Government House noted Saturday that the Senate is regularly updated on the financial situation of the U.S. Virgin islands, disputing Senate President Shawn Malone’s comments Friday that the "Senate awaits accurate financial data from the Administration."
The response came Saturday in a news release issued by Jean P. Greaux, Jr., Government House director of communications. The release was titled "Government House Says It Is Time for Peace on the Budget."
Malone’s comments in turn were made in response to a press conference Thursday in which Gov. John deJongh Jr. reported the territory’s budget deficit for the Fiscal Year 2014 had ballooned to $70.5 million and that, without tax increases or budget cuts, the government will run short of cash late in the year.
Saturday Greaux said the Senate has been kept abreast of the territory’s financial situation.
“The numbers speak for themselves and no one in the Legislature can claim to be surprised that we are facing a budget deficit of over $70 million,” Greaux said.
In his Friday statement, Malone had suggested such money saving moves as eliminating cars and cell phones for members of the executive branch, and making a stronger effort to collect taxes. Greaux said such measure, while a move in the right direction, would not come close to resolving the problem, and has the effect of making the looming deficit appear more easily resolved.
“In addressing this crisis, every dollar matters, but one can only wonder why so much of the Senator’s focus seems to be on minor matters, items that even when all added up would be but a drop in the budget bucket," Greaux said. "Not only does this approach direct attention away from the magnitude of the problem, but it seems also to conveniently direct attention away from the recent purchase by the Legislature of a new fleet of sleek Ford sports utility vehicles in both island districts. One hopes that this political smoke will soon be blown away and all elected officials will settle down to the serious work of resolving the budget shortfall. It is time to declare peace over the budget."
Oh boy this is getting better everyday, usually you can’t get any kind of government service on the weekend other than those employees with vehicles hitting the various functions or heading to the beach at the cost of the taxpayers. But not this weekend, we actually get a response on a weekend, yeah I know he probably responded while at some party while driving his government vehicle while using his government cell phone.
how about this:
– reduce EVERY salary over $100,000 to $99,000. or less. Take it or leave it.
– NO car, NO cellphone, NO retirement package for ANY elected officials.
– Implement a reliable well-funded public transportation system and allow/require all government employees to ride, for free. These measures alone will also help contribute to significantly reducing overhead, as well as significant savings on fuel, repairs, maintenance, etc, and better accountability of employees, etc. because then there will be no need for any government cars, except of course for police and fire only. Everybody else, takes the bus.
– implement performance based merit step increases, based on employee classification.
– All GVI jobs must be evaluated based on the same base criteria on a bi-annual basis. Do the work required, the way expected, for as long as agreed, at this rate of pay, or leave.
– Once a politician leaves office they can have NO relationship with Government, either as consultant or with commercial intent bids, RFP’s, etc, for at least 24 months.
– No retirement packages for elected officials OR widow stipends.
– Place all financial information on line for all to review at their leisure
– And of course, the government bidding and services must be transparent and online.
If we did all these things, not only would we save tons more money, but we the People would be well on or way to disbanding the big political “machine” that is grinding everything and everyone into the ground.
Deborah, John, Shawn?? What do you think about these OBVIOUS reductions? Does this help you guys think of some austerity measures that would save the USVI loads of money. There is lots of obvious waste and gross inefficiencies. They must be addressed.