To the Source:
It is a great loss, indeed, for the Virgin Islands, losing a man such as Sam Boynes.
I remember when he started the Japanese Cultural Society when he worked at Frenchman's Reef, and I called him to come teach the staff at Louis Vuitton how to greet Japanese visitors to the Virgin Islands. The staff learned a lot. This was the late 1980s or early '90s. Sam foresaw the potential of this tourist trade to the V.I., and he was right. During those times that the Japanese came to the territory, Sam's lessons on Japanese culture were a great success!
Imagine the faces of the Japanese when they were greeted and engaged in conversation by a West Indian staff speaking their own language! Thanks to his help, we were the No. 9 store of Louis Vuitton in the United States and Canada.
Sam had the tourism industry in his heart. He always thought of ways to bring visitors to the island and make their stay memorable. Later, when he bought The Mark St. Thomas and renamed it L'Hotel Boynes, he again foresaw the potential in marketing St. Thomas as a historical destination, and again he was right.
I will always remember Sam as an upbeat, energetic ambassador of the Virgin Islands.
Joyce Bolanos
West Hartford, CT
KEAN CLASS OF 1977 GET TOGETHER
The Ivanna Eudora Kean Class of 1977 will get together at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 5, at Sapphire Beach Resort.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discuss the 25th Reunion Class Trip.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discuss the 25th Reunion Class Trip.
KEAN CLASS OF 1977 GET TOGETHER
The Ivanna Eudora Kean High School Class of 1977 will hold a get together at 5 p.mm on Sunday, Aug. 5, at Sapphire Beach Resort.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discuss the 25th Reunion Class Trip.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discuss the 25th Reunion Class Trip.
KEAN CLASS OF 1977 GET TOGETHER
The Ivanna Eudora Kean High School class of 1977 will hold a get together at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 5, at Sapphire Beach Resort.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discuss the 25th Reunious Class Trip.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discuss the 25th Reunious Class Trip.
KEAN CLASS OF 1977 GET TOGETHER
The Ivanna Eudora Kean High School class of 1977 will have a get together at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 5, at Sapphire Beach Resort.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discus the 25th reunion class trip.
Classmate Cladette Industrious-White will discus the 25th reunion class trip.
INTRODUCTION TO THE BAHA'I FAITH
Anyone interested in learning about the Baha'i Faith is welcome to attend an introductory meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at the Baha'i Center in Contant.
For more information and directions call Cathy Von Gonten at 774-3712.
For more information and directions call Cathy Von Gonten at 774-3712.
FOR VIRGIN ISLANDERS, CHECKS ARE NOT IN THE MAIL
July 28, 2001- Millions of mainland American taxpayers began getting U.S. Treasury Department checks in the mail this week from the Internal Revenue Service for up to $600 under the 2001 tax credit program initiated by the Bush administration and approved by Congress to stimulate the nation's economy.
Not one check has gone out from the Internal Revenue Bureau in the Virgin Islands, which under its "mirror" system with the federal government is bound by the same rules and regulations as the IRS. Nor, the IRB director, Louis Willis, said this week, will any in the near future.
On Tuesday, Willis said on the "Topp Talk" show on WVWI Radio that his intention is to give taxpayers a credit against their 2001 income taxes that come due April 15, 2002. The difference between what he proposes and what the federal government is doing is a matter of timing. Both are offering "tax credits." But the IRS is doing it now, in cold cash, while Willis plans to wait until after next April 15, without being clear as to just what the mechanism will be.
That, according to the Republican Party of the U.S. Virgin Islands, isn't what the law requires — and isn't acceptable. Also, the party contends, it isn't smart, as "the $11 million in tax rebate checks would stimulate the economy" here.
Michael Bornn, who co-chairs (with Noel Loftus on St. Croix) the territorial party's Policy Committee for the Bush-Cheney Leadership Team, said Willis told him the day before appearing on the radio show that about $11 million was due in tax credits in the territory. "He said he couldn't tell me how many filers that meant, but simple math makes it about 36,000 if it's a $300 check, or 18,000 if it's $600. so, it's somewhere there in between," Bornn said.
