Information About St. Croix
 Located in the Caribbean Sea about 1100 miles southeast of Miami, St. Croix is 26 miles long and no more than 5 miles wide. Its two major towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted, are connected by a modern highway system.
Natural Environment
Caribbean tropical living with winter temperatures 70-85 degrees and 75-90 in the summer always cooled by the trade winds, few feel the need for air conditioning. Come enjoy our azure blue waters-scuba dive the famous Frederiksted pier for old bottles and lobsters, or try a shipwreck dive!
Diverse Wildlife Species
White-tailed deer, iguana, mongoose, parrots, pigeons, parakeets, morning dove, brown pelican, osprey, and red-tailed hawks to name only a few of those found on land and in the air. In the ocean: sea turtles (leatherback, green, and hawksbill), dolphin, and a myriad of other sea life. Various endangered species of both land and ocean inhabit our tropical islands where hunting is discouraged and National Parks where wildlife protection areas are set up, as well as several private Nature Preserves .
 Tropical Climate
Our tropical rain season is hurricane season, July-November. Rarely does it rain for more than one hour at a time - then the sun returns. Our relatively dry season is the other half of the year. Rain water is caught on our roofs for all drinking and home water usage...mix it with our island rum and a bit of lime for best results!
Diverse Cultures
St. Croix has had seven national flags during its long history of settlement: Spanish, French, English, Knights of Malta, Dutch, Danish, and American. The most recent census indicates four basic cultural groups: African-American peoples, Hispanic peoples, primarily from nearby Puerto Rico, "Down-islanders" who have emigrated from other Caribbean nations, and American "statesiders", known locally as Continentals. In smaller numbers peoples from European nations, Arab nations, India, and the near east are also represented.
Island Paradise
No snow, no overcoats, no heating bills. Sunrise always about 6:00 am, sunset at about 7:00 pm. No time zone changes. Our children don’t go to or return from school in the dark. There is daylight left after work. Ocean swimming all year round. Clean air, clean water, abundant tropical plant life: bougainvillea, allemander, orchids, flambouyants, and hibiscus, the beauty and perfumes of tropical flowers. What more can we ask for.
Property Taxes
For many years, real property in the Virgin Islands was assessed at 60% of its actual value and then calculated at a rate of 1.25% of the assessment. With the passage of Act 6297, the law now requires that the assessed value of real property be the same as the actual value. However, this increase in the property's assessed value, as reflected on the tax bill, will not result in an increase in the amount of tax to be paid by the taxpayer. Quite simply, the amount of the tax is now calculated by multiplying 1.25% by 60% of the property's assessed (or full) value. If you should have any questions regarding taxes, you can contact the Office of Tax Assessor at (340) 773-6449 or in Frederiksted at (340) 772-3115.
Click here for much more information on tax advantages.
 Pictured to the right is the Richards & Ayer Associates office in Frederiksted. The smaller of St. Croix's two towns, Frederiksted was founded in 1753 by Danish King Frederick. The modern cruise ship pier is here.
|
