We offer Elegant Upscale Villas and Classic Caribbean Style Homes. All with spectacular ocean views and private pools. Airport & water taxi service, jeep rentals, dockside greeting, chef, housekeeping & child care services, all available. 2 qacation Vitza.* Ye ST. JOHN Creating unforgettable vacations since 1996. Contact Kathy McLaughlin for assistance with all your travel needs. Visit our web site or email to select your private "Island Getaway" 888-693-7676 toll free 340-693-7676 tel 340-693-8923 fax www.islandgetawaysinc.com islandgetaways@earthlink.net (340) 7741658 rae LA TAPA e s t au er aon open 6 days. closed tuesdays 693.7755 or www. latapastjohn.com VIVA! Villas Inc. Virgin Sitants Vacations d& Villas Where Quality, Value and Service Excellence matter! Offering affordable Vacation Rentals on beautiful St. John. Give us a call at (888) 856-4601; Check out our live availability at www.vivacations.com and learn about the VIVA Difference. SUMMER TIME...50% Local Discount * $40.© Maho — double occupancy ° $52. Concordia - double occupancy per night for USVI/BVI & PR Residents ° $80. Maho & $ 105. Concordia low season rate for non-residents Enjoy swimming, snorkeling and hiking at Maho Bay Camps and Concordia Eco-Tents MAHO BAY 340-715-0500 www.maho.org — PO Box 310, St. John USVI 00831 8 St John Tradewinds, November 9-15, 2009 VIUDG Giving St. John Voice — To Carry Across the Sound By Jaime Elliott St. John Tradewinds With issues facing St. John resi- dents continuing to mount, from the fate of property taxes to rising ferry fares, one island organization is dedicated to finding solutions. The VI. Unity Day Group formed more than three years ago when tensions were high on Love City and has been working since to solve problems plaguing the is- land. “We were formed when there was a lot of tension on the island in relation to an alleged rape,” said VIUDG president Lorelei Mon- santo. “We filed our by-laws on December 12 but we were meeting long before then too.” The group’s first success was VI. Unity Day in 2006 which brought residents from across the territory together to dialogue and spread understanding. Since then, VIUDG has tackled a number of issues head on, and they’re not about to slow down. Since the group is a 501c(4), it is a lobbying body that seeks to effect real change, Monsanto explained. “Our first goal was to reduce the tension that was rising and to take that energy and turn it into a positive solution to our problems,” Monsanto said. “Our focus was al- ways positive change. From there we came up with a list of St. John needs and issues that were affect- ing us.” “We're here to make positive change,” said Monsanto. With about 35 committee mem- P.O. BOX 370 CRUZ BAY, ST. JOHN U.S.V.I. 00831 bers, the group has lobbied for St. John high school and been vo- cal detractors of unplanned and unchecked development, among other issues. Since a territory-wide property tax revaluation was completed last year — which would have sent many home owners’ bills skyrock- eting — the group has been on the forefront of the fight to have fair market assessments for Love City. And no one has been in the prop- erty tax trenches more than Myrtle Barry, chairperson of VIUDG’s Real Property Tax Committee. The committee has garnered the sup- port of more than 400 residents who contribute to an on-going le- gal battle against the VI. govern- ment. “We have strict accounting for all the funds that come through for the legal case,” said Barry. “Ev- eryone who contributes, we send copies of all of our invoices. They know where their money is go- ing.” The funds are going to demand new and correct property revalua- tions, explained Barry. “We want the reevaluations that were done by BearingPoint to be tossed — they were wrong,” Barry said. “All the revaluations, includ- ing on St. John, need to be redone. The same formula needs to used throughout the Virgin Islands.” Since taking about $6 million from the V.I. government, Geor- gia-based mass appraisal company BearingPoint has declared bank- ruptcy, squelching any course for local leaders to recoup their costs, Barry explained. “There should have been some- thing in the government contract that gave the government footing in case the data was flawed,” said Barry. “But it doesn’t matter now that the company is bankrupt.” Before taking the fight to court, VIUDG members tried to reason with top government officials, but their pleas fell on deaf ears, Barry added. “We went through every door and tried to talk to every senator and government agency saying “stop, these values are wrong,” she said. “When we went through everyone and got no where, we had to go to court.” The case is in the discovery phase and is expected to be sched- uled for trial within the next few months. In the meantime, Barry urged residents to come out for all status hearings and court motions. “When people physically see you, they know you really care and they act differently,” she said. “It really makes a difference.” With many decisions that af- fect St. John made across Pillsbury Sound on St. Thomas, VIUDG is dedicated to making sure Love City’s voice is heard on Rock City, explained Monsanto. “St. John has been a sleeping giant,” Monsanto said. “Our qual- ity of life has changed now and we need to speak up.” For more information on VI- UDG or to support the group visit www.viunity day group.org. NEVE SN HUGE DISCOUNT on volume sales Garden Genter}