Willis said on the radio show that his estimated price tag for the rebates is $9 million to $12 million. "We are going to pay, but we are going to pay it next year," he stated. First, he said, "We want to get the refunds for 2000 out; that is our priority right now."
In addition to the 2000 V.I. income tax refund checks that have already gone out, "we have another 5,000 processed to get out, to the tune of $7 million more," he said, with maybe a further $6 million to come after that.
"We will have to do the rebates, but we will concentrate on that next year," he added.
Bornn said Friday that Willis "says he doesn't have the money — and, more emphatically, that he doesn't have the time to do it. So he is going to give it as a tax credit [at the time that tax payment is due next year]. And that's not what the law says."
The word "rebate," while being used broadly in connection with the program, is not accurate. The checks are neither rebates nor refunds. Actually, they might best be called "prebates." What they are is advance payment of a 2001 tax credit as provided for in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. And that's what the IRS is calling them — "advance payments." (As a reduction of tax, by the way, the money is not taxable income.)
Who's to get what
The amount of the tax credit — and thus, of the check — is calculated on the following formula, based on personal income tax returns filed for 2000:
Individuals with taxable income of less than $6,000 will receive 5 percent of that amount.
Individuals with taxable income of $6,000 or more will receive $300.
Married couples filing jointly with taxable income of less than $12,000 will receive 5 percent of that amount.
Married couples filing jointly with taxable income of $12,000 or more will receive $600.
Heads of household with taxable income of less than $10,000 will receive 5 percent of that amount.
Heads of household with taxable income of $10,000 or more will receive $500.
In the views of some, Willis hedged on the cash vs. on-paper credit issue on the talk show. One interpretation of his remarks is that the government will add the amount of the credit owed onto any 2001 income tax refund due next year and send a single check for both. (It is unclear what would happen in this case if the taxpayer had a net liability instead of being due a refund.) Another view is that the amount of the rebate will simply be credited against a taxpayer's 2001 tax liability.
In the view of the V.I. Republican Party leadership, nothing Willis has said is acceptable.
In a release issued a week ago, in response to comments made earlier by the IRB director, the party leadership said: "The Turnbull administration has decided not to send you a check now but instead to give you a tax credit next year. This is the same administration that just boasted about a $100 million surplus in revenue collections. It is also the same administration that vetoed a number of bills before that because there was no money."
Stating that approximately 22,000 Virgin Islanders are due tax-credit checks, the party criticized what it called the administration's "public-be-damned attitude."
The GOP release stated, "Virgin Islanders are owed $11 million from the Bush tax rebate … No matter the priorities of the V.I. government, the priorities of the individual taxpayer are greater. The individual taxpayer can spend his $300 to $600 a lot better than the V.I. government."
According to Bornn, the situation cannot be resolved by seeking yet another supplemental appropriation from the governor and the Legislature. "No legislation is required," he said. "It's legally due, period. It's not up to anybody to interpret. If the government says it has a $100 million surplus, that $11 million comes off the top, period. Instead of a $100 million surplus, they have $89 million. It's not the V.I. government's money, and it's not for government officials to determine how they are going to spend it."
A drop-dead date of Dec. 31
Furthermore, Bornn said, the federal law "is very explicit that checks are to be cut by Oct. 1. The whole idea of the law is that checks are to be cut now — to stimulate the economy, to encourage people to do some spending." What's more, he said, in the federal legislation, "There's a drop-dead date of Dec. 31 for cutting checks," after which the tax credit "is no longer valid, it's no longer even due."
