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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesDollars, Sense and Inauguration Day

Dollars, Sense and Inauguration Day

Dear Source:
Dear Ms. Sutton: I don't disagree with your sentiments at all and I hope that, despite the rapidly escalating rate of unemployment, you are correct in betting that 90% of the millions who attended the inaugural celebrations have jobs. Yes, obviously millions of people decided to take the day off to celebrate but the point that's being made is that they weren't necessarily paid to take off that day and I've no doubt that the majority took an already earned personal day, vacation day or an unpaid day.
Why would VI government workers complain about having a paid day off? Nobody who's expressed their opinion on this forum has dunned VI government workers. One more paid day off may well not "break the government's back" but the cost of that paid day off still runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and right now we're in a fiscal crisis that is only going to worsen in the next year.
I agree wholeheartedly with you when you say, "We need to look toward the future and slough off the old negativity." Indeed we do and one of the most important things we can do is to slough off the negativity allied with, "well, that's the way it's always been done and nothing I can do or say will change it" and work harder toward holding our elected officials responsible for our fiscal management.
Anna Clarke
St. Thomas

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to visource@gmail.com.

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