Arkansas Lottery: Paying for Education or Executive Salaries?
Ernie Passailaigue, the lottery's new director, has a salary of $324,000.00.
He turned down the housing allowance that was offered in addition to the salary. Passailaigue in turn hired two vice-presidents at a yearly salary of $225,000.00 each. The most recent addition to the lottery payroll is Security Director, Lance Huey, a Grant County Sheriff, at a salary of $115,000.00 a year. That is $889,000.00 in yearly salaries for just four people.
Sales of lottery tickets are expected to go on sale by October 2009, according to Director Ernie Passailaigue. The proceeds of the lottery are supposed to go toward scholarship opportunities for all Arkansas students. This was decided upon in order to bring the opportunity of college to more Arkansas students. After examining the salaries that these lottery executives are receiving one has to wonder if the lottery can ever turn a profit. In order to clear the salaries for the four individuals listed above lottery sales will have to be in excess of three quarters of a million dollars. This figure does not include general operating expenses, or licensing rights, tickets, and office staff. Passailaigue's salary is the third highest in the US for a lottery director.
In addition to an exorbitant salary, Ernie Passailaigue's attitude toward the taxpayers of Arkansas leaves a lot to be desired. He is quoted by Fox16 News as stating:
"...You cannot go back and talk to the average person about this because they will not understand it..."
It appears that Ernie Passailaigue feels the taxpayers of Arkansas are stupid because we feel he and his staff are overpaid. What he doesn't get is that his salary is being paid for with taxpayer money. Passailaigue needs to understand he must justify his actions and salary to the Arkansas taxpayers. He should expect citizen watchdog groups to scrutinize his every move. Especially when there are many groups who oppose the lottery and they are becoming quite vocal about it. Even Governor Mike Beebe thinks the salaries are excessive.
Will the lottery ever make enough money to actually subsidize education? Not if the commission keeps hiring overpaid executives. The voters said they wanted a lottery to support education. They did not vote for a commission full of high priced executives.
To read other articles about the Arkansas Lottery by this author click on the link below:
Is a State Lottery in Arkansas' Future
Sources:
Fox16 News: Lotto Chief Faces Scrutiny
TodaysTHV News: Lottery Hurting Confidence with High Salaries
Published by Lynda Altman
Lynda Altman is a freelance writer, blogger and researcher. Her experience includes published print articles in Family Chronicle Magazine, writing and researching for private clients, and writing online cont... View profile
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2 Comments
Post a CommentHe is running the lottery and brought in several of his over prioced buddie to work with him. It is too soon to tell if this is working. I have to chack around to see if I can locate anyone who has actually received scholarship $$
There must be someone out there who could run the lottery for less money.