The TaxPlanet.com web site has posted an "Excerpt from Congressional explanation of conference committee agreement on tax bill (5-26-01)" which includes the following statements:
"The [congressional] conferees anticipate that the Department of the Treasury will make every effort to issue all checks before Oct. 1, 2001, to taxpayers who timely filed their 2000 tax returns. Taxpayers who filed late or pursuant to extensions will receive their checks later in the fall…
"In no event may the Department of the Treasury issue checks after Dec. 31, 2001. This is designed to prevent errors by taxpayers who might claim the full amount of the credit on their 2001 tax returns and file those returns early in 2002, at the same time the Treasury check might be mailed to them." This latter statement carries a footnote reading: "For administrative reasons, the Department of the Treasury may need to establish an earlier termination date in order to fully implement the intent of this provision."
Bornn declined to say whether the Republican Party leadership was prepared to go to court over the issue, but he added, "We're meeting on it tomorrow [Saturday] morning."
On the mainland, the tax refunds are being mailed according to an estimated schedule based on the last two digits of a person's Social Security number. For those whose numbers end in 00 through 09, checks were mailed out this week. For those with numbers ending in 10 through 19, they are to go out in the coming week. The week-by-week schedule ends with paym ents for people whose numbers end in 90 through 99 to go out the week of Sept. 24.
Telephone messages for Willis were left repeatedly at the IRB offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix throughout the week. He did not return any calls to the Source. On Friday, repeated calls to the two offices were not answered at all. After approximately 20 rings, an intercept recording stated that the party being called was not answering and that the connection was being terminated.
A question posed to the Internal Revenue Service office on St. Thomas was whether those individuals required to pay taxes and file tax returns both in the territory and on the mainland would get more than one rebate check. An official referred the query to the IRS tax-information hotline, (800) 829-1040.
That number provided no opportunity to access an individual, offering only the recorded information that "There is nothing you need to do to receive this check," which "will be mailed automatically to those who are eligible." The recording refers callers to another IRS 800 number, 829-4477, to find out what week their check is scheduled to be mailed out. That information, and much more, can be accessed at the IRS web site, www.irs.gov/ind_info/apinfo/index.html. The same information is posted at the U.S. Treasury site, www.irs.ustreas.gov/ind_info/apinfo/.
Not one check has gone out from the Internal Revenue Bureau in the Virgin Islands, which under its "mirror" system with the federal government is bound by the same rules and regulations as the IRS. Nor, the IRB director, Louis Willis, said this week, will any in the near future.
On Tuesday, Willis said on the "Topp Talk" show on WVWI Radio that his intention is to give taxpayers a credit against their 2001 income taxes that come due April 15, 2002. The difference between what he proposes and what the federal government is doing is a matter of timing. Both are offering "tax credits." But the IRS is doing it now, in cold cash, while Willis plans to wait until after next April 15, without being clear as to just what the mechanism will be.
That, according to the Republican Party of the U.S. Virgin Islands, isn't what the law requires — and isn't acceptable. Also, the party contends, it isn't smart, as "the $11 million in tax rebate checks would stimulate the economy" here.
Michael Bornn, who co-chairs (with Noel Loftus on St. Croix) the territorial party's Policy Committee for the Bush-Cheney Leadership Team, said Willis told him the day before appearing on the radio show that about $11 million was due in tax credits in the territory. "He said he couldn't tell me how many filers that meant, but simple math makes it about 36,000 if it's a $300 check, or 18,000 if it's $600. so, it's somewhere there in between," Bornn said.
Willis said on the radio show that his estimated price tag for the rebates is $9 million to $12 million. "We are going to pay, but we are going to pay it next year," he stated. First, he said, "We want to get the refunds for 2000 out; that is our priority right now."
In addition to the 2000 V.I. income tax refund checks that have already gone out, "we have another 5,000 processed to get out, to the tune of $7 million more," he said, with maybe a further $6 million to come after that.
"We will have to do the rebates, but we will concentrate on that next year," he added.
Bornn said Friday that Willis "says he doesn't have the money — and, more emphatically, that he doesn't have the time to do it. So he is going to give it as a tax credit [at the time that tax payment is due next year]. And that's not what the law says."
