I seem to remember when the Oregon lottery was set up (thanks and praise to Victor Atiyeh and to the concept of paid initiative/referendum signatures), a provision was added to the law prohibiting convicted felons from running it. Too bad. They're the most highly qualified candidates for the job.

That article claims the highest paid state employee is Brenda Rocklin.

I don't know the exact figures, but I'm sure Mike Bellotti and Mike Riley make significantly more than that.

That article claims the highest paid state employee is Brenda Rocklin

Yeah, but that doesn't include any bonuses Rocklin might be paid as a PERB board member for making sure PERS retirees have $$ taken away from them.

Yah especially those guys who retired and then were told three years later that their pensions were "mistakenly" too high and they needs to pay three years worth of overpayments back.

Greg C

That article claims the highest paid state employee is Brenda Rocklin

For as long as I can remember the president of OHSU was always said to be the highest-paid state employee. I kind of suspecting he still is, even though he isn't even mentioned amongst the contenders named in the article.

You could get chimps to run the state lottery and it still would succeed. I mean, my god, how many state endeavors make >50% gross profit margin without breaking a sweat?

I think Bellotti/Riley get paid privately by the booster organizations, so don't really draw a state salary.

You forget - the OHSU president isn't a state employee any longer. Well, OK, most of the time, he isn't. The exceptions are usually related to avoidance of potential liability lawsuits.

You forget - the OHSU president isn't a state employee any longer

By that token the president of SAIF ought not be counted as a public employee either, because SAIF is also a quasi-public quasi-private entity. OHSU is the crown jewel of The Oregon University System, and I'm betting that more tax dollars go to its president's compensation package than go to anyone else's.