March 21, 2007 — Instead of attaching numerous amendments to one of the bills included on the Legislature's planned two-day session agenda, senators decided Wednesday evening to special-order a newly drafted bill to the floor that made various changes to the V.I. Code and appropriated close to $4 million from the General Fund for several projects, organizations and capital improvements.
Approximately $2 million from the St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund was also appropriated to the Department of Public Works for seven road repair projects on St. Croix.
Senators highlighted the fact that funds were appropriated for: horse races and other Carnival events in both districts; several school projects on St. Thomas and St. Croix (including money for repairs to Bertha C. Boschulte and Lew Muckle elementary schools); and various youth initiatives.
The bill, a product of collaborative efforts between members of both the majority and minority caucuses, was unanimously approved after about 30 minutes of discussion. Given the opportunity to speak, several senators said they were "proud" to pass a bill that "spelled relief" for citizens throughout the territory.
"They say money doesn't fix everything, but if you give the money to those who know how to spend it — I think that's why we exist," said Sen. James Weber III.
In addition to the appropriations, senators said another three sections of the bill repeal changes made in Act 6905 — a controversial piece of legislation that has sparked much debate within the local community over the past few months — to the retirement requirements and benefits given to emergency service workers.
The act, which was signed into law last December by former Gov. Charles W. Turnbull:
— raised the retirement age from 50 to 55 for emergency service workers who had completed 30 years of service and were hired prior to Oct. 1, 2005;
— raised the retirement age from 60 to 62 for emergency employees who had completed at least 10 but than less than 30 years of credited service and were hired prior to Oct. 1, 2005; and
— mandated that emergency workers hired after Oct. 1, 2005 pay into GERS at a higher rate and have 25 years of credited service before they are able to receive their full annuity (prior to introduction of Act 6905, these employees would have been eligible to receive full annuity after completing 20 years of service).
The bill approved by senators on Wednesday simply cuts out these changes, thus returning the employees' retirement requirement and benefits to the way they were before Act 6905 was passed.
In order to show their support for the bill, a small group of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) sat in the back two rows of the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall during the last few hours of the session, nodding and smiling quietly as senators spoke in favor of approving the measure.
"This bill spells relief. It's a major relief for our Class-III employees who are now back to the 20-year requirement," said. Sen. Alvin L. Williams.
Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste added that the addition of a section dealing with the emergency workers' concerns can stand up as an example of "responsive government."
"How good and how beautiful it is that the 15 of us can work together to touch lives in our community," he added.
Senate Majority Leader Celestino White Sr. and Minority Leader Ronald E. Russell said they recently began collaborating on the bill and continued the "back-and-forth" dialogue throughout the morning hours of Wednesday's meeting. "We then sat with the Senate president to come up with something that was in the collective interest of the people of the Virgin Islands," Russell said.
White added that the creation of the bill shows that senators on "both sides of the aisle" can and will continue to work together over the next two years. "It's a good beginning for us," he said. "Well done."
The bill also:
— abolishes the territory's Law Revision Commission and sets up, under the auspices of the Legislature, a V.I. Commission on Uniform State Laws, which will be headed by a code reviser and tasked with updating local laws;
— severs the V.I. Cultural Heritage Institute from the Office of the Governor and places it under the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (another section of the bill sets up the composition of the institute's governing board, which is now to consist of nine private citizens);
— amends the V.I. Code to allow retirees to work 75 days each year if they so choose;
— prohibits the Department of Health from requiring that mobile food service vendors obtain more than one permit for operating their business in multiple locations during Carnival;
— makes funds appropriated by previous legislatures to various projects and organizations "available until expended";
— appropriates $1.3 million from the General Fund to the Department of Public Works for engineering designs, construction, repairs or the resurfacing of roads;
— appropriates $280,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services for The Village Partners in Recovery ($200,000 of this amount must be spent on outstanding obligations);
— appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund to the St. Croix Christmas Festival Committee and the V.I. Carnival Committee in order to conduct Carnival activities in both districts (the funds are to be split equally between the two organizations);
— appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Education to defray the cost of repairing Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School for accreditation;
— appropriates $40,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Education for a sound system at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School;
— appropriates $250,000 from the General Fund to Housing, Parks and Recreation to demolish, abate for asbestos and reconstruct the building at No. 13-1 Nordsidevei;
— appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to the Elections System to cover the cost of the 2006 runoff election;
— appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to the V.I. State Nurses Association to host the 50th anniversary conference of the Caribbean Nurses Organization;
— appropriates $250,000 from the General Fund to Public Works to pave Ponderosa Road in Estate Wintberg on St. Thomas;
— appropriates $8,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Tourism to provide a grant to Cleantha Samuel to represent the Virgin Islands in the Miss Black America Pageant;
— appropriates $50,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health to purchase dress uniforms for local EMTs to attend events during Emergency Medical Services Month;
— appropriates $75,000 from the General Fund for the British Virgin Islands/Virgin Islands Friendship Week;
— appropriates $175,000 to Housing, Parks and Recreation to install energy-efficient lighting at Alvin McBean Ballpark;
— appropriates $176,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Education to provide and install air conditioners, to repair the basketball court and to purchase sports equipment at Lew Muckle Elementary School;
— appropriates $400,000 to Public Works to pave the St. Croix Drag Racing Strop in Estate Anguilla;
— appropriates $75,000 from the General Fund to the Positive Vibes Soccer Club Corporation for annual tournament competitions; and
— appropriates $110,000 from the General Fund to the V.I. Housing Authority for the Youth Build Program in both districts.
The bill now goes to Gov. John deJongh Jr. for final approval.
All senators were present during Wednesday's session.
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