The word "rebate," while being used broadly in connection with the program, is not accurate. The checks are neither rebates nor refunds. Actually, they might best be called "prebates." What they are is advance payment of a 2001 tax credit as provided for in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. And that's what the IRS is calling them — "advance payments." (As a reduction of tax, by the way, the money is not taxable income.)
Who's to get what
The amount of the tax credit — and thus, of the check — is calculated on the following formula, based on personal income tax returns filed for 2000:
Individuals with taxable income of less than $6,000 will receive 5 percent of that amount.
Individuals with taxable income of $6,000 or more will receive $300.
Married couples filing jointly with taxable income of less than $12,000 will receive 5 percent of that amount.
Married couples filing jointly with taxable income of $12,000 or more will receive $600.
Heads of household with taxable income of less than $10,000 will receive 5 percent of that amount.
Heads of household with taxable income of $10,000 or more will receive $500.
In the views of some, Willis hedged on the cash vs. on-paper credit issue on the talk show. One interpretation of his remarks is that the government will add the amount of the credit owed onto any 2001 income tax refund due next year and send a single check for both. (It is unclear what would happen in this case if the taxpayer had a net liability instead of being due a refund.) Another view is that the amount of the rebate will simply be credited against a taxpayer's 2001 tax liability.
In the view of the V.I. Republican Party leadership, nothing Willis has said is acceptable.
In a release issued a week ago, in response to comments made earlier by the IRB director, the party leadership said: "The Turnbull administration has decided not to send you a check now but instead to give you a tax credit next year. This is the same administration that just boasted about a $100 million surplus in revenue collections. It is also the same administration that vetoed a number of bills before that because there was no money."
Stating that approximately 22,000 Virgin Islanders are due tax-credit checks, the party criticized what it called the administration's "public-be-damned attitude."
The GOP release stated, "Virgin Islanders are owed $11 million from the Bush tax rebate … No matter the priorities of the V.I. government, the priorities of the individual taxpayer are greater. The individual taxpayer can spend his $300 to $600 a lot better than the V.I. government."
According to Bornn, the situation cannot be resolved by seeking yet another supplemental appropriation from the governor and the Legislature. "No legislation is required," he said. "It's legally due, period. It's not up to anybody to interpret. If the government says it has a $100 million surplus, that $11 million comes off the top, period. Instead of a $100 million surplus, they have $89 million. It's not the V.I. government's money, and it's not for government officials to determine how they are going to spend it."
A drop-dead date of Dec. 31
Furthermore, Bornn said, the federal law "is very explicit that checks are to be cut by Oct. 1. The whole idea of the law is that checks are to be cut now — to stimulate the economy, to encourage people to do some spending." What's more, he said, in the federal legislation, "There's a drop-dead date of Dec. 31 for cutting checks," after which the tax credit "is no longer valid, it's no longer even due."
The TaxPlanet.com web site has posted an "Excerpt from Congressional explanation of conference committee agreement on tax bill (5-26-01)" which includes the following statements:
"The [congressional] conferees anticipate that the Department of the Treasury will make every effort to issue all checks before Oct. 1, 2001, to taxpayers who timely filed their 2000 tax returns. Taxpayers who filed late or pursuant to extensions will receive their checks later in the fall…
"In no event may the Department of the Treasury issue checks after Dec. 31, 2001. This is designed to prevent errors by taxpayers who might claim the full amount of the credit on their 2001 tax returns and file those returns early in 2002, at the same time the Treasury check might be mailed to them." This latter statement carries a footnote reading: "For administrative reasons, the Department of the Treasury may need to establish an earlier termination date in order to fully implement the intent of this provision."
Bornn declined to say whether the Republican Party leadership was prepared to go to court over the issue, but he added, "We're meeting on it tomorrow [Saturday] morning."
On the mainland, the tax refunds are being mailed according to an estimated schedule based on the last two digits of a person's Social Security number. For those whose numbers end in 00 through 09, checks were mailed out this week. For those with numbers ending in 10 through 19, they are to go out in the coming week. The week-by-week schedule ends with paym ents for people whose numbers end in 90 through 99 to go out the week of Sept. 24.
