ST. THOMAS – The 35th Legislature of the Virgin Islands’ Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance, led by Senator Donna A. Frett Gregory continued Fiscal Year 2024 budget hearings in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall. Lawmakers heard testimony concerning the budgets of the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

In block one, Karl Knight, the Chief of Staff from the Office of the Governor delivered testimony. According to testimony delivered by Knight, the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 General Fund Budget for the Office is $10,440,023. This is inclusive of $9,418,875 for the Office of the Governor. $725,159 is reserved for the Bureau of Economic Research, $295,989 is requested for the Office of Gun Violence. An additional $1,135,000 is requested for miscellaneous and special activities. $300,000 is requested from the Tourism Revolving Fund. The total Fiscal Year 2024 funding request is $11,875,023. The Office has seventy-nine full-time positions. Eight positions are vacant. All positions are exempt.

Personnel costs are estimated to be $5,309,390, accounting for 50.9% of the proposed budget. Employees are spread throughout the territory. Employee Fringe Benefits account for $2,327,733, 22.3% of the total budget, and 44% of personnel costs. Fringe benefits cover employer’s retirement contributions, workers’ compensation premiums, social security contributions, or Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), Medicare, and health insurance premiums. Supplies account for $404,300, or 3.9% of the budget. These include purchasing of operating, office maintenance, office supplies, and food and catering, as well as other minor tools and office equipment. Other services and chargers account for $1,834,600 or 17.5% of the Budget. This includes repair and maintenance of equipment and automotive repairs, rentals of offices locally and in the mainland, professional services, printing and binding, communication costs, and inter and off island travel. Utilities account for $489,000, or 4.7% of the budget. Capital Outlay accounts for $75,000 or .7% of the budget.

Chair Donna A. Frett-Gregory continued to ask the Department to be fiscally responsible, saying that “We have to show and prove” the budget. She implored the body to “plan for the future,” in producing balanced and accurate budgets.

In block two, Monica Williams-Carbon, the Chief of Staff from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor delivered testimony. In testimony delivered by Williams-Carbon, she reminded the body that the Office is the second largest revenue generating office in the Territory and helps the Government of the Virgin Islands to sustain its revenue collections. The Office is requesting $7,594,082.81 from the General Fund. All of the budget will be used to pay salaries, including fringe benefits for the Office’s employees. Some personnel and fringe benefits will be paid from LGO’s other local funds. All other expenses, such as supplies, maintenance of the LGO’s premises, payments of leases and rents, monies for additional projects, such as projects for renovations of the facilities, payments to contracted vendors to automate the provision of services, and to collect other revenues will be paid from local funds.

Senators present at today’s committee hearing included Donna A. Frett-Gregory, Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Samuel Carriόn, and Javan E. James, Sr.