I received the news of the Legislature’s action with respect to the so-called Malone Amendment radically altering the authority and structure of the RTPark with disappointment, but without surprise. Now I wait, as do the vast majority of the residents and voters and taxpayers of the Virgin Islands, to hear the rationalizations and explanations for this action. I await the defense to be offered by the eleven members of the 30th Legislature who have now voted for a second time to keep established, profitable businesses off our tax rolls through this special interest legislation.

Now the eleven senators who have confirmed their earlier action will have to face the people who will be justified in wanting to know why they should not be provided tax breaks as well. Now they will have to explain why expanding benefits to cable companies and RTPark consultants can be justified given our budget deficit. Now they will have to explain how they can give away this kind of money when we have a $30-plus million dollar budget deficit this fiscal year and when our workers are facing potential furloughs and our people are facing a reduction in government programs and services.

I do not see how we will ever solve our budget dilemma when a majority of the present Legislature believes that what they did – and how they did it – is proper and correct. The voices of Virgin Islands taxpayers will surely be heard in the coming months. I stand with them in waiting for the answer to the question: Why would any senator vote this way?