Governor Mapp Visits BIR, Pays Taxes

Governor Kenneth Mapp visited the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue on St. Croix today, not to greet the employees there, although he might have done that, too. The leader of the territory was on very important business there — the business of paying taxes he owes to the government he now leads.

During his first State of the Territory Address on Monday night in St. Thomas, Governor Mapp said one of the ways the government intends to climb out of the financial hole it’s in is by collecting taxes. He also said he would move fast on paying the taxes he owes.

Governor Kenneth Mapp paying taxes at BIR on St. Croix

“I, personally, will hasten my payments to the BIR on my payment plan, and I am asking each taxpayer with such a plan to do the same,” the governor said.

Today, standing at the front of a small window where money is collected, Mapp was seen making a payment.

“It is important that we all understand that recovering from this financial crisis will require every citizen to do his or her part – no matter how small, how incremental,” the governor said in a Government House release. “Lt. Governor Potter and I are committed to working with you to accomplish this. But each of us must carry our piece of the burden, putting in our brick, one-by-one, to build a better Virgin Islands, by satisfying our tax obligations to the territory.”

Mapp added that his administration seeks to “establish a new era in government, one where we lead by example — do what we say and say what we do. ”

The governor called on residents to follow his lead and “take part in keeping our public services alive.”