For Danny Chasteen and Susan Rick, things finally seemed to be getting better when Chasteen won $250,000 from the Illinois Lottery last month. But lottery officials told him they couldn't release the money because state lawmakers haven't passed a budget - so they got an IOU instead.
Checks for such winnings must be cut by the state comptroller's office, says the state law, but since lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, the office cannot release those funds.
"For the first time, we were finally gonna get a break. And now the Illinois Lottery has kind of messed everything up," said Rick, according to CNBC.
"The lottery is a state agency like many others, and we're obviously affected by the budget situation. Since the legal authority is not there for the comptroller to disburse payments, those payments are delayed," said Steve Rossi, Illinois Lottery spokesman, reports the Chicago Tribune.
"Due to ongoing budget situation in Springfiled, some lottery winner payments have been delayed. All winners will be paid in full as soon as the lottery and the Illinois comptroller have the legislative authority to do so," said Rossi, according to CNN.
"You know what's funny? If we owed the state money, they'd come take it and they don't care whether we have a roof over our head. Our budget wouldn't be a factor. You can't say (to the state), 'Can you wait until I get my budget under control?'" Rossi added, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Chasteen doesn't see the humor in the situation.
"I was kind of in shock. I called them back the next day (and) said, 'Why am I not getting my money?' ... I think it's all wrong they're doing it this way," he said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "They should pay the money we're owed. And he tries to tell me it could be any day now. So I went online, and every article I read says they're not even close (to passing a budget). So don't give me that line. It could be months. You're collecting interest on our money that we should be collecting."
