By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — A legislative committee created to oversee lottery operations has scheduled a Tuesday meeting to vote on whether to pay the lottery’s executive director $324,000 a year.

The Arkansas Lottery Commission voted Friday to give the director’s job to Ernie Passailaigue, currently executive director of the South Carolina Education Lottery. The commission offered Passailaigue an annual salary of $324,000, pending approval by the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee, which must OK paying the director anything above $141,603 appropriated by the Legislature this year.

State law sets the maximum salary for the director at $354,000.

The Lottery Commission’s chairman, Ray Thornton, said Friday he did not expect to have any problem obtaining legislative approval for the salary offer.

The co-chairmen of the oversight committee said Monday they expected the salary request to be approved.

“I haven’t polled the committee, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the committee approves it,” said Sen. David Johnson, D-Little Rock. “I’m inclined to think it will.”

Johnson said the commission was not satisfied with the applications it received for the position, so it recruited Passailaigue, who directed the start-up of South Carolina’s lottery.

Passailaigue is also vice president of the Multi-State Lottery Association and past president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries.

“I’m delighted to hear about his experience and the credential he brings, most of all of which is his experience starting up a lottery,” Johnson said. “I believe that a person gets what they pay for, and I believe we’re paying for experience and an efficient way of setting up a lottery by hiring Mr. Passailaigue.”

Rep. Barry Hyde, D-North Little Rock, said he also had not polled the committee, but “I expect that they will (vote for approval). I haven’t heard anybody indicate that they’re not.”

Hyde said that based on what he knows about Passailaigue’s level of experience, “I think he’s a very good selection for us.”

Lawmakers and lottery commissioners got to know Passailaigue when he attended two retreats at Petit Jean State Park in February and May and offered his advice on starting a lottery.

If the $324,000 salary is approved, Passailaigue will become Arkansas’ highest-paid government employee who does not work for a university or a medical facility, according to the state Department of Finance and Administration.

That distinction now belongs to state Education Commissioner Ken James, whose annual salary is $217,025.

Gov. Mike Beebe’s salary is $84,000.