Raises, bonuses to lottery execs rankle some lawmakers

Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005 | 9:19 a.m.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Raises of between 3 percent and 6 percent and cash bonuses of 11 percent to several state lottery officials last summer have prompted a call by some lawmakers to review salaries at Connecticut's quasi-public agencies.

The Connecticut Lottery Corp. authorized "incentive payments" for 17 officials, including two part-timers. The total value of the bonuses is $160,926.

Some lawmakers and labor leaders say the raises and bonuses are discouraging to rank-and-file state workers who are being asked to accept a wage freeze in their new contracts.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell has warned leaders of state employee unions that the administration will likely ask for a wage freeze in the first year of labor contracts. Next fiscal year's projected budget deficit is estimated at about $500 million by Democrats and as much as $1.3 billion by Rell's office.

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