Meith's position pays $125,280 a year.

That's fairly paltry for top-dog lottery man in CA, seems to me.  Word about town is that the grunts and floor sweepers make a hundred K a year at the NM Lottery Authority.

Jack

Word about town is wrong. 

Hey Rip

I spent some years in NM (although not directly on the Lottery payroll) - and yes, some of the high-end folks do pretty well given overall sales and that states cost of living.  However, the (forgive me using a union term) rank and file are definitely not overpaid.  Another hard working group that did very well (or at least much better) once they implemented best practices.

As for CA - it is one of those states that has a multi-billion dollar lottery and sends over $1 billion to the State every year but the guy in Iowa (and NM and a bunch of other places that are much cheaper to live in) makes a bunch more money.  It's one of the main reasons that the last "heavyweight" to come in from outside was Sharon Sharp almost 15 years ago.  ***I'm excepting Tony Molica only because he had been with the CA Lottery almost 20 years before he went to Washington State as Director for about 2 years and then came back to CA.

The Governor knows this - he isn't really shopping around for  Director - at least not seriously

some of the high-end folks do pretty well given overall sales and that states cost of living. 

Thanks drivedabizness:

$100 K per year in NM for ANYONE on salary puts them into the top income bracket.  The income of the bulk of the ticket buyers is probably less than a fifth of that.  If, as you suggest, the top-end man is making a lot more than $125K he's most probably earning every penny of the margin between what he's making and other State, say, Division Directors.  Somehow.

It's amazing a plum of that sort isn't already in the hands of someone's cousin.  As for the other top--level (over $100K per year) guys, they must be doing a bangup job, but the State has a long line of cousins.

Jack

Jack,

Other than the CEO, I'd be interested in knowing which NML officials make $100k+ salaries.  You keep citing "State."  The NM Lottery isn't a state agency.  By law, it's set up to run like a private business.  I'd also be interested in the accuracy of the salary source.

writerross:

You'd best ask drivedabizness. 

As for CA - it is one of those states that has a multi-billion dollar lottery and sends over $1 billion to the State every year but the guy in Iowa (and NM and a bunch of other places that are much cheaper to live in) makes a bunch more money

He appears to have some detailed knowledge of the salaries in your non-State agency.

Don't have any personal knowledge of the salaries over there, though there was some news account that one of the lower-than-CEO hirees, PR man, I think, (maybe you)  was hired on at $100k.  A story I didn't see, but got second hand from an admiring lottery player who makes a lot less than that.

Jack

Jack,

I make a lot less than that, too.  So does just about everyone else at NML.

Jack

Some "plums" were pased out when the lottery started up, but few of those folks are left now.  :)  Those that are still there are generally pretty good people.

I remember the angry calls when they came out with the "start your day with a good scratch" bumper stickers...

Casey Luna, former Lt Gov and one of the original Board members said that the Lottery was the first time he knew of in NM where funds that had been directed somewhere actually all went there.

I was at a car wash once and a guy walked up to me (my badge/door access card had the lottery logo on it).  He said ' God Bless you and all of the people at the Lottery.  My wife and I weren't able to save the money for our kids college but now, thanks to the Lottery, they're both going to UNM and living at home and doing great!"

What we do isn't brain surgery and doesn't cure cancer - but sometimes its very rewarding nonetheless.

I miss seeing the Sandias and most of all Sadies salsa!

Jack just saw your response to WriterRoss

He's a friend of mine and a darn good man

I won't talk about the kind of money he makes, but I talked about his initial deal with the guy who recruited him to come there.  I know he got hired in for less than what he was used to making and that on an hourly basis, with all the time he puts in without OT, you guys are getting a bargain.

Just to clarify - there is one guy in NM who does pretty well on a base + bonus basis but that wasn't the main point.  The main point is that CA pays poorly for the cost of living and the crap any Director would have to put up with.

drivedabizness:

I miss seeing the Sandias and most of all Sadies salsa!

They're still there and it's still there.  Come back when you can stay longer.

Jack

the California lottery is bad

Front page headline, ABQ Journal today:

ACCUSED OF EXTORTION

Current, Former State Treasurers Arrested

Two-Year Investigation By Feds Results in Indictments

State Treasurer Robert Vigil is due in federal court Monday morning to be arraigned on extortion charges, but he intends to quickly be back in his state office to oversee more than $4 billion in public investments.

Next story down:

APS Chief Business Officer Convicted of DWI

(APS=ABQ Public Schools)

Earning high praise in New Mexico is mostly a matter of not being convicted of a felony while still in office.

The ABQ mayor is the only elected official in the US where charges of repeated family violence involving actually police answering calls to his home various times actually seemed to gain him votes.

Jack 

Uh ... what does this have to do with either the blogs about the NM or CA Lotteries?  Nothing, from what I can tell.   

Sorry writerross.  I wasn't aware you'd been appointed thread-marshall.  It's a side-job that ought to keep you fairly busy.

Jack