Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved.

March 29, 2024

College of DuPage – Thank you IRS!

By Kirk Allen & John Kraft

On January 26, 2016

DuPage Co. (ECWd)

“Thank you IRS”  is not exactly a common thing you hear in today’s political environment however in this situation, we can’t express enough thanks to those who upheld the law.

My very first public comment at the College of DuPage exposed Breuder spending that had no public purpose, thus an illegal expenditure.  There was a reason our first FOIA in December of 2013 was for his W2 as we knew what we were talking about.

“The IRS determined that “a significant and substantial number” of Waterleaf restaurant meals charged on college house accounts — 44 percent in 2013 — did not have a business purpose or had insufficient documentation. As a result, an IRS audit found, they should be considered taxable employee compensation.(Tribune article)

We have said for years, based on Article VIII section 1 of our State Constitution, the use of public funds, property, and credit shall be only for public purpose.

We our excited to see the recent determination by the IRS regarding the Waterleaf expenditures because we, as in the Edgar County Watchdogs,  were the first to report on the illegal expenditures at the restaurant located on campus of COD in November of 2014.  (FIRST coverage of illegal spending)

It will be most interesting to see what Trustees McGuire, Birt, and Wozniak have to say bout this as they ignored our demands for accountability for over a year and never lifted one finger to protect the taxpayer. No, instead, they participated in the abuse to the taxpayers with continued wining and dining at our expense.

According to the Tribune reporting, “The IRS concluded that at least six dinners held for trustees and administrators prior to monthly board meetings, totaling more than $5,000, did not qualify as business expenses.”

Well go figure! Exactly what we have said about public officials feeding their face before meetings.  Many have argued and tried to justify that it was perfectly OK.  I guess now that the IRS has taken the very position we have been standing on for over 4 years means we just might know what we are talking about.

We see in the Tribune report that not only was Wozniak abusing the taxpayer, but he expected them to pay for his entire families dinner as well.  More disturbing is that the receipts for that purchase was clearly held from the public under both our FOIA request and the Chicago Tribune’s request.  It appears there still lies a problem internally with certain people suppressing documents under FOIA which we will cover in more detail soon.

This recent IRS ruling confirms everything we have been saying about these expenditures and provides clear validation that they were illegal.  That being the case, we urge the DuPage County States Attorney, Department of Justice, and any others investigating these wrong doings to bring charges upon these people and make them pay for their luxury lifestyle, not the taxpayers!

In addition, it is high time the boycotting trustees be charged with official misconduct for not only refusing to perform their duties but also for stealing from the taxpayer for their illegal wining and dining on the backs of the taxpayer.

I believe its time for another 500 person showing at COD to demand the resignations of trustees McGuire, Birt, and Wozniak.

Come and express your concerns at the next meeting, Thursday January 28th, 2016 at 7pm.

Please consider a donation to The Edgar County Watchdogs.
[wp_eStore_donate id=1]

waterleaf

SHARE THIS

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on print

RELATED

4 Comments
  • Bill G
    Posted at 19:31h, 26 January

    Well done Kirk and John. I plan to be there Thursday evening and will speak if allowed.

  • Mike Rekart
    Posted at 19:57h, 26 January

    i sincerely wish I could attend one of these meetings just to see the shame spewing out of their mouths and attempt to right their wrongs!

  • Helen McAndrews
    Posted at 09:09h, 27 January

    What continues to play out is their brazen behavior on the part of the trustees and college administrators. This college has too.much money. Can their financials be published? Dupage county tax supported bodies have too much money. Lavish meals and trustees who.refuse to compromise and be stewards of our tax dollars. Fire these people. I can’t make the meeting

  • David
    Posted at 13:15h, 27 January

    Animal Farm. Whenever I see this crap with the misuse of taxpayer money it always reminds me of Animal Farm. How in the hell did COD ever ever let the Waterleaf project is beyond reasoning. I know Brueder pushed it, but how come the COD Senior Management push against this folly. And the same Senior Management, except Glaser & Satya, is still in place at COD. They all took part in the free French food and drinks at on the taxpayer’s tab. A four star restaurant. Just mindboggling. Losing 1/2 million or more each year. The Trustees, the Management, Breuder should all reimburse COD for all the free food & wine consumed at the Waterfleaf. Breuder was smart enough to know that building a new restaurant at Harper would never fly so he asked for a wine cellar instead. That idea received so much opposition that it was nixed. Wozniak had the audacity to get comped for $300 meal & drinks for him & his family at the Waterleaf. What kind of College business was Wozniak & family doing that justified the comp? Animal Farm.

$