74.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesHUMAN SERVICES AND FIRE SERVICE MAKE THEIR BUDGET CASES

HUMAN SERVICES AND FIRE SERVICE MAKE THEIR BUDGET CASES

Senate Finance Committee members were cautioned Monday about imposing budget cuts on the Department of Human Services.
As she took her turn defending her FY 2000 budget before the panel, Human Services Commissioner Sedonie Halbert painted a picture of a prudent administration recognized three years in a row by the federal government for efficient distribution of food stamps.
Yet the commissioner also described an agency lacking social workers, burdened by a welfare payroll, and facing penalties for not meeting its welfare reform mandates.
Because the assistance proffered through Human Services impacts the neediest Virgin Islanders, the Turnbull Administration waived the 15 percent budget cut being asked of all other government agencies. But, Halbert said, her department was implementing its own austerity measures.
Halbert said those self-imposed measures included a $441,636 cut in personnel costs, a related reduction of $110,409 in fringe benefits, and $30,000 in supplies. She described another $389,649 in cuts as other services and charges. Utility costs were trimmed by $21,873.
Halbert told the committee both Government House and the Office of Management and Budget withdrew their 15 percent cutback request once they realized that Human Services would have to curtail or eliminate pharmaceutical subsidies for elders, foster care for abused children, or the boys and girls reform school, now being established to separate nonviolent youthful offenders from violent criminals at the Youth Rehabilitation Center.
"We continue to analyze every program and departmental operation to determine how we may further cut spending," Halbert said. "I am aware that you are also in the process of analyzing the budget to find ways to reduce costs. As you do so, please keep in mind that the Department of Human Services provides basic subsistence for the needy of this community and is the lifeline for many after disasters, layoffs or other life crises."
Among the crises facing Human Services, Halbert said, the federal government is poised to impose financial penalties for failure to comply with welfare reform mandates. Since welfare reform policies were adopted by the territory in 1996, she said, about 220 heads of households were transitioned into private sector jobs. The commissioner said the problem is that the private sector in the Virgin Islands is so small the pool of available jobs is not enough to allow the department to convert twice as many welfare recipients, the number needed to comply with federal requirements.
As it is, the commissioner said, the biggest challenge facing Human Services is meeting the public assistance payroll. Halbert told the committee an appeal for federal leniency is not likely to succeed, since the unemployment rate in the Virgin Islands is less than 10 percent.
When acting Director of V.I. Fire Services Roberto Santos testified in Monday afternoon's session his story was much the same as Halbert's. His operating budget was cut by only three percent and Santos asked for an increase.
He pointed to overtime as the major problem facing the Fire Service, until he is allowed to fill vacant positions he can't reduce overtime. He said 97 percent of his budget goes for wages and overtime.
Overtime payments in government have become a hot issue in the Legislature, especially since the release of a recent audit by the U.S. Department of the Interior documenting overtime abuses in the Public Works Department.
Santos, who assumed his duties after the governor's appointee, Jose Encarnacion, became ill, told the committee overtime is justified because of the shortage of trained personnel and vacancies.
But Sen. Ann Golden, referring to the Senate Post Auditor's report on the Fire Service, suggested mismanagement contributed heavily to the situation.
"It costs more to finance a government when the persons who are charged with managing it don't know how to manage," Golden said. "It costs a tremendous amount of money for incompetence. I'm not suggesting that it exists but over the years you've inherited it."
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole questioned $123,626 in overtime paid to six fire captains because of a provision in the supervisors union contract that says if one captain is missing from duty another must take his place.
"That's automatic overtime," Cole said.
Members of the unions representing firefighters and supervisors appeared at the Monday hearing. As the debate over overtime heated up, the audience demanded the government hire and promote more firefighters to cut down on the need for overtime.
Berry also cited a legislative auditor's report in criticizing Fire Service officials, warning Santos that a five-year review of his agency revealed consistent spending in excess of the yearly allotments.
"That's illegal," she said. "What controls do the Finance Department have? Why do we have a budget if an agency is given an allotment, that's one thing, but you've gone above the appropriation, too. The certifying officers can be penalized for that."
Santos said he prepared the Year 2000 budget based on information provided through OMB.
Berry told Santos, other fire service brass and their union representatives it might be a good idea for the Finance Committee to hold discussions with labor leaders, those talks separate from the budget hearings.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.