While the Illinois State Lottery web page touts large jackpots for its lottery games, State Comptroller Leslie Munger has said without a budget in place, her office does not have authority to issue lottery checks of more than $25,000.

Susan Rick does not miss her boyfriend’s Illinois lottery tickets filling her dining room table.

What she does miss, however, is the life-changing $250,000 her boyfriend should have cashed in with one of those tickets.

Her boyfriend, Danny Chasteen, earned the quarter-of-a-million-dollar prize through the Cool Cash scratch-off game. However, because of the state budget stalemate, lottery winners of more than $25,000 since July 1 have not gotten their checks.

State Comptroller Leslie Munger has said without a budget in place, her office does not have authority to issue lottery checks of more than $25,000.

“We were all excited at first when this happened. We thought, ‘Finally all our hard work is being repaid,’” Rick said. “They pulled the rug right out from under us really quick. It’s been rough. They put us in a difficult spot.”

Rick, an Oglesby resident, works seven days a week at a children’s residential facility in Aurora. She said she works 40-50 hours of overtime every week “just to make ends meet.” Chasteen is a sheet-metal worker and supervisor who has been laid off a few times and has given workers money to keep the power on in their homes and put food on the table.

Now, Rick said, her boyfriend has had to take out a loan to cover bills while his lottery winnings sit in an interest-bearing state bank account.

“If we owed the state money, do you think we could keep earning interest on that money? Do you think that would fly?” asked Rick, who has a law degree, along with her therapist’s license. “They don’t care if you have a budget, if you can feed your children, if you have a roof over your head. They are coming in and taking their money, out of your paycheck or whatever.”

Rick is part of a class-action lawsuit filed by Chicago attorney Tom Zimmerman. According to Zimmerman, there are 29 lottery winners owed $280 million from the state since July 1. He expects to add more plaintiff names to the lawsuit next week.

“Since July 1, they have continued to sell lottery tickets advertising ‘be an instant winner’ and ‘instant payouts’ when they knew they would not make a payout because of the budget issue,” Zimmerman said. “That is fraud. Any business selling a product with the misrepresentation that you will receive your money and then not pay out, but keep selling tickets would be shut down by the state.”

Zimmerman’s lawsuit calls for the lottery winners to be paid interest on their winnings. The Chicago attorney said his firm did nationwide research and could find no other state that ever withheld lottery winners’ money.

Zimmerman said the state is contradicting itself with its action.

“My question is the comptroller says she has no authority to pay lottery winners because there is no appropriation, no budget in place, so how can they use that same money to pay the lottery director’s salary and expenses for operation of the lottery?” he asked.

Rhonda Rasche of Homer Glen, another lottery winner, has grown weary of the drama.

“I don’t even care anymore,” Rasche said of her $50,000 prize from a scratch-off game in late July. “I was going to pay medical bills, go on vacation with a friend who had to take care of her mom, get some flooring and a new bedroom set. That’s not happening. The bubble has burst.”

Rasche said she does not believe in suing, noting that it affects prices and does not always have a positive outcome.

“I was not raised that way. I don’t believe in it,” Rasche said, but added when she saw that the state continues to sell lottery tickets for bigger-payout games knowing it will not pay out, she felt compelled to act.

“It is not about the money. Yes, I want the money I am owed, but it is a breach of contract. I bought a ticket and expected to get winnings if I won,” Rasche said. “And the state is still selling tickets and people are still buying Lotto tickets … I want to make it right for people.”

The Homer Glen resident urged people to quit playing lottery games, noting the fiscal hit the state would take might get the power struggle in Springfield to be resolved.

Rasche is not a fan of the state comptroller’s role in all this.

He didn’t appreciate Munger’s statement that “we should contact legislators and not file a lawsuit,” Rasche said. “This is just a power struggle. Their stupid power struggle should not affect people.”

State. Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) has said he will present legislation to get lottery winners their payouts.

Steve Brown, press secretary for state House Speaker Michael Madigan, said that legislation would get the speaker’s support.

“Those were the kind of funds we tried to appropriate a month ago and it was ruled out by the governor,” Brown said. “It makes sense. That money is not being used.”

Brown said there is no movement toward a budget deal.

“The administration’s focus is on things that won’t take effect until the next decade,” Brown said. “Until that is off the table, it is not worth talking budget.”

— Stalemate becomes bad luck for lottery winners —