Senate Legal Counsel: Improper Submission Invalidates VIPOCC Salary Increase Report

A legal opinion from the Senate's Legal Counsel concludes that the VIPOCC failed to meet required submission protocols, rendering its salary recommendations invalid. The matter hinges on proving whether Francis received the report, a claim he denies.

A legal opinion issued by the Legislature's Office of Legal Counsel has raised questions about the legitimacy of recent salary adjustments for public officials in the Virgin Islands, citing potential procedural errors by the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission (VIPOCC). The report, prepared in response to an inquiry from Senator Kenneth Gittens, outlines concerns about whether the recommendations ever triggered the required legislative review process.

The opinion, seen here, authored by Assistant Legal Counsel Sharline L. Rogers and Chief Legal Counsel Amos W. Carty Jr., centers on provisions in the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Act. The Act, codified in Title 3, Chapter 25, Subchapter IVa of the Virgin Islands Code, establishes the process by which the VIPOCC must submit its recommendations for salary adjustments.