PR Statehood, Independence, or Commonwealth?

[newyorkrican22]

I WASNT BORN OR RAISED IN PUERTO RICO, MY PARENTS ARE PUERTO RICAN,SO THAT MAKES ME PROUD OF WHERE I COME FROM.
I VE READ ABOUT HOW PEOPLE IN ISLAND WANT INDEPENDENCE- IF YOU WANT INDEPENDENCE, THERE ARE COUPLE OF QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK OR SEE, INDEPENDENCE MEANS HAVING YOUR OWN CURRENCY,HOW ARE THE ISLANDERS SUPPORT THEMSELVES WITH WHAT CURRENCY. THE OTHER THING IS IF YOU CANT ATTRACT BUILDERS AND COMPANIES TO PUERTO RICO NOW, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN WHEN AND IF IT BECOMES INDEPENDENT. AND ALSO U LOSE YOUR CITIZENSHIP AS AN AMERICAN, YOU GOING TO HAVE THRU ALL THE TROUBLE AS ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES GO THRU TO GET HERE.

IF IT BECOMES A STATE ALL YOU PEOPLE INCLUDING MY FAMILY THAT STILL LEAVES THERE WILL BE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES THRU THE ROOF, IT WILL BE RANK 1ST AS THE POOREST STATE IN THE COUNTRY (AS PART OF THE U.S) PAY FEDERAL TAXES EVEN MORE,THE HELP YOU HAVE KNOW WILL DECREASE EVEN MORE, AND THEN EVEN EL GALLO THAT LIVES IN THE FINCA WILL HAVE TO WORK.

IF U STAY AS A COMMONWEALTH YOU HAVE ALL THE BENEFITS, IF YOU THINK IS TOUGH NOW IMAGINE IF THE ISLAND OF ENCHANTMENT BECOMES INDEPENDENT IT WILL BE MORE TOUGHER MORE RESTRICTIONS AND POVERTY. STATEHOOD MORE POVERTY AND LESS BENEFITS. COMMONWEALTH YOU HAVE IT MADE WHY BREAK SOMETHING THAT HAS WORKED FOR 50 PLUS YEARS.

[BoricuaFL2]

Nuyorrican, just kidding. I am just pronouncing it, like we pronounce it in Puerto Rico. Let's look at your statements:

“IF IT BECOMES A STATE ALL YOU PEOPLE INCLUDING MY FAMILY THAT STILL LEAVES THERE WILL BE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES THRU THE ROOF, IT WILL BE RANK 1ST AS THE POOREST STATE IN THE COUNTRY (AS PART OF THE U.S) PAY FEDERAL TAXES EVEN MORE,THE HELP YOU HAVE KNOW WILL DECREASE EVEN MORE, AND THEN EVEN EL GALLO THAT LIVES IN THE FINCA WILL HAVE TO WORK.”

Puerto Ricans already pay property tax it's called "arbitrio de muebles". CRIM, the agency that taxes property does it based on the total value of the property so many modest homes do not pay a high tax. The owner can pay on a monthly basis or in one lump sum. I paid for a two bedroom home $600.00. Puerto Rico becoming a state will not raise local taxes unless the local government does it. Property taxes, is not a Federal mandate.

“IT WILL BE RANK 1ST AS THE POOREST STATE IN THE COUNTRY (AS PART OF THE U.S) PAY FEDERAL TAXES”

Puerto Ricans pay the highest taxes under the American flag and it’s not even a state! At least 30% more than where you live, NY! Why? The local government has to make up funds that they do not get from the Federal government. Puerto Ricans do not get the same benefits for being a territory. Social Security Supplement Insurance is not allowed. Welfare payment like the ones available in the states is not available. They are entitled to funds under the PAN program. A program that converts funds that were once used for food coupons into a check that poor families use to buy food or anything else they want it for. It is given in the form of a block grant that the local government uses. Why the difference? Because the Federal government reduce the funds and Puerto Rico has no power in Congress to fight it. The benefits you claim they get, is simply not true. Disability benefits are lower in Puerto Rico compare to recipients in states. That is a fact and can be collaborated with information found in the internet or Federal agencies. Besides, if PR was a state, many would qualify for reimbursements from Federal taxes.


