Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg is planning to introduce a bill that will allow him to deduct a portion of his salary to pay his remaining three staffers.
Last week, Donastorg asked Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd to direct $10,000 from Donastorg's $65,000-a-year salary to his $100,000 Senate allotment in order to supplement the pay of his three staff members.
Donastorg said he had to let four of his employees go because the allotments doled out by the new Senate majority to minority, non-committee chair holders was insufficient.
But his request to have the $10,000 added to his allotment was refused by Liburd, who said in a letter that V.I. Code doesn't allow such a move. While Liburd praised Donastorg's gesture, he said he must abide by the laws of the Virgin Islands.
"And there is no provision in the law that allows me or any other Senate president to reduce a senator's salary," Liburd said.
He noted that Donastorg was "perfectly free" to write a personal check or distribute cash to his staff every two weeks.
"Based on my calculations, $10,000 per year would equal $384.61 each pay period," Liburd said.
In response, Donastorg criticized Liburd and the majority bloc for playing politics with dozens of longtime Senate staffers. He said he took offense at Liburd's suggestion that he distribute cash to his staff to supplement their incomes.
"I was forced to release four hard-working, longtime employees and dramatically decrease the salaries of the three who remain," Donastorg wrote. "I am sure that these employees, and the many others discharged by the Majority Bloc, would not be amused by your suggestion as their families are now facing serious hardships as a direct result of your actions."
Donastorg said he would introduce legislation to have the $10,000 added to his Senate allotment at the earliest opportunity.
