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B-126462, APR. 7, 1958

B-126462 Apr 07, 1958
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WE HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ALL THE POINTS RAISED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S LETTER BUT WE FIND NO BASIS FOR DISTURBING OUR PREVIOUS CONCLUSION. WE HAVE EXPLORED AVENUES OTHER THAN THOSE SET OUT IN YOUR LETTER IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND SOME AUTHORITY FOR AUTHORIZING THE COST-OF-LIVING ALLOWANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT COMPTROLLER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. OUR EFFORTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ONLY REMEDY WE CAN SEE IS RECOURSE TO LEGISLATION. WHICH ESTABLISHES A RANGE OF SALARIES AND LEAVES IN MANY AREAS CONSIDERABLE ADMINISTRATIVE DISCRETION AS TO THE SALARIES WHICH EMPLOYEES OF GIVEN GRADES WILL RECEIVE.

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B-126462, APR. 7, 1958

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR:

ON MARCH 12, 1958, THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY REQUESTED RECONSIDERATION OF OUR DECISION OF FEBRUARY 14, 1958, TO YOU, WHICH HELD THAT THE GOVERNMENT COMPTROLLER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS MAY NOT BE PAID A COST-OF-LIVING ALLOWANCE OUT OF THE APPROPRIATIONS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ALL THE POINTS RAISED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S LETTER BUT WE FIND NO BASIS FOR DISTURBING OUR PREVIOUS CONCLUSION. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE HAVE EXPLORED AVENUES OTHER THAN THOSE SET OUT IN YOUR LETTER IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND SOME AUTHORITY FOR AUTHORIZING THE COST-OF-LIVING ALLOWANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT COMPTROLLER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, BUT OUR EFFORTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ONLY REMEDY WE CAN SEE IS RECOURSE TO LEGISLATION.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY SUGGESTS THAT THE ACTION OF THE CONGRESS IN ESTABLISHING A CEILING OF $12,500 FOR THE GOVERNMENT COMPTROLLER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS MIGHT BE REGARDED AS A SALARY "FIXED BY STATUTE" TO THE SAME EXTENT AS CERTAIN SALARIES UNDER THE CLASSIFICATION ACT OF 1949, AS AMENDED, WHICH ESTABLISHES A RANGE OF SALARIES AND LEAVES IN MANY AREAS CONSIDERABLE ADMINISTRATIVE DISCRETION AS TO THE SALARIES WHICH EMPLOYEES OF GIVEN GRADES WILL RECEIVE. CONCERNING THAT SUGGESTION WE SHOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE CLASSIFICATION ACT DIFFERS FROM THE STATUTE APPLICABLE TO THE COMPTROLLER, THE VARIOUS STEPS WITHIN THE GRADES TO WHICH EMPLOYEES MAY BE APPOINTED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WHEREAS, THE LATTER MERELY IMPOSES A MAXIMUM SALARY RATE.

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