Placer County Supervisor Kirk Uhler has struggled at times to win over voters in his own district. Now, his side job has him trying to win over Iowa lawmakers.

Uhler has quietly taken a job as vice president of government affairs for U.S. Digital Gaming, a Beverly-hills based company working to legalize and operate online poker. His focus has been persuading the Iowa Legislature to legalize online poker.

California is also in the early stages of considering legislation to legalize online gambling. Uhler has not been tasked with lobbying California legislators, but his boss was set to testify before a legislative committee this week.

In 1992 Placer County voters approved Measure A, making supervisors part time and slashing their pay from $84,000 to $30,000, with no benefits or retirement plan. They are among the lowest-paid county supervisors in the state.
While some may be uneasy over Uhler's job, at least one political expert said that's the way it is when elected officials are part-timers.

"You wind up putting people into a position where you have a potential conflict of interest," said local government consultant Chuck Daldorf.

Supervisor Jim Holmes said he didn't see any immediate issues with Uhler's side job. Holmes has his own part-time job as fleet manager for the Placer County Office of Education.
Holmes' side job covers the cost of his medical care and his family's, but little more. After his out-of-pocket medical deductions, he said, he earns $20.33 a month from it.

Supervisors in other nearby counties receive considerably more compensation. In the six-county region, Sacramento pays the most ($98,000). Placer pays the least. The next-lowest is Sutter County's supervisor pay of $34,400.
The state's two least-populated counties, Alpine and Trinity, each pay supervisors around $26,000 a year.

"We have to figure out how we are going to make a living," said Uhler, who said he has dissolved his previous businesses in the solar power industry.
A 2008 ballot measure boosting Placer County supervisors' pay was soundly thrashed by voters.

Gambling critic Cheryl Schmit said she found it "interesting" that Uhler hooked up with U.S. Digital Gaming, but was more interested in expressing her concerns about legalized online gambling.

"It makes it very accessible," Schmit said. "The more accessible it is, the more likely there will be problem gambling."

But proponents – including Uhler – argue that Americans are already going to websites operated by overseas companies to play in an unregulated environment.

"We are interested in regulating existing behavior," Uhler said. "It's estimated there are 15 million people playing illegally in the United States."
As for online gambling in California, there are three bills in the Legislature, all at committee level, and each takes a different approach. One would force Indian tribes to partner with companies such as U.S. Digital Gaming to operate legal online sites.

"We have not had any discussions with Supervisor Uhler, nor do we intend on having any discussions with Supervisor Uhler on this issue," said Doug Elmets, a spokesman for the United Auburn Indian Community.

Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/03/06/1586015/placer-supervisor-takes-side-job.html#ixzz1Fq5ILcWB