Houlihan puts Stroger's cousin on assessor payroll

A year after Cook County Board President Todd Stroger's cousin was forced out as his top financial official amid a hiring scandal, she's landed a job with the Cook County assessor's office -- at half the salary.

Donna Dunnings will be paid $79,000 a year to run the Cook County Stimulus and Revitalization Project, which provides funds to help developers return to the tax rolls properties they buy with large delinquent property tax bills, said Eric Herman, spokesman for Assessor James Houlihan. She starts in 10 days, he added.

As the county's chief financial officer, Dunnings was paid nearly $176,000. Stroger forced Dunnings' retirement in April 2009, after she was caught up in the controversy of former steakhouse busboy Tony Cole, who Stroger hired for an executive post even though he didn't have a college degree. She bailed Cole out of jail while he was employed for the county.

Cole eventually was fired for allegedly lying about his criminal history when he filled out a county application. The scandal contributed to Stroger's loss in the February primary.

Dunnings was a strong employee at the assessor's office between 1987 and 1999, performing various assessing and evaluation duties, Herman said. Houlihan is not concerned about the troubles Dunnings had in Stroger's office, he said.

"We're really not, because she has had a successful history in this office," Herman said. "She has a good feel for real estate and development. She's a very intelligent woman."

"This is clearly a good fit for her," Herman added.

Houlihan is retiring and did not seek re-election


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