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May 12, 2006 – Sen. Craig Barshinger, on Friday, asked Senator Roosevelt David, chairman of the Government Operations & Consumer Protection Committee to host an urgent meeting of the committee to address the recent increase in fees charged by the V.I. Port Authority to barge customers traveling between Red Hook and Cruz Bay, St. John.
In a letter addressed to David, the at-large senator prompted him to call a hearing at the St. John Legislative Conference Room to investigate the matter. Barshinger had called a town meeting Thursday evening on St. John to provide representatives of the Port Authority a chance to speak to residents about the fees and address their concerns. However, the Port Authority officials who had confirmed their attendance arrived more than half an hour late at the meeting and did not address the residents'concerns.
"I stand in agreement with my fellow St. John residents, who believe that the fees should be rescinded," Barshinger said in the letter. "I'm sure there are other viable options for the Port Authority instead of burdening the already heavy-laden taxpayers to improve their bottom line."
