76.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesSURPRISE SESSION TO TAKE UP BUDGET SUPPLEMENT

SURPRISE SESSION TO TAKE UP BUDGET SUPPLEMENT

April 19, 2004 – Nearly four months after he pledged to provide it, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's proposed supplemental fiscal year 2004 budget will reach the Senate floor Thursday in a 10 a.m. meeting of the Committee of the Whole that only became public knowledge on Tuesday.
At the time of his late December veto of the Legislature's FY 2004 budget, the governor said that he would "re-appropriate the previous year's budget." He also said that "in the very near future" he would submit to the Legislature "supplemental appropriations supported by recurring revenues so that departments and agencies can continue to operate." (See "Governor says FY 2003 budget 're-appropriated'".)
The governor's financial team — Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull; Ira Mills, director of the Office of Management and Budget; Louis Willis, Internal Revenue Bureau director; and Nathan Simmonds, director of the Governor's Office of Fiscal and Economic Recovery Implementation — are scheduled to testify on Thursday
Thursday's meeting was not listed in the week's Senate Calendar which was distributed to the media over the weekend. The meeting was omitted because of a clerical error, Senate President David Jones said on Tuesday evening.
Jones also would not confirm reports circulating this week that the Senate majority will meet on Wednesday with the governor to discuss the budget.
Several Senate sources have said there would be such a meeting. Sen. Celestino A. White Sr. told reporters at a Planning and Environmental Protection Committee meeting on Tuesday evening that the majority bloc would meet with the chief executive at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Palms Court Harbourview Hotel.
Jones said on Tuesday evening: "I have a meeting with the governor tomorrow to discuss budget issues." As to whether the other nine members of the majority also will be present at that meeting, he added: "I can neither confirm or deny what they will be doing."
He also said a full Senate session is scheduled for Monday to consider Turnbull's supplement budget. The full agenda will be published on Wednesday, he said.

Back Talk

Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name, and the city and state/country or island where you reside.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

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.