Outgoing WMA Director Criticizes PSC's Revenue Calculations

The WMA's outgoing executive director contests the Public Services Commission's calculation methods during a FY2025 budget hearing

In perhaps the most passionate part of his FY2025 budget defense on Tuesday, Roger Merritt, outgoing executive director of the Waste Management Authority, fired back at assertions by the Public Services Commission relating to the WMA’s failure to pay their annual assessments for several years. The exchange is the latest salvo in the dispute between WMA and PSC, which has been brewing since at least 2020.‌

It is the payment of these assessments which keeps the PSC operational, something that officials have noted on more than one occasion. The assessments are calculated based on revenue earned by major utilities and public services. The territory’s most troubled utilities – WMA and the V.I. Water and Power Authority – are currently in arrears of approximately $2.6 million altogether, PSC Executive Director Sandra Setorie told the Senate Committee on Budget, Finance and Appropriations when she was before them last week. Ms. Setorie went as far as accusing the WMA of being “in violation of the law,” as no assessment payments have been made since FY2021. It’s an accusation that the WMA is currently contesting.‌