ST. CROIX, VI - The Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance, chaired by Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. met in the Fritz E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room. Lawmakers received testimonies regarding the proposed FY 2027 budgets for the Election System of the Virgin Islands, WTJX, the Virgin Islands Energy Office, and the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority.

Caroline Fawkes, Supervisor of Elections, delivered a proposed FY 2027 budget of $2,792,200. This is a 12% increase from the previous fiscal year. Of this budget, 54% is allocated for salaries and fringe benefits. Thirty-eight percent is allocated for operations and services. Eight percent is allocated for utilities and supplies. As of July 31, 2026, the territory has 56,794 total registered voters. There are currently 30,413 active voters and 26,381 inactive voters. The proposed budget for the Board of Elections totals $310,000. Thirty-four percent is allocated for Salaries and Fringe Benefits, and 66% Supplies, Capital Outlay and Other Services Fawkes states at more funding is needed for the election system due to rising health care costs, technology system requirements, cybersecurity protections, voter outreach and education, and election operations across the territory. Additionally, Fawkes highlighted the record-breaking early voting in the 2026 Primary election, where a total of 7,113 voters participated territory wide, the highest early voting turn out in Virgin Islands history. Fawkes identified future goals for the system, including increasing civic engagement, especially focusing on younger voters, modernization of technology, improving transparency, and developing a judge’s portal.

Tanya-Marie Singh, Chief Executive Officer of WTJX, delivered a proposed budget of $4,931,902. There are thirty-two employees. Singh reminded the body that the station faces a major financial crisis due to the loss of federal public funding, while continuing to provide educational programming, emergency communications, local journalism, cultural preservation, and public service broadcasting throughout the United States Virgin Islands. Singh said that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been defunded, which has resulted in the loss of approximately $1.3 million in annual funding, which may lead to staff layoffs, hiring freezes, operational reduction, and difficulty in paying PBS dues. Furthermore, union negotiations have been suspended due to budget uncertainty. WTJX successfully secured two new translator licenses, one for St. Thomas and one for St. Croix, which will help transition to the newer ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard. WTJX is the only government owned full power station and full power radio station. WTJX is currently rebuilding its transmitter facility. Full completion is expected by the end of calendar year 2026.

Kyle Fleming, Director of the Virgin Islands Energy Office, delivered a proposed general fund budget of $1,554,499. Most of the budget is allocated for personnel services, totaling $871,056. The next largest part of the budget is for fringe benefits, totaling $381,725. The rest of the budget is allocated between supplies totaling $24,436, utility services totaling $14,000 and other services totaling $263,279. There are eighteen full-time budgeted positions. Sixteen positions are unclassified and two are classified. Five staff members are funded through the general fund, nine are partially funded by the general fund, and seven are funded by federal dollars. The agency has $70.54 Million in federal funds available. Fleming stated that while federal funds pay for projects, general fund dollars pay for the staff to be able to design programs, manage grants, oversee construction, ensure compliance, and deliver service to residents. Fleming highlighted the distribution of nine hundred portable battery systems to medically vulnerable residents in the territory, completing a solar and battery microgrid, and advancing a microgrid for WTJX’s emergency broadcasting facility. The Office is also preparing to launch a $51 million home energy rebate program which is expected to assist 3,000 households.

Valdez Shelford, Interim Executive Officer of the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority delivered a total proposed budget of $24,451,053. Of this budget, $2 Million is from the General fund. $720,000 comes from stamp tax revenues, $2.8 million is from Land and Home Sales, $130,123 is from commercial leases, $350,000 is from mortgages, $300,000 is for other receipts and services, and approximately $18 Million comes from federal reimbursements. Personnel services total $13.8 Million. This is further broken down into $9.7 million for salaries and $4.1 for benefits. The proposed budget includes $112,000 for supplies, $300,000 for system upgrades, $6.2 Million for professional services, $886,000 for rent, $330,000 for utilities, and $2.5 million for other services and charges. The professional services category includes consultants, construction management, and website management.

Shelford states that the Authority’s General Fund appropriation of $2 Million has remained unchanged for the past 15 years. The General Fund supports salaries and benefits for twenty employees. The Authority has a total of 111 employees. Fifty-seven are in the St. Thomas-St. John district. Forty-four are on St. Croix. Ten positions are territorial. For Fiscal Year 2026, There have been ten new hires, seven internal promotions and twelve separations. A new hire is pending. All employees at the Authority are exempt. Various housing projects are expected to be constructed in the territory, with construction expected within the next four months on St. Croix in Estate Concordia, Estate Bonne Esperance, and Mount Pleasant, and on St. Thomas at the Residences at 340 North, to be built in Estate St. Joseph and Rosendahl, Estate Fortuna, and Main Street Homes. The agency also administers $774 Million in CDBG-MIT fund and hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster recovery grants.

Senators present at today’s committee hearing were Novelle E. Francis Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, Dwayne M. DeGraff, Ray Fonseca, Hubert L. Frederick, Marise C. James, Carla J. Joseph, Clifford A. Joseph, Sr., Avery L. Lewis, and Kurt A. Vialet.

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