Despite the government's burgeoning debt and inability to pay its bills, the 22nd Legislature gave $256,000 worth of raises to 152 central staff employees last October.
The V.I. Independent reported Sunday that the employees got pay increases ranging from under $1,000 a year to more than $5,000. Most were in the $1,000 to $1,500 range.
Former Senate President Lorraine L. Berry said the raises were covered by the Legislature's fiscal 1998 budget because she cut other expenses, the Independent reported. Her successor, Vargrave A. Richards, defended the raises as "long overdue."
The raises, which cost the Legislature $64,000 through the end of 1998, will add $256,153 annual to its budget, the paper quoted Executive Director Maureen Rabsatt-Cullar as saying.
Here is the breakdown of the raises by number of employees:
— Under $1,000, 17 employees.
— $1,001 to $1,500, 72.
— $1,501 to $2,000, 28.
— $2,001 to $3,000, 16.
— $3,001 to $4,000, 5.
— $4,001 to $5,000, 2.
Central staff employees work for all senators rather than on an individual senator's staff.