Telephone messages for Willis were left repeatedly at the IRB offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix throughout the week. He did not return any calls to the Source. On Friday, repeated calls to the two offices were not answered at all. After approximately 20 rings, an intercept recording stated that the party being called was not answering and that the connection was being terminated.
A question posed to the Internal Revenue Service office on St. Thomas was whether those individuals required to pay taxes and file tax returns both in the territory and on the mainland would get more than one rebate check. An official referred the query to the IRS tax-information hotline, (800) 829-1040.
That number provided no opportunity to access an individual, offering only the recorded information that "There is nothing you need to do to receive this check," which "will be mailed automatically to those who are eligible." The recording refers callers to another IRS 800 number, 829-4477, to find out what week their check is scheduled to be mailed out. That information, and much more, can be accessed at the IRS web site, www.irs.gov/ind_info/apinfo/index.html. The same information is posted at the U.S. Treasury site, www.irs.ustreas.gov/ind_info/apinfo/.
65 WORKERS 'FURLOUGHED' AT HOVENSA
July 27, 2001 – Sixty-five contract workers at the Hovensa refinery were without jobs as of Friday after maintenance work there was deferred in order to cut costs.
Rene L. Sagebien, Hovensa president and chief operating officer, said in a release late Friday that the workers will be "furloughed," not laid off, which will allow them to continue their medical insurance coverage until the end of the year.
A decline in gasoline prices on the mainland was the reason given for the cutback. Sagebien said if gas prices go up again, maintenance work could resume in January.
However, he said, "In light of the uncertainty of what economic conditions in the refining industry will be at that time," the workers will be paid severance by their employers.
All 65 work for subcontractors that provide maintenance services to Hovensa.
Sagebien said the budget tightening will not affect work on the coker project, which he said was a capital expenditure item covered under a fixed contract between Hovensa and Bechtel International Inc.
In June, Alex Moorhead, Hovensa vice president for human resources, said that a reorganization of the maintenance department would likely result in 185 layoffs. Friday's release did not indicate whether the 65 layoffs now are a part of those anticipated, and neither Moorhead or Sagebien could be reached Friday night for clarification.
The layoffs follow on the heels of a public meeting held by the Labor Department Thursday night where several workers spoke out about concerns regarding severance pay, retirement and general conditions at the refinery. See "Refinery workers voice concerns" for details of Thursday's meeting.
Rene L. Sagebien, Hovensa president and chief operating officer, said in a release late Friday that the workers will be "furloughed," not laid off, which will allow them to continue their medical insurance coverage until the end of the year.
A decline in gasoline prices on the mainland was the reason given for the cutback. Sagebien said if gas prices go up again, maintenance work could resume in January.
However, he said, "In light of the uncertainty of what economic conditions in the refining industry will be at that time," the workers will be paid severance by their employers.
All 65 work for subcontractors that provide maintenance services to Hovensa.
Sagebien said the budget tightening will not affect work on the coker project, which he said was a capital expenditure item covered under a fixed contract between Hovensa and Bechtel International Inc.
In June, Alex Moorhead, Hovensa vice president for human resources, said that a reorganization of the maintenance department would likely result in 185 layoffs. Friday's release did not indicate whether the 65 layoffs now are a part of those anticipated, and neither Moorhead or Sagebien could be reached Friday night for clarification.
The layoffs follow on the heels of a public meeting held by the Labor Department Thursday night where several workers spoke out about concerns regarding severance pay, retirement and general conditions at the refinery. See "Refinery workers voice concerns" for details of Thursday's meeting.
3-YEAR-OLD PACT IN PLACE TO RUN VIDEO LOTTERY
July 27, 2001 – If a video lottery bill passed by the Senate last week becomes law, a contract waiting in the wings since 1998 for providing and managing all terminals to host such gaming in the Virgin Islands could take center stage in the territory's ongoing gambling drama.
