My Platform

As a career entrepreneur and the owner of multiple small businesses in the Virgin Islands, I am well aware of the frustrations of small business owners. Over the past thirty years, I have worked in both the public and private sectors and have successfully owned and managed small businesses in the agricultural and tourism industry. This has allowed me to understand and appreciate the delicate balance our community needs to generate revenue from our tourism product while being a good steward to our environment. Throughout my career in public service in the departments of Planning and Natural Resources, Property and Procurement, and as St. Thomas Administrator , I have heard the concerns of our citizens and worked on implementing solutions focused on streamlining government and expanding access to critical funding that small businesses need to survive. In the private sector, I have expanded the visibility of community leaders and small businesses in our community via my radio show JustUs. This program provides a  platform for our younger generation to build awareness of our leaders and the individual path each took to get to their position and to build awareness of the small businesses in our community. If elected, I will continue to work with my colleagues to implement changes that favors small business and that will allow us to have more equity in federal programs and access to grants and micro loans. Small business, agriculture, and environmental initiatives are important to drive economic growth and to help the USVI to strive to become more self-sufficient.

I am your candidate, Lawrence “Larry” Boschulte. Vote #4 on your ballot!

Small Business

As your next senator, I will continue to advocate for small business and institute laws that makes it easier for our small business owners to make a living and contribute to the community. This includes a focus on those that support our boating, transportation, and tourism industries. Our local small businesses drive economic growth and yet are still burdened by annual taxes while EDC beneficiaries pay next to nothing. I will continue to champion the causes of local small business owners and promote a tax sabbatical for these business based on their years in service.

Small Business represents more than 90 percent of all employers and create over 60 percent of all new jobs annually. Since many small businesses operate locally, there is a strong incentive to hire locals. Small businesses have more flexibility and are more diverse in culture, form, and function which increases our potential against large corporations. The more we can diversify our economy, the easier it will be for us to withstand tough conditions.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the key for economic transformation, food security, and nutrition. We have spent a lot of time and money studying what we can do to become more sustainable. We import OVER 90% of our food and we must do better. We need to provide sufficient support to our farming community which include our livestock, produce, and fishing industries.

We need a voice in the senate who can represent our farmers and create laws that allows us to become more self-sufficient by increasing opportunities from farm to table. As your next senator, I will advocate for us becoming a more self-sustaining community through our agriculture, livestock, fishing and aquaculture businesses.

Environment 

The US Virgin Islands is ranked amongst the best for air quality worldwide. As I provide guided tours and speak to locals and visitors alike, everyone agrees that we have to do more for our environment, including maintaining our unique culture and taking care of our people. 

I am committed to improving the laws and regulations that allows us to continue economic growth through improved technology to enable higher output with less pollution.

As senator, I will support comprehensive behavioral health initiatives and increased funding for education, policing and outreach programs to keep our children safe and to maintain a positive learning environment.