[Washington, DC, May 23, 2003]—Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen said today that the Bush tax cut passed today in the Congress does contain some good news for the territory in the form of $6 to $10 million from the $20 billion grant to states and territories and the temporary lifting of the cap on Medicaid by 5.9%.
 
“It is clearly not enough to address our fiscal crisis, and the impact the tax cut will have on our already precarious situation,” Christensen said.  “I am also concerned about the Turnbull administration’s tax laden response to the crisis.”

Christensen called the administration’s tax plan unbalanced.   “I have always believed that the people of the Virgin Islands are willing to accept sacrifices, even though they feel that  this situation could and should have been avoided, as long as it is shared. And it is not,” she said.

The Delegate said that Government House also bears the burden to show how the proposed taxes,  will not further hurt the territory and result in  worse conditions than we are currently experiencing.  “There has to be more justification for increasing our bond indebtedness,” she said.

Christensen said that she was still waiting to hear the proposal for reducing spending.  “I am still waiting to hear the other side, how spending will be reduced,” she said.   “I know that the Federal government, who I am sure will be called on to help,  will be waiting also.  There is nothing that changes our current practices to ensure that later in the year we will not be in the same place again. And then what?”

Christensen said that she hopes to meet the govenor and senators over the Memorial Day recess to talk about a more comprehensive approach to the crisis.