The five-year contract between Southland Gaming Corp. of the Virgin Islands and the V.I. Lottery provides for 2,000 video terminals, 1,000 in each district, in "entertainment centers." Each center is to accommodate 300 terminals, with at least 100 to be put into operation at the outset. Where, specifically, the centers are to be located is not made clear.
The agreement was signed by Alec Dizon, lottery executive director at the time, and Robert E. Huckabee, Southland president.
Dizon said Friday that Southland was the successful bidder on the video lottery contract. Initially, V.I. Lottery officials had felt that the major market for a video lottery "was cruise ship passengers, rather than proliferating the terminals allover the island," he noted. "We figured they were the ones who had money to spend."
He said he had tried in the Schneider administration to get approval for video lotteries, but the Casino Control Commission nixed the idea. He declined comment on the video lottery legislation passed by the Senate last week.
The legislation, one of numerous amendments to the governor's supplemental appropriations bill approved late July 19, authorizes the executive director of the V.I. Lottery to take immediate steps to implement the games. Austin Andrews, the current lottery executive director, could not be reached for comment Friday.
The 1998 contract provides for the games to be installed in two phases: "Phase I would be for stand-alone entertainment centers, whose key element is video lottery games. Phase II will involve the installation of VLT's in airports, racetracks, bars, taverns, nightclubs, restaurants, resorts, hotels and other retail establishments, as approved by the director [of the V.I. Lottery] in accordance with lottery regulations."
The agreement further states that "any establishment that meets the requirements of the lottery regulations shall be eligible to request installation of VLT's."
One provision states as Southland's goals that at least 65 percent of those hired for the project be V.I. residents, and that, except for gaming hardware and software, 65 percent of the goods and services it provides be purchased locally. The contract also provides for Southland to incur penalties if it does not meet certain obligations, including $1,000 a day for failure to start up entertainment centers as specified.
Put out to bid on Aug. 25, 1998, and signed on Oct. 20, 1998, the contract stipulates that it shall not become effective until the passage of legislation amending the V.I. Code to permit video gaming.
It specifies that Southland will receive between 50 percent and 75 percent of revenues from the entertainment centers, and between 40.5 percent and 48.75 percent of revenues generated at all other VLT locations through the term of the contract. All other revenues are to go to the V.I. Lottery Commission. Sen. David Jones, a video gaming advocate, said Thursday that video lottery revenues could be about $10 million annually.
A call to Southland's office in Wilmington, N.C., was answered "Southland Amusements." The person answering the telephone said she could not say whether Southland Gaming Corp. of the V.I. was a subsidiary of that company. A message was left for Huckabee, who did not return the call by the end of the work day Friday.
The five-year contract between Southland Gaming Corp. of the Virgin Islands and the V.I. Lottery provides for 2,000 video terminals, 1,000 in each district, in "entertainment centers." Each center is to accommodate 300 terminals, with at least 100 to be put into operation at the outset. Where, specifically, the centers are to be located is not made clear.
The agreement was signed by Alec Dizon, lottery executive director at the time, and Robert E. Huckabee, Southland president.
Dizon said Friday that Southland was the successful bidder on the video lottery contract. Initially, V.I. Lottery officials had felt that the major market for a video lottery "was cruise ship passengers, rather than proliferating the terminals allover the island," he noted. "We figured they were the ones who had money to spend."
He said he had tried in the Schneider administration to get approval for video lotteries, but the Casino Control Commission nixed the idea. He declined comment on the video lottery legislation passed by the Senate last week.
The legislation, one of numerous amendments to the governor's supplemental appropriations bill approved late July 19, authorizes the executive director of the V.I. Lottery to take immediate steps to implement the games. Austin Andrews, the current lottery executive director, could not be reached for comment Friday.
The 1998 contract provides for the games to be installed in two phases: "Phase I would be for stand-alone entertainment centers, whose key element is video lottery games. Phase II will involve the installation of VLT's in airports, racetracks, bars, taverns, nightclubs, restaurants, resorts, hotels and other retail establishments, as approved by the director [of the V.I. Lottery] in accordance with lottery regulations."
