ST. CROIX — A dozen executive branch government officials including the governor and lieutenant governor as well as all 15 senators have been recommended to receive a total of $349,005 in salary increases from the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission, according to the commission’s study.
Act No. 7878, sponsored by former Senator Positive Nelson, established the Compensation Commission in May 2016 to review the salaries of public officials and make recommendations for changes. The law required the Commission to submit a report of the results of its review and its recommendations to the governor, Senate president, and chief justice of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court.
The law was amended in October 2020 by Act No. 8384, sponsored by then-Senator Janelle Sarauw. The amendment offered key changes that required the Commission’s first report be submitted by May 30, 2022, and clarified the Commission’s recommendations would be automatically approved if the Legislature failed to act upon them within 90 days.
The report was transmitted by the chairperson of the Commission on August 13, 2024 to Governor Albert Bryan Jr., Senate President Novelle Francis Jr., and Chief Justice Rhys Hodge via email. The report gave an explanation as to why it was two years tardy. The Senate, however, did not amend the law to reflect a new date for submission of the report.
Bryan confirmed the commission sent its report to him as well as to the Senate president and chief justice.
Francis, however, said he has not yet received the official report.
“I’m aware a study was done and that a report was forthcoming,” he said on Friday.
Francis did not take a position regarding whether the Commission’s study would be considered invalid since the submission deadline has passed and the lawmaking body has not received it, or whether an amendment could still be offered to change the date. He said he would need to confer with the Senate’s legal counsel.
“That is a matter that we’ll take under advisement once the report is officially transmitted to the Legislature,” he said.
The Senate president said the recommendations should still be honored regardless of when the Legislature receives them.
“If the law allows it to go forward, then they should be implemented,” he said.
Richard Motta Jr., Government House spokesperson, released the report to WTJX and shared that the salary changes took effect on January 1, though there are no Notice of Personnel Action (NOPA) documents signed yet for the affected members of the administration.
The recommended salary increases were determined following a review of compensation levels in other jurisdictions and comparisons with the private sector. The Commission also considered the unique responsibilities of public officials in the Virgin Islands.
“Our public officials serve critical roles in governing a territory with unique challenges and responsibilities,” Bryan said in a statement. “The adjustments outlined in this report aim to ensure that public service remains a viable option for attracting and retaining skilled professionals while maintaining fairness and fiscal responsibility.”
The Commission recommended salary increases for the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, inspector general, supervisor of elections, four commissioners, and three executive directors of boards and/or commissions. It recommended a salary of $95,000 for senators. It incorrectly noted their current salary was $95,000, representing no difference. The actual salary senators receive is $85,000. The Senate president receives $95,000.
The Commission recommended to increase the governor’s salary to $192,088 from $150,000; the lieutenant governor’s salary to $168,231 from $125,000; the attorney general’s salary to $168,231 from $145,000; and the inspector general’s salary to $129,455 from $125,000.
The recommendation for commissioners included salary increases to $140,506 from $125,000 for the Planning and Natural Resources commissioner; to $136,221 from $125,000 for the Labor commissioner; to $134,349 from $125,000 for the Licensing and Consumer Affairs commissioner; and to $138,090 from $135,000 for the Human Services commissioner.
The Commission recommended to increase the salaries of the supervisor of the Elections System of the Virgin Islands to $127,556 from $110,000 (the supervisor of elections received an increase from the Board of Elections to $120,000 during a meeting on June 26, 2024); the executive director of the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission to $94,401 from $80,000; the executive director of the Career and Technical Education Board to $93,481 from $85,000; and the executive director of the Public Employees Relations Board to $101,396 from $95,000.
The nine-member Commission was chaired by Haldane Davies. Melanie Gomez served as vice chair, while the secretary was Asiah Clendinen Gumbs. The other members were Kenneth Hermon, Valdemar Hill Jr., Edward Thomas, Frank Abednego, and attorneys Joel Holt and Henry Smock.
The Commission did not submit its Public Officials Compensation Study until August 2024, missing the deadline of May 30, 2022. The Senate, however, did not approve the Commission’s $100,000 in funding until September 2022, which is when the governor signed off on it, according to the study. The contract for the compensation consultant, the human resources firm Gallagher, was not executed until July 2023. The Senate never amended the law to reflect a new date for submission of the report.
Senator Donna Frett-Gregory, who chairs the Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance, said $349,000 is a negligible amount in the grand scheme of things but emphasized the importance of sustainability over affordability while noting that associated fringe benefits would also increase. She stressed that it is important public officials are paid what they are worth.
“We know that in FY 2024 we did have some challenges with our revenues,” she said. “As we stand right now, we are challenged with vendors getting paid. We would definitely have to look at whether our revenue as of December 31 for the fiscal year 2025 is in fact on target with the appropriations that were passed for the fiscal year 2025 budget that’s currently implemented.”
Frett-Gregory said the affected entities receiving the salary increases would have to return to the Legislature to revisit their line-item budgets, including the personnel category. She stressed the pay raises must be tied to available revenues.
“We’ve ended the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 so we need to see whether or not, at minimum, the first quarter has actually brought in the revenues to cover a quarter of the $1 billion in general fund appropriations for fiscal year 2025,” she said.
The Commission’s study, which was supported by an independent compensation study conducted by Gallagher, includes recommendations that ensure salaries are competitive and appropriate while aligning with the statutory framework established by the Legislature, according to the governor’s statement. Bryan reiterated his appreciation for the Commission’s efforts and affirmed the importance of implementing the changes responsibly and transparently.
Raising salaries for elected officials has been met with public backlash in the past, impacting senators running for re-election, while the salaries for the Judiciary of the Virgin Islands are not determined by law.
The Senate voted 7 to 6 on December 28, 2006 to increase the salaries of the governor to $150,000 from $80,000, and the lieutenant governor to $125,000 from $75,000 with the passage of Bill No. 26-0351 (Act No. 6905). Then-Governor Charles Turnbull signed the bill into law the next day. The measure also tied the salary of senators to the lowest paid Cabinet member included in the Executive Succession Act, giving the Senate president an additional $10,000. The move increased the salary of senators to $85,000 from $65,000. The Cabinet members identified in the ESA are the Finance commissioner; attorney general; Management and Budget director; Education commissioner; Public Works commissioner; Sports, Parks and Recreation commissioner; and police commissioner.
Three senators — Juan Figueroa-Serville, Ronald Russell, and Norman Jn Baptiste — who voted in support of Act No. 6905 did not get re-elected in 2008. Figueroa-Serville fell short in the primary election by 85 votes. Russell and Jn Baptiste finished the general election in the eighth and eleventh positions, respectively.
Act No. 8384, the measure that amended the Public Officials Compensation Commission law in October 2020, severed the salary of senators from the lowest paid Cabinet member included in the Executive Succession Act, who was the Sports, Parks and Recreation commissioner. The DSPR commissioner currently earns $115,000.
* This article was updated to correct a reference to the Executive Succession Act.
