| WSJ News Online |
| YOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION |
By Kevin Williams
May 20, 2009
“Charles Flowers isn't the only one charging family trips on the
taxpayers' dime,” according to a Southtown Star report last week.
Flowers has been on a spending spree since taking the post in July
2007 of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education.
Flowers has purchased thousands of dollars in meal, food purchases
and vacations for his family on the tax payer’s dime.
on the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers on
the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers
dropped $200 on Oct. 21 and was back on Oct. 23 to the tune of
$85.97. In April 2008, he returned to charge $326.32. In total, he
frequented the eatery - where specialties include sweet chili ginger
calamari and pecan crusted tilapia - seven times, statements obtained
from a Freedom of Information Act show.
from a Freedom of Information Act show.
Flowers charged more than $430 at Wildfire in January of this year,
$133 at Maggiano's, $286 at Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen and $89 at
Bar Louie to his regional office's credit card.
Flowers’ not only has a taste for fine dining but apparently the average
Joe’s grad-and-go. He also frequents at the tax payer’s expense
Applebee's, KFC, Panda Express, Potbelly, Portillo's, Panera and
Priscilla's Ultimate Soulfood.
In addition to satisfying his palate, Flowers also spent $45 at Yehia and
Company Hair Designs, statements show. There were also two separate
limousine charges, plenty of purchases at the gas pump, a theater
district charge, as well as hotel and rental car payments outlined in
Flowers' credit card statements, according to the Star.
Flowers began his tenure with a credit card that had a $5,000 credit
limit. That was upped to $10,000, and most recently $20,000.
Flowers did not return calls for comment this week about the credit card
charges, nor has he responded to reporters' inquiries about a variety of
questionable financial dealings revealed in recent weeks.
Flowers, a former District 209 School Board member, was placed on the
Democrat Ticket for superintendent by Democrat Committeeman Karen
A. Yarbrough who is up for reelection in 2010.
May 20, 2009
“Charles Flowers isn't the only one charging family trips on the
taxpayers' dime,” according to a Southtown Star report last week.
Flowers has been on a spending spree since taking the post in July
2007 of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education.
Flowers has purchased thousands of dollars in meal, food purchases
and vacations for his family on the tax payer’s dime.
on the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers on
the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers
dropped $200 on Oct. 21 and was back on Oct. 23 to the tune of
$85.97. In April 2008, he returned to charge $326.32. In total, he
frequented the eatery - where specialties include sweet chili ginger
calamari and pecan crusted tilapia - seven times, statements obtained
from a Freedom of Information Act show.
from a Freedom of Information Act show.
Flowers charged more than $430 at Wildfire in January of this year,
$133 at Maggiano's, $286 at Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen and $89 at
Bar Louie to his regional office's credit card.
Flowers’ not only has a taste for fine dining but apparently the average
Joe’s grad-and-go. He also frequents at the tax payer’s expense
Applebee's, KFC, Panda Express, Potbelly, Portillo's, Panera and
Priscilla's Ultimate Soulfood.
In addition to satisfying his palate, Flowers also spent $45 at Yehia and
Company Hair Designs, statements show. There were also two separate
limousine charges, plenty of purchases at the gas pump, a theater
district charge, as well as hotel and rental car payments outlined in
Flowers' credit card statements, according to the Star.
Flowers began his tenure with a credit card that had a $5,000 credit
limit. That was upped to $10,000, and most recently $20,000.
Flowers did not return calls for comment this week about the credit card
charges, nor has he responded to reporters' inquiries about a variety of
questionable financial dealings revealed in recent weeks.
Flowers, a former District 209 School Board member, was placed on the
Democrat Ticket for superintendent by Democrat Committeeman Karen
A. Yarbrough who is up for reelection in 2010.
Committeeman’s school boss scores “F”
Charles Flowers
Karen Yarbrough, Proviso
Democrat Committeeman
Democrat Committeeman