Saying that the $11 million scrounged up by the V.I. government for teachers' salaries was not enough, St. Croix American Federation of Teachers President Tyrone Molyneaux said Monday that other revenue sources must be studied.
The $11 million proposed by the administration and Legislature included $5 million from the Insurance Guaranty Fund, $4 million from the V.I. Port Authority and $1 million each from the V.I. Water and Power Authority and the West Indian Company Ltd.
The 635 teachers out of 955 who voted against the agreement submitted to AFT members throughout the territory over the weekend want upwards of $17 million to fund raises. Molyneaux said the money could from a number of sources, including:
– $10 million from the Public Finance Authority
– $2 million from Hovensa
– $1 million from the Legislature
– $1 million from WICO
– $1 million from Cruzan Rum
– $500,000 to $1 million from a sin tax on alcohol and cigarettes.
Molyneaux also said the idea of a head tax on cruise ship passengers should be revisited. He said that could generate between $2 million to $3 million.
"The key thing was the $11 million was insufficient," Molyneaux said, adding that many of 1,600 the AFT’s members hold advanced degrees. "With a membership with over 1,500 degrees, $11 million is not enough."
Molyneaux said teachers want a salary in increase of $1,000 a year between school years 1995-96 and 2000 as opposed to the $52 increase proposed by the Turnbull administration.
In the meantime, there is rumbling that members of the St. Thomas-St. John chapter of the AFT, who voted mostly to approve the latest offer, are considering splitting with the St. Croix chapter. A meeting is set for Monday to consider the move.
Meanwhile, Molyneaux said the AFT is considering a contingency plan for high school seniors.
"We’re in the process of developing a meeting with seniors and teachers of seniors," he said.
