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I-Team: Taxpayers Respond To Racine Sexual Harassment Claim

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RACINE - The TODAY'S TMJ4 I-Team found the city of Racine in the hot seat. It all started with a sexual harassment claim filed by Sandra Tingle, the mayor's former assistant. She claims the city administrator sexually harassed her. The whole thing is already costing taxpayers plenty, and those the I-Team spoke to, don't like it. As their kids cooled off in downtown Racine Monday, taxpaying parents reacted to what's heating up inside Racine's City Hall. "I think it's unfair that we have to, as taxpayers, pay for something else that's like, none of our business," taxpayer Frechica Willis said. Like paying an outside lawyer to investigate a sexual harassment claim, brought by Sandra Tingle, Mayor Gary Becker's former assistant. "The money should be going for other problems that are going on here in town, instead of what's going on in there," taxpayer George Pisula said. In a nine page complaint to the state, Tingle says Racine City Administrator Ben Hughes sexually harassed her and asked her for personal information about other employees. "The females who cooperate with a social relationship with Mr. Hughes get favorable treatment and those who don't, get unfavorable treatment," Tingle's lawyer said. Tingle claims Hughes disciplined her when she wouldn't cooperate. She also claims Mayor Becker knew about it, and when Tingle complained, fired her over it. The mayor called the whole thing bizzare. "Absolutely a fabrication of the truth," Mayor Becker said. The complaint even claims Becker blew her off because he was having an affair of his own. True or not, it's still business, other than city business, on taxpayer time. TODAY'S TMJ4's Aaron Diamant: "You want these people to have their head in the game, certainly not focused on this kind of stuff." "Yeah, it's a big distraction. They're supposed to be focused on that and then here they are with a whole bunch of other stuff going on," Willis said. We don't know what Ben Hughes has to say about all this, because he's not talking. Hughes' lawyer was tied up in meetings all day Monday, and did not return the I-Team's phone calls. The city has until September 10th to respond to the state.

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