Of $3.1 million pay for top office staff, Pritzker pays $1.5 million from his personal wealth

[February 15, 2022]  By Greg Bishop

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office is defending the incumbent Democrat continuing to pay $1.5 million a year from his personal wealth to subsidize the salaries of 15 top employees in his administration that taxpayers are already paying $1.6 million.

Since taking office, the governor has been supplementing pay for some of his top staff with private dollars from the East Jackson Street LLC he controls.

During a Senate appropriations committee hearing Monday, Pritzker Chief of Staff Anne Caprara defended the practice amid a tough labor market.

“His priorities are retaining and attracting the best possible people to work for state government and to work for his office personally,” Caprara said.

Caprara, who is getting more than half of her $298,000 salary from the governor directly, contends such employees follow all ethical guidelines.
 

A spreadsheet from the committee shows 15 top staff are sharing in nearly $3.2 million in pay, around $1.6 million from taxpayers and around $1.5 million from Pritzker’s personal wealth. Pritzker is a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel chain.

State Sen. Brian Stewart, R-Freeport, raised concerns.

State Sen. Brian Stewart, R-Freeport, questions Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Chief of Staff Anne Caprara Monday during a Senate appropriations committee. 

• Greg Bishop / The Center Square

“If I was to pay staff out of my own pocket and then while they were getting state pay and they were expected to do state duties, it’s just a slippery slope,” Stewart said. “I certainly have continued reservations about that.”

Stewart took the opportunity to also ask about the governor’s continued COVID-19 mitigations. He said vaccines and treatments are widely available.

“Can you provide us any clarity on when you expect the state to fully open back up,” Stewart asked.

Pritzker still has a mask mandate in place. That’s expected to be lifted for most indoor places at the end of the month, though no timeline has been given for when his mandate for masks in schools will be lifted. Caprara said they’re hopeful.

“This last round of omicron, praying to God, that it is our last and that we can see a more normal return to life in the next six months,” Caprara said.

At separate Senate appropriations committees Monday, lawmakers also heard about billions of dollars in budget requests to cover various pension funds, and requests for Illinois State Police and other state agencies.

Pritzker has proposed a total state budget of $45.5 billion, the largest spending plan in state history.