OMB Director Debra Gottlieb Prepares to Request Budget to
Support Management, Oversight of Government Finances

Office of Management and Budget Director Debra Gottlieb will appear before the 28th Legislature Thursday to present the budget for the office that manages the Virgin Islands government’s finances.

OMB is responsible for effectively monitoring and distributing money—either allotted from local revenue streams or awarded through federal grants—throughout the Executive Branch. To ensure this is done in a manner most beneficial to taxpayers and the public, OMB is committed to improving the management of public services, applying vigilant oversight of public spending, and helping to implement sound fiscal policies in all government agencies.

Throughout the fiscal year, OMB administers the Executive Branch’s budget, performs ongoing fiscal analysis, evaluates government departments, and monitors federal programs and the effectiveness of the V.I. government’s Single Audit Process.

OMB executes these tasks as part of its mandate to instill management planning, review and evaluation techniques in government agencies through the budget preparation and execution process. 

Gottlieb will tell legislators that her office and all its employees have committed themselves to the mission of improving public services and providing financial management leadership and guidance. One way they achieve these important goals is by educating departments and agencies in the use of the proven principles of performance management, which includes performance-based budgeting. 

OMB officials review revenue projections and reports, develop and revise spending plans as a basis for monthly and quarterly allotments, manage budgeting for appropriated local and federal funds, develop fiscal policy options, analyze legislative bills and initiatives, review federal grants, monitor the implementation of audit recommendations, and provide many more services necessary to assure fiscal responsibility throughout the Territory’s government.

In 2010, OMB successfully submitted the fiscal year 2011 executive budget, implemented improvements to the budget process and encouraged performance management, which, in turn, improves control over government spending and enhances services. The Office also worked to monitor all government departments’ expenditures, installed a working group of certified performance managers, and developed a contingency plan to accommodate a projected fiscal year 2010 shortfall. 

Through June 30, 2010, OMB has reviewed and released more than 4,000 allotments from various funding sources. In that time, the Office has allotted more than $600 million of $864,052,987 in total appropriations. OMB has also been closely involved in the process of negotiating salary increases for prosecutors, police, firefighters, corrections officers, teachers, nurses, and other unionized government employees.

At the same time, OMB continues to monitor some $176.3 million in federal funds granted to the Virgin Islands government for the next fiscal year. To ensure federal money is, and will continue to be, responsibly allotted and effectively spent, the Office employs grant analysts with expertise in that area.

Among OMB’s continuing challenges is finding and hiring additional talented employees to fill vacant positions. Gottlieb plans to continue searching for qualified personnel, who will help the Office meet its greater goals of streamlining the budgetary system, increasing the timeliness and quality of key financial reports, and enhancing financial management practices and the monitoring of the implementation of audit findings.

OMB’s 2010 budget of $4,385,153 reflected $2,436,771 from the General Fund. More than $1.1 million paid salaries for the Office’s 27 filled positions. The 2011 requests a 9 percent decrease in the appropriation from the General Fund, and 4 percent decrease in indirect funding.

Gottlieb will assure legislators the Office of Management and Budget can continue to perform its crucial role of effectively managing government resources within the constraints of that requested fiscal year 2011 budget. 

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