Lottery audit shows N.C generosity

An audit released this month to the South Carolina General Assembly establishes something about the lottery in North Carolina: Salaries for lottery employees here are among the most generous around.

Auditors in South Carolina compared pay of the director and top deputy in South Carolina with their counterparts in other states and determined the Palmetto State salaries to be "higher than many comparable officials in other states."

The director in South Carolina makes $196,738 a year, and the top deputy is paid $166,350.

But the pay in North Carolina is even higher than in South Carolina.

North Carolina's lottery director, Tom Shaheen, will be paid a salary of $235,000 a year.

Shaheen's highest-paid deputies so far will earn $125,000 to $130,000 a year. That's more than most directors are paid elsewhere.

South Carolina auditors said the median pay of lottery directors in all the states they studied was $123,255. For deputies, it was $105,521.

The auditors in South Carolina reviewed director salaries in 18 comparable states where auditors were able to obtain salary information.

The South Carolina director's salary was higher than 16 of them. South Carolina's deputy made more than the director did in all but four other states. (North Carolina was not included in the review because its salaries were not set at the time of the review.)

Tennessee and Georgia are, by far, the highest-paying lottery states -- and the main two that North Carolina looked to when picking a range of pay for its lottery employees.

A chart produced by auditors also shows that North Carolina's lottery director will be paid twice as much as directors in states with lottery sales that are two, three, four and even five times what is forecast for North Carolina.

Easley plays his cards right

Gov. Mike Easley is part of a majority of governors who sent wishes this year for a happy holiday season that didn't mention Christmas.

But Easley, a Democrat, was one of a dozen governors who sprinkled religion into the seasonal card.

Easley's staff could not provide a copy of this year's card but said it features a painting of the Executive Mansion dining room decorated for the holidays. It is the fourth in a series of cards created by artist Bill Mangum of Greensboro. It was produced and mailed at no cost to taxpayers.

The text says:

"At this time of the year, we want to extend our best wishes. May God bless you and your family during this holiday season. Happy Holidays."

It is signed by the first family and includes their photo.

Of the nation's 50 governors, 37 sent out wishes for a happy -- and unnamed -- holiday, according to a survey by Stateline.org, a Web site funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Nine governors -- seven of them Republican -- sent Christmas greetings.

Governors in Nevada, New Mexico and Minnesota didn't send cards.

A tribute to Ballance

Former U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance is getting at least one more send-off before he heads to prison.

Ballance, a Democrat from Warrenton, is to be honored Wednesday at a "People's Freedom Rally" at the Roanoke River Community Center in Roanoke Rapids.

An invitation to the 7 p.m. event says donations are welcome and checks should be made payable to the former congressman.

For those who can't make it, an address is given to send money.

The event is sponsored by "All People Who Love Freedom and Justice," according to the invitation.

Ballance is due to report to prison two days later. He was sentenced to four years in prison for funneling about $100,000 in public money from an anti-drug nonprofit he founded to his law firm, church and relatives.

Earlier this month, comedian and social activist Dick Gregory appeared at a luncheon party in honor of Ballance.