Virgin Islands agencies defend modest FY2014 budget requests before Senate Finance Committee

POC FO vtst veal 013° Monday: Juiy 29:-2013 VIRGIN ISLANDS : FRE Vegi adaaeae Daily News 5 V.I. government agencies defend budget requests By AMANDA NORRIS Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — Last week, the Senate Finance Committee heard tes- timony on fiscal year*2014 budgets from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Public Services Commission and the V.I. Econom Development Authority. Bureau of Motor Vehicles Bureau of Motor Vehicles Director Jerris Browne defended a General Fund appropriation of $1,642,010 as sufficient to meet the bureau’s needs. The request is a 5 percent decrease, or $86,422, less than the 2013 appropriation. Eighty-eight percent will go toward personnel services and fringe benefits, and the budget will be sup- plemented by a projected income of $1 million from the bureau’s revolv- ing funds and another $643,854 from the personalized license plate . fund, for a total operating budget of $3,285,864. To meet fiscal constraints imposed by the governor’s 5 percent cuts to most departments to balance the fis- ASILVER® CORNER! Exclusive 925 Designer Jewelry Largest Selection of Lorimor, Hibiscus, Ball, West Indian Bangles, Semi-Precious Stones and Amber Set in Sterling Silver! Check out our Stainless Steel Jewelry Toa! Losated inside Drakes Passage, St. Thomas (340) 774-0854 cal 2013 budget, the bureau elimi- . nated two General Fund positions: an executive assistant and motor vehicle inspector, according to Browpe’s testimony. The fiscal 2014 operating budget contains money for 52 positions, and to further meet fiscal obliga- tions, the bureau intends to leave unfilled two more General Fund positions, according to Browne’s testimony. A critical hiring plan leaves room for five vacant positions to be filled, however, Browne testified. The bureau’s accomplishments for fiscal 2013 include: completing a REAL ID card toncept design which allow for forensic analysis and provides specializéd identi fica- tions to government employees; integratting facial recognition soft- ware, providing 24 hour access to the BMV database for law enforce- ‘ ment, installing additional security cameras and completing two grant packages for Division of Higheay Safety awards totalling $730,000 to be used to fund the motorcycle safe- ty education program and to accom- modate online vehicle registration. Hand Crafted Swiss Timepieces A. Lange & Sohne Baume & Mercier ¢ Blancpain Bvigari ¢ Breguet Cartier * Chanel « Ebel . Glashutte * Gucci « IWC Longines * Movado Panerai ¢ Phillip Stein « Piaget Roger Dubuis * Tissot If the Best is What you Want, Visit ROYAL CARIBBEAN Main Street, Havensight Mall & Crown Bay * St. Thomas Contact Us At: (340) 776-4110 Public Services Commission Public Services Commission Executive Director Keithley Joseph testified that it is the commission’s mission’s goal to move from being a “government organization that is reac- tive to a proactive public policy mak- ing agency with results-based management.” The Public Services Commission is pmmarily funded through assessments levied on the utilities it regulates. Joseph testified that the fiscal 2014 budget request from the V.I. govern- ment for the commission would be $1,620,740. This represents an increase of $57,373, or 3.54 percent, from its fiscal 2013 revenueassess- ment of $1,563,367. Pursuant to Virgin Islands Code establishing the commission and stipulating that it be 100 percent funded by fees levied to the utilities it regulates, the commis- sion’s budget request reflects what it needs to maintain operations while it collects outstanding assessment from communications, water and electric, and public transportation companies, Joseph said. The commission’s uncollected rev- Learn more at www.radiology.vi or enues from fiscal 2013 are $384,630, according to Joseph’s testimony. It is anticipated that in fiscal 2014, the commission will collect a total of $1,620,739 from the V.1. Water and Power Authority; VITELCO, Innovative Cable, Varlack Ventures, Transportation Services and the V.1. Waste Management Authonity, accord- ing to testimony. A total of $1,081,113 will go toward “personal services and fringes,” according to testimony. V.I. Economic Development Authority V.I. Economic Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Percival Clouden requested a General Fund appropriation of $5,043,274. This amount represents an increase of $325,574, or 6.9 percent over the fiscal 2013 appropriation. According to Clouden, the addi- tional. money is needed to match fed- eral funds for a small business incu- bator program, to institute a more aggressive marketing strategy for the Economic “Development Commission’s tax incentive program cal! 774-0265 for a consultation. St. Thomas Radiology Associates Paragon Medical Building Suite 103 _ St.Thomas, USVI and to enhance computer data analy- sis programs for the Economic Development Commission and the lending divisions, according to Clouden’s testimony. During fiscal 2013, the authority received $2 million in grants from the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration to assist small and mid-size businesses in the territory. The authority also relocated its offic- es on St. Thomas, realizing a 20 per- cent savings rental costs, 48 percent in utilities and 15 percent in other related expenses, Clouden said. Also during fiscal 2013, the authority realized a 4 percent increase in collections and saw a 37 percent decrease in the number of delinquent borrowers due to enhanced litigation efforts, Clouden said. To date, the authority has approved $692,606 in new 2013 loans and col- lected $842,224 in outstanding accounts. The number of delinquent borrowers stands at 242, for a total of $7,470,534, according to Clouden’s testimony. — Contact Amanda Norms at 7 14-9104 or email anorris@dailynews. vi. There's a new option: for treating uterine fibroids. It’s non-surgical and:doesn’t require a hospital stay. It’s uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) performed by St. Thomas Radiology Associates. "Mon - Sat 10-6:30 340.715.7297 e East End Galleria. Red Hook. St Thomas 4 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_021722