In highly unusual move, Lyons mayor takes $245k loan from campaign committee to pay personal tax liability

Lyons Mayor Chris Getty appears to be in more financial trouble, as recently disclosed paperwork shows he’s taken a $245,000 loan from his campaign fund — something state election regulators say they’ve never seen before — and that’s left Getty’s once-formidable political committee with relatively few dollars on hand.

The fund — Citizens for Christopher Getty, based at the same address as the mayor’s insurance business — doesn’t reveal why he needed to borrow more than 90% of his campaign fund’s cash.

“Loan made Christopher Getty” is all the latest disclosure report submitted Oct. 15 to the Illinois State Board of Elections says under the category of “purpose” and “beneficiary.”

But Getty’s campaign lawyer Burt Odelson, who doubles as the municipal attorney for the western suburb, says