Lawmakers Lose Their Cool as Salaries for Governor, Lt. Governor Climb to $192K and $168K Respectively; Legal Action Threatened
Tempers and tension flared on Friday as lawmakers learned that controversial pay raises for the governor and lieutenant governor recommended last year would soon be implemented by the Department of Personnel. The raises — which move the governor’s yearly salary from $150,000 to $192,000, and the lieutenant governor’s from $125,000 to $168,000 — will account for retroactive payments dating back to December 2024.
2025-05-27 13:30:22 - VI News Staff
That detail was not included as part of Personnel Director Cindy Richardson’s initial testimony before the Senate Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance, but instead was uncovered during a line of questioning from Senator Kurt Vialet. “The raises for the lieutenant governor and the governor have been enacted, yes,” Ms. Richardson plainly stated.
Senator Kenneth Gittens described the move as “shameful and unjust.”
In January 2025, reports from the Consortium detailed the difference in opinion that arose after the publication of the report from the Public Officials Compensation Commission (VIPOCC). Then-Senate President Novelle Francis alleged that he was not in receipt of an email from VIPOCC, causing the 90-day period for approval by the Legislature to elapse, and therefore enacting the Commission’s recommendation. Former Senator Donna Frett-Gregory, who chaired the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance in the 35th Legislature, also stated that VIPOCC failed to notify the Legislature of the completion of its report.
The contention, Ms. Richardson said on Friday, was “clarified.” Senator Hubert Frederick countered, “it wasn't clarified by us. The executive branch made a statement saying, yes, it's the law. So this is why we're here, there's an impasse that this branch clearly stated that it was not recognized.”
Senate President Milton Potter promised to host a special legislative session to address the contents of the report. However, an attempt in April by Senator Alma Francis Heyliger to “prevent and rescind any automatic implementation of salary adjustments made pursuant to any recommendations of the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission” was shot down by the majority of her colleagues.
Due to the lack of action taken by the legislative arm of government to date, the raises for the governor and lieutenant governor have moved ahead.