Reducing The Amount of Senators in the United States Virgin Island.
Downsizing the amount of Senators in the United States Virgin Island from less than 15 will help our economic crisis and save us millions of dollars.
The Virgin Islands has 15 Senators- seven (7) from the district of Saint Croix, seven (7) from the district of Saint Thomas and one (1) Senator at-Large who must be a resident of Saint John.
Back in November 2000, the people of the Virgin Islands voted to reduce the amount of Senators. On June 8, 2001 according to John Abramson Jr., supervisor of elections at the time, the territory had about 54,000 registered voters. Approximately 33,000 voters went to the polls and more than 15,000 voters supported the proposal to reduce the number of senators.
The people of the Virgin Islands were ignored.
Senator Donastorg introduced a bill reducing the number of senators in 2001 and re-introduced the bill again in 2002. Once again, the plea of the people was not granted.
Donastorg, chair of the powerful Finance Committee in the 25th Legislature,
said his colleagues "set a terrible precedent when they rejected my legislation to reduce the size of the body," "It demonstrated a total loss of respect for the 17,000 voters who supported the Senate reduction.?
The senator said that another U.S. territory, Guam, has undergone a similar Senate downsizing, which has "met with great success." His legislation also provided for a 25 percent reduction in the Senate budget. Had his bill been enacted initially, he said, it could have saved $7 million that year.
Now our islands are going thru an economic crisis and suffers from the shameful acts of the past and present Senators. While the Senators and the Governor are trying to find ways to survive this crisis by reducing government employee payroll, laying off teachers etc?
We the people again feel, want and know that by reducing the amount of Senators will also help the economy survive and save millions of dollars. We are certain that downsizing the Senators along with their staff is enough income to keep our teachers on board.
Besides we all know that the United States of America consists of fifty states and that there?s two Senators per state with each state housing millions of people.
There is no need for fourteen Senators for three islands that consist of about 108,612 people since 2000 census.
We are asking the U.S. Senate, House of Representative and Our honorable President Obama to please step in and support us in downsizing the number of Senators in the United States Virgin islands.
Migdalia Stridiron
Lisa Christensen-Harris
Back in November 2000, the people of the Virgin Islands voted to reduce the amount of Senators. On June 8, 2001 according to John Abramson Jr., supervisor of elections at the time, the territory had about 54,000 registered voters. Approximately 33,000 voters went to the polls and more than 15,000 voters supported the proposal to reduce the number of senators.
The people of the Virgin Islands were ignored.
Senator Donastorg introduced a bill reducing the number of senators in 2001 and re-introduced the bill again in 2002. Once again, the plea of the people was not granted.
Donastorg, chair of the powerful Finance Committee in the 25th Legislature,
said his colleagues "set a terrible precedent when they rejected my legislation to reduce the size of the body," "It demonstrated a total loss of respect for the 17,000 voters who supported the Senate reduction.?
The senator said that another U.S. territory, Guam, has undergone a similar Senate downsizing, which has "met with great success." His legislation also provided for a 25 percent reduction in the Senate budget. Had his bill been enacted initially, he said, it could have saved $7 million that year.
Now our islands are going thru an economic crisis and suffers from the shameful acts of the past and present Senators. While the Senators and the Governor are trying to find ways to survive this crisis by reducing government employee payroll, laying off teachers etc?
We the people again feel, want and know that by reducing the amount of Senators will also help the economy survive and save millions of dollars. We are certain that downsizing the Senators along with their staff is enough income to keep our teachers on board.
Besides we all know that the United States of America consists of fifty states and that there?s two Senators per state with each state housing millions of people.
There is no need for fourteen Senators for three islands that consist of about 108,612 people since 2000 census.
We are asking the U.S. Senate, House of Representative and Our honorable President Obama to please step in and support us in downsizing the number of Senators in the United States Virgin islands.
Migdalia Stridiron
Lisa Christensen-Harris
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