Mount Prospect mayoral hopeful says town’s new ethics rules target her

Mount Prospect mayoral hopeful Trisha Chokshi said she was singled out by changes in the village’s ethics rules that resulted in her departure from the town’s finance commission.

Chokshi had been serving as chair of the commission, which helps oversee the village’s financial decisions and provides input during the budget process. But in September, the village made changes in its code to prohibit spouses of village trustees from serving on commissions.

Chokshi’s husband, Trustee Augie Filippone, recently announced he is not running for another term.

Shortly after the ethics provision passed, her term expired and Mayor Paul Hoefert did not nominate her for reappointment.

“Certainly I found the timing of the ethics ordinance, just in general, to be telling,” Chokshi said. “It was incredibly frustrating to see that I was the one person in this entire town of 56-57,000 people that was singled out under this new rule.”

Chokshi, who is president of the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce board, pointed out she has been critical of village administration over its handling of the annual block party. The block party had been run as a partnership between the village and the chamber until two years ago, when the village took over.

She believes that questioning the decisions of the village and not going with the flow is not always welcome, adding that her husband also has been a critic.

When asked about Chokshi’s exit, Hoefert said the board’s vote provided the final word on the matter.

“Her term was up, and so when it came up, because the law changed, she essentially had to go off,” he said.

Hoefert noted that his wife, who previously served on the village’s special events commission, also would have been required to step down under the new regulations.

Hoefert is seeking reelection in April.