“IF U STAY AS A COMMONWEALTH YOU HAVE ALL THE BENEFITS, IF YOU THINK IS TOUGH NOW IMAGINE IF THE ISLAND OF ENCHANTMENT BECOMES INDEPENDENT IT WILL BE MORE TOUGHER MORE RESTRICTIONS AND POVERTY. STATEHOOD MORE POVERTY AND LESS BENEFITS. COMMONWEALTH YOU HAVE IT MADE WHY BREAK SOMETHING THAT HAS WORKED FOR 50 PLUS YEARS.”

If Puerto Ricans decide in the future to become independent, I think it will work. My hypothesis is that about 2 million will leave due to the fear of it. There would be enough land for all. The new government would be helped by the U.S. Many will continue to be U.S. Citizens to a certain point. Benefits (social security, VA, etc, etc.) would be paid until the new generation takes over. Tourism would be a bigger source of income since Industry would have to be supplemented. I can go on and on, but independence would not be a bad thing for the island if they prepare for it. Statehood would be a good thing too, but like independence and statehood, the only thing that might spark it would be an event tantamount to chaos to bring it about.

[pedrotherock]

Puerto Rico, no seria marcado Como el estado mas pobre de la nacion ya que P.R. actualmente paga mas tax que alguno de los estado del sur de Estados Unidos. Puede Que Alguna gente trata de vender esa ideas, pero con la era informativa en la que vivimos cualquie hijo de vecino puede informarse de la realidad. No me crea a mi pregunta lo que quieras saber sea cual se el tema. Esta es mi humirde opinion desde Conecticut,USA Pedro

[newyorkrican22]

boricuafl2 I appreciate letting me know more about certain issues, I always thought that they got the same benefits in the island but obviously not.
we all have our point of views in this issue, even those that werent born there just what we have read and history.
and what our family tells us.
Once again thanks for the insight

[BoricuaFL2]

Neuyorican,

Hell, if PR got all the same benefits and did not pay any Federal Taxes, every Puerto Rican living in the states would be there, Puerto Rico, population:7.5 million! LOL! Anyway, I recommend you or anyone who hasn't lived in PR to move there and "Sude la gota gorda" and see for yourself how the lies and myth would be destroyed. My Mother, God rest her soul moved to PR in the 1980s and lost her Social Security Supplement Insurance simply for moving to the island. She was confused that she lost it and couldn't believe how her benefit would be taken away. I have friends who have moved to the states simply to recieve social security benefits for their handicap children. How sad that one has to leave their home and island simply because we are treated like second-class citizens.

[dulceAMOR]

What I mean by resources is the machines, workers, money, land, raw materials, and other things that a country can use to produce goods and SERVICES and to make its economy grow. The United States is by far Puerto Rico's chief trading partner. Yo si reconozco que los Estados Unidos rinde el capital, pero la pregunta es quien lo reproduce? Puerto Rico. PR tiene mucho que ofrecerle a los Estados Unidos, refiriendome a el crecimiento de las industrias y economia. Yo no creo que hay que tener un MS en economics para saber estas cosas. Yo se que los Estados Unidos tiene muchos beneficios para Puerto Rico, pero por eso nosotros los puertorriqueños no tenemos que besarle el culo a los Estados Unidos, porque nosotros tenemos nuestro orgullo. En cuestion a la descriminacion y racismo en Florida, solo digo que este estado es uno de los mas conflictos que a tenido con la descriminacion, en los trabajos, escuelas, ect. Esto por supuesto es mi opinion, simpre respetando las opiniones de los demas. I agree all the way with Ecuajey's message, pero BoricuaFL2, quiero que sepas que tambien respeto tu opinion, espero haber contestado tu pregunta.


[Edited by dulceAMOR on 3rd March 2005 at 02:05]

[Yujike]

Boricua:

One very important contribution that PR makes to the national economy specifically is the payment of Social Security taxes and the benefits Puertorricans receive in exchange for those contributions. Even tough PR is not a state it does pay millions of dollars in SS taxes every year. But since the population of PR is relatively young, If you compare it for example to the state of Connecticut( and all of New England for that matter) where the mean age of the population is much much higher, the majority of the SS taxes paid in PR do nor revert to the island as benefits but goes to monthly payments to this "older" states. In other words, PR's are maintaining the social security trust fund for the other states while it receives very little of it's contributions to the fund, due to that difference in the median age of its contributors. Some people put this figure at more than $50,000,000 a year! This is a BIG BIG resource that PR send to the mainland every year.

The SSI is NOT a benefit, it is WELFARE plain and simple. It has nothing to do with a pension based on taxed income for contributions to a retirement fund, people do not pay into an SSI fund.

SSI is the ONLY federal aid, out of 27 that every state receives that PR does not receive.