The agreement further states that "any establishment that meets the requirements of the lottery regulations shall be eligible to request installation of VLT's."
One provision states as Southland's goals that at least 65 percent of those hired for the project be V.I. residents, and that, except for gaming hardware and software, 65 percent of the goods and services it provides be purchased locally. The contract also provides for Southland to incur penalties if it does not meet certain obligations, including $1,000 a day for failure to start up entertainment centers as specified.
Put out to bid on Aug. 25, 1998, and signed on Oct. 20, 1998, the contract stipulates that it shall not become effective until the passage of legislation amending the V.I. Code to permit video gaming.
It specifies that Southland will receive between 50 percent and 75 percent of revenues from the entertainment centers, and between 40.5 percent and 48.75 percent of revenues generated at all other VLT locations through the term of the contract. All other revenues are to go to the V.I. Lottery Commission. Sen. David Jones, a video gaming advocate, said Thursday that video lottery revenues could be about $10 million annually.
A call to Southland's office in Wilmington, N.C., was answered "Southland Amusements." The person answering the telephone said she could not say whether Southland Gaming Corp. of the V.I. was a subsidiary of that company. A message was left for Huckabee, who did not return the call by the end of the work day Friday.
RICHARDS NAMED VICE CHAIR OF NATIONAL BODY
July 27, 2001 – Sen. Vargrave Richards has been selected as vice chair of the Education Commission of the States.
Richards was named to the post at the ECS National Forum on Education Policy held in Philadelphia July 18-21. He will serve under Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada, who became the new commission chair at the same meeting. Each year a different governor chairs the not-for-profit body, with political parties alternating.
"It's a great opportunity to meet with people across the nation and see what resources we can draw from them," Richards said. "There's a myriad of programs taking place at ECS. It's a think-tank type organization with a substantial amount of research."
A member of the commission since 1995, Richards was recently named to its executive committee by the outgoing chair, Gov. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. He is a former teacher on St. Croix and served seven terms as vice president of the district local of the American Federation of Teachers. The five-term legislator developed the V.I. Commission on Education in 1995 and currently chairs the Senate Youth and Human Services Committee.
"The issues with young people across the nation are the same as ours: how to reach them, to make contact and nurture them," Richards said.
He was conspicuous by his absence from the day-into-night session of the Legislature on July 19 that concluded with approval of an amendment-laden version of the governor's supplemental appropriations bill. The only senator not on the floor, he had been excused from attending the full-Senate session because he was keeping his earlier commitment to attend the ECS national forum.
Formed in 1965, the commission helps governors, legislators and education officials develop and implement policies to improve student learning at all levels. For further information about the organization, visit its web site at www.ecs.org.
Richards was named to the post at the ECS National Forum on Education Policy held in Philadelphia July 18-21. He will serve under Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada, who became the new commission chair at the same meeting. Each year a different governor chairs the not-for-profit body, with political parties alternating.
"It's a great opportunity to meet with people across the nation and see what resources we can draw from them," Richards said. "There's a myriad of programs taking place at ECS. It's a think-tank type organization with a substantial amount of research."
A member of the commission since 1995, Richards was recently named to its executive committee by the outgoing chair, Gov. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. He is a former teacher on St. Croix and served seven terms as vice president of the district local of the American Federation of Teachers. The five-term legislator developed the V.I. Commission on Education in 1995 and currently chairs the Senate Youth and Human Services Committee.
"The issues with young people across the nation are the same as ours: how to reach them, to make contact and nurture them," Richards said.
He was conspicuous by his absence from the day-into-night session of the Legislature on July 19 that concluded with approval of an amendment-laden version of the governor's supplemental appropriations bill. The only senator not on the floor, he had been excused from attending the full-Senate session because he was keeping his earlier commitment to attend the ECS national forum.
Formed in 1965, the commission helps governors, legislators and education officials develop and implement policies to improve student learning at all levels. For further information about the organization, visit its web site at www.ecs.org.
