The Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance, chaired by Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory, met Wednesday to consider the 2025 budget requests of the V.I. Public Broadcasting System and the Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. has proposed a total of $4,431,902 for WTJX, to come from the miscellaneous section of the General fund, Executive Director Tanya-Marie Singh told the legislators.
The sum is unchanged from 2024, she said. A total of $2,397,474 is allocated for personnel services, $1,066,688 for fringe benefits, $210,000 for supplies, $756,040 for other services and charges, and $1,700 for utilities, according to Singh, who noted that next month WTJX will mark 52 years serving the Virgin Islands, and WTXJ-FM will celebrate 10 years on the air in January.
Among other endeavors, it most recently added “The Commissioner’s Corner” with Education Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington to its radio lineup, and last fall premiered the WTJX Newsfeed that airs at 5 p.m. weekdays. Comes with the Territory, an hour-long TV show, airs Sundays at 1 p.m. Additionally, WTJX provides digital stories on newsfeed.wtjx.org after bringing former Avis bureau chief Tom Eader on board when the newspaper folded, said Singh.
While its facilities were badly damaged in hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the broadcaster’s architectural and engineering firm has finalized a design for the new Haypiece Hill facility in Sub Base, and a contractor is readying to begin repairs to the transmitter site at Mountain Top on St. Thomas, including a rebuild of the small office at that facility, said Singh. That site also will be the location of a micro-grid after WTJX was awarded a $795,000 grant through the V.I. Energy Office, she said.
The public broadcaster is overseen by an 11-member board (there is currently one vacancy), and its most recent audit had zero findings, Singh said. However, it is facing some financial headwinds, she said.
“As you may know, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting contributes approximately 18 percent to our overall funding,” Singh said in her written testimony. However, the House Appropriations Committee last week passed a bill that eliminates the two-year advance for CPB funds, she said. The House is scheduled to take up the bill at the end of July, she said.
“We are concerned that during the floor consideration there could be introduction of more amendments that would see to do more harm to public media funding,” said Singh. “For example, last year we saw an amendment introduced that proposed rescinding previously approved funding. I will keep this committee posted on any definitive CPB funding concerns,” she said.
Sen. Marvin Blyden asked about vendors’ outstanding obligations and the number of vacancies. Senior Financial Officer Kia-T’Nique Thomas said that as of June, vendors are owed a total of $14,368.67, which WTJX will fully pay within 30 days.
Rolda Mason, WTJX Disaster Recovery specialist, said the station has six vacancies. Singh added that uncompetitive salaries are the major challenge in filling them.
Marvin Pickering, chairman and CEO of the Casino Control Commission, said the governor has proposed a lump sum payment of $1,423,800 for 2025 — the same as 2024 — coming from the miscellaneous section of the General Fund. However, the commission is seeking $977,000 more, for a total of $2,400,800, he said.
The breakdown includes $16,000 for supplies, $635,300 for other services and charges, $30,000 for utilities, $92,200 for capital outlays, and $1,604,300 in personnel costs, he said.
Frett-Gregory asked for clarification regarding the last number, and Pickering said that in addition to fringe benefits, the funds budgeted for salaries cover the existing 17 employees and four vacant positions. Of the vacancies, three are for casino inspectors and one for in-house legal counsel.
Currently, the commission has four funding sources. In addition to the General Fund, there is the Casino Control Revolving Fund, the Casino Control Revenue Fund, and the Horse Racetrack Casino Fund, though the commission has not received funding from the latter since 2016 when TRAXCO ceased operations at the St. Croix racetrack, said Pickering. However, in April the commission granted an initial one-year license to VIGL Operations, LLC to operate the casino at the track and once the racino begins operations, it will begin to receive those funds again, he said.
Frett-Gregory said lawmakers will do everything possible to meet the budget requests.
Attending Wednesday’s committee hearing were Frett-Gregory, Pickering, Blyden, Novelle E. Francis Jr., Dwayne M. DeGraff, Ray Fonseca and Javan E. James Sr.
