Feb. 9, 2009 — St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas could become separate municipal districts, with local ordinances, magistrates, zoning boards or whatever specific local governing authority a special committee from the district determines, if draft proposals before the 5th V.I. Constitutional Convention move forward without major change.
Meeting Monday by teleconference in the Board of Education offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix, the committee addressing general government made some minor adjustments to draft constitutional language setting up a process to create municipal governments. Craig Barshinger chaired the meeting in the absence of Chairwoman Violet Anne Golden, reading each passage and soliciting comment, amendments and up-or-down votes.
As it stands, the Senate is to create three local government subdivisions — one for each of the three major islands. The subdivisions will have whatever powers "as shall be conferred by law," but within whatever limits set by the Senate, will be able to choose the structure of its own local government. They will choose it through a commission elected by the residents of the municipal district.
"There will be three districts," Barshinger said. "Subdistricting below that, whether to establish Frederiksted and Christiansted districts, or an east end district on St. Thomas, is permitted, but only with the permission of the residents of the subdistrict."
At the suggestion of delegate Rena Brodhurst, the names of the three major islands were specified, for the sake of clarity.
Municipal districts would be allowed to petition the Senate for permission to levy local taxes and fees such as parking meters, and the committee added a clause Monday requiring any money raised by a local tax be used solely by the locality.
All votes were by unanimous consent. Present were Barshinger, Brodhurst, Eugene "Doc" Petersen, Gerard "Luz" James, Charles Turnbull, Cain Magras, Stedman Hodge Jr. and Alecia Wells. Non-committee members Mary Moorhead and Claire Roker were also in attendance.
Committee meetings continue most of this week. The public is welcome. The Committee on Suffrage, Election, Initiative, Referendum, and Recall meets Tuesday and the Committee on Taxation, Finance, and Commerce meets Wednesday by teleconference at the Board of Education's Sunny Isle's offices on St. Croix and its Dronningens Gade offices on St. Thomas. Both meetings are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
On Friday the Committee on Government and the Committee on Suffrage will meet at the V.I. Port Authority Conference Room at the Henry Rohlsen Airport from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Suffrage Committee will meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the Government Committee will meet from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
This convention has a deadline of May 31 to produce a draft document.
The U.S. Congress passed a law in 1976 to allow the people of the Virgin Islands and Guam to adopt territorial constitutions. Any constitution has to be consistent with federal law and with the U.S. constitution. The government must be republican in form, with executive, legislative and judicial branches, and it must have a bill of rights. But there are few other restrictions. Itsourfuture.vi has excerpts and links to the full text of the relevant laws and much more information.
There have been four previous constitutional conventions, but no territorial constitution yet. The most recent convention was in 1980. For a detailed history of previous conventions and extensive background information on the subject, see "V.I. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS: BACKGROUND."
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