Still no Gaming Board chairman
Thursday, Jul 25, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
(N)nearly a month after signing the massive gambling package into law, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has yet to name a chairperson and fifth member to the gaming board, which soon will be responsible for scrutinizing a host of gambling interests licking their chops at a slew of new licenses.
What’s the hold-up on Pritzker’s appointments? The process of “working to identify qualified candidates,” the freshman Democrat’s office says.
And insiders say the job is a tough sell.
That’s the best bet for what’s behind the delay, according to two men who previously led the board currently tasked with licensing, taxing and regulating 10 casinos and the 32,000-plus video gambling machines sprinkled across nearly 7,000 establishments statewide. […]
”It’s not an attractive job. Not at all, especially for the chairman,” says retired Cook County Judge Aaron Jaffe, who led the board for 10 years starting in 2005. […]
[Former chairman Don Tracy] estimates he spent up to 400 hours per year on gaming board business on top of his private practice, making several trips a month from the state capital to Chicago for regular meetings with staff.
It is a lot of work and the stipend is $300 per meeting, twice a month.
Gaming expansion is a huge part of the vertical infrastructure funding package. The board has enough members for a quorum, but the Pritzker administration needs to get on top of this. It’s July, for crying out loud.
- Illini fan - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 10:01 am:
Pay these guys for the time they put in.
- Roman - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 10:26 am:
There’s lots of talk of a gaming trailer bill in veto session. Might as well use it to change the law to pay these people actual salaries. They’re probably going to work as many hours as members of high-salaried boards like the ICC and Pollution Control.
- Just Me 2 - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 10:33 am:
Give it to Susan Garrett.
heh heh
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 11:12 am:
I think the issue is that $7,200 for a stipend is a “generous” stipend. Even at 400 hours a year that would still put it at $18 an hour.
I understand that mileage and hotels would basically mean the gig is a net loss, but if we’re going to start paying these board positions, what amount are we paying them and what hours are we expecting?
- Chicago Bars - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 11:22 am:
The Chairman of the Gaming Board gets paid less for their time than the Chairman of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission ($38,917)?
Did not know that.
You’d need to find a real glutton for punishment to take that Gaming Board job for $7200 a year right now, that’s going to be a nearly full time job for at least the next year.
- No one of importance - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 11:29 am:
I volunteer. Who do I contact and how?
- cannon649 - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 11:31 am:
The right person will come forward.
This one not about the money but about the exposure
The compensation is insulting
- ChicagoBars - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 12:09 pm:
Here you go No one of importance:
The Illinois.gov “Nominate Yourself” form:
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/bac/Pages/NominateForm.aspx
Would love to know if anyone has ever been selected for any board off an application to that page.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 12:14 pm:
===Would love to know if anyone has ever been selected for any board off an application to that page===
You have to fill out the application. Maybe they decide without the apps, but people do have to apply online.
- Anonanonsir - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
If the compensation for a board position is too low, then it’s likely to be corrected when the job becomes hard to fill.
What’s the corrective if the compensation is too high? It’s unlikely that the board member would complain.
Maybe a review of these positions is in order.
- Nobody Sent - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 3:18 pm:
I get that the gov’s office will tell the preferred candidate to apply online, but has anyone been selected for a position after only applying online? That’s what I want to know, and it sounds like others do too.
- Left Leaner - Thursday, Jul 25, 19 @ 3:44 pm:
Just submitted my application. Listed “Read Capitol Fax daily” as a top qualification.
- Andy R - Friday, Jul 26, 19 @ 1:16 am:
Employment with the gaming board is often more of a resume builder than a career. Their salaries may not be as good as their private sector counterparts, but the benefits for state workers are nearly impossible to beat.
Furthermore, IGB employees tend to land very high-paying jobs with casinos, video terminal operators, or gaming industry law firms the moment they part ways with the state. Paul Prezioso, Emily Mattison, and Mark Ostrowski are three recent examples that come to my mind, but there are countless others. I nearly forgot Jim Pellum. Taft Law was so excited to hire him that they threw him a welcome party before he had even officially left his position as Assistant General Counsel.
Believe me, there is no need to pity gaming board workers over their pay. If we are only contemplating the five voting board members, then I agree they should each receive a decent salary, but only if they agree to meet more than 10 times per year. If their positions were turned into a regular Monday through Friday gig at which the members would be expected to show up every business day, then I bet $300 would be sufficient pay. I know a ton of people who would jump at the chance to earn $78,000 a year.