Kane County Reporter

Illinois state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) says he has some doubts about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s move to take salary matters for certain senior-level staffers into his own hands.

“I don’t know if what he’s doing sets a precedent, but the thing that concerns me is when someone works in government, first and foremost, they’re there to work for the state of Illinois,” Ugaste told the Kane County Reporter. “The governor has the right to select anyone he wants, but their first obligation should be to the state and what he’s done might blur the lines on that a bit."

Insisting that he is committed to assembling the best staff possible, the billionaire governor recently peeled off at least $3 million from his vast fortune to attract more experienced talent. All told, Pritzker essentially doubled the salaries of 16 senior staffers to assure they would be part of his staff.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

“Again, I worry,” Ugaste said. “What happens if someone starts to feel an allegiance to someone that’s greater than what they feel for the state? That could definitely be problematic.”

The freshmen lawmaker is not the only one expressing concern. Earlier this month, state Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) filed a bill that would ban state employees from being able to receive compensation from any private citizen. Already, Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) has pledged to file a House version of the measure, which has gained the backing of state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur).

“The bill is something I definitely want to look at,” Ugaste said. “I need to understand how it would work and, like any bill, see how it’s worded. But it’s definitely something I would be willing to take a look at.”