bought with taxpayer money that she wouldn't show Pam Zekman.

Maybe Pappas is right that Channel 2 and the BGA can't tell her how to run her office, but if Zekman keeps rooting around her and other County departments, maybe County Board President Toni Preckwinkle may find it easier to balance the budget.