8 months ago
ShareNew Arkansas lottery director Ernie Passailaigue has the third highest pay package among the nation's 44 state lottery directors.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette surveyed the compensation of state lottery directors and found that only Georgia and Tennessee pay their lottery chiefs more than Passailaigue.
Passailaigue says his position is different because he is launching the Arkansas lottery, and has pledged that it will be selling tickets before the end of the year. He says other state lottery directors are running continuing businesses.
Lottery Commission chairman Ray Thornton says the salary package for Passailaigue is justified. Thornton says critics of Passailaigue's pay "are people who would step over a dollar bill to pick up a penny."
Passailaigue says he wants people to give him a chance to get the lottery running, and then judge him. He says if the state isn't satisfied, then the commission can get a new director.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
