Pritzker’s move to match state salary for top staff with his own money raises eyebrows, ethical questions
- By Greg Bishop | Illinois News Network
- Jan 11, 2019
Illinois’ next governor plans to match the state salaries of his top employees with his own money, a practice that one Republican lawmaker said raises enough ethical questions that he’s considering filing legislation to prohibit it.
Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker created a private entity called East Jackson Street LLC to funnel private dollars to match the taxpayer-funded state salaries of his top aides such as deputy governors and communication staff, according to multiple media reports.
Pritzker’s transition team didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.
State Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, said he has concerns about augmenting state employee salaries with private dollars.
“Who do they work for? Do they work for the people of the state of Illinois? Or do they have a greater loyalty to the governor as that’s where a large chunk of their income comes from?”
Wehrli said there’s also the precedent of setting the bar too high for when a non-billionaire governor takes office.
Pritzker’s deputy governors would each get $139,000 from a taxpayer subsidized salary and $139,000 from a private entity for a total $278,000, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Pritzker’s chief of staff would get $298,000, the majority from private dollars. Top communication staff like the press secretary and communications director would also get private dollars to match their taxpayer-paid salary.
This does not impact state agency heads and their assistants.
Wehrli had even more concerns about Pritzker’s recent move for his offices’ top staff, Wehrli said.
“Will this allow undue influence on people based on private concerns of where their pay is coming from,” Wehrli said.
