Puerto Rico (sales, how much, home)

[sunrico90]

What is the latest on the Isla? I was reading about goverment problems and the lack of financial support. Is it better....

[njkate]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

What is the latest on the Isla? I was reading about goverment problems and the lack of financial support. Is it better....

Not really sure but in my opinion they either need to become a state and pay up like the rest of us or cut them loose

[mythspell]

Originally Posted by njkate

Not really sure but in my opinion they either need to become a state and pay up like the rest of us or cut them loose

Not really sure but = not helpful
they either need to become a state and pay up like the rest of us or cut them loose = naive on many levels

In an effort to provide a response to the original question that might actually have some useful information... Puerto Rico, until recently, had zero sales tax. In order to help address financial problems, there is now up to a 7% tax which is comprised of 5.5% to the commonwealth and up to an additional 1.5% which municipalities can optionally charge. In other words, it now works just like the majority of states - a base central tax with optional municipal add-ons. Considering how much revenue the typical state and county governments collect from sales taxes, you can imagine how much this well help. However, bear in mind, this is a relatively recent enactment and will take some time for that additional income to build up in the treasury and have any sort of significant impact. Nevertheless, it will always be an island economy with all the inherent economic issues that entails. You can see this for yourself by studying Hawaii, which regardless of the fact that it is a state still struggles with virtually all of the same economic issues. Now, I'm not commenting one way or another about whether Puerto Rico should or shouldn't become a state but simply pointing out that doing so doesn't magically change the situation. In fact, contrary to the implication above, if it did become a state, it is quite likely it would cost the U.S. government MORE not less - in case you didn't realize it, precisely because they are not a state they receive only a fraction of the funding for some federal programs (e.g. medicare) than they would if they were a state. Yet, since almost 50% of the population is below the poverty line by U.S. standards, there would be very little additional income tax being paid into the federal coffers. And note the use of the word "additional" - Puerto Rico residents are only partially exempt from federal income tax as it stands now, not entirely. So again, factoring that into average taxable income, there would not be any huge incremental difference for the federal treasury. So, Puerto Rico becoming a state would hardly result in them "paying up like the rest of us" but rather in them receiving the same level of federal support as the rest of us. Again, take a look at Hawaii - do you actually think the federal government started making a profit off them becoming a state?!?! But they were still allowed to become a state. Why... for strategic reasons. The same reasons why the U.S. government would never simply "cut them loose" in Puerto Rico.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by mythspell

Not really sure but = not helpful
they either need to become a state and pay up like the rest of us or cut them loose = naive on many levels

In an effort to provide a response to the original question that might actually have some useful information... Puerto Rico, until recently, had zero sales tax. In order to help address financial problems, there is now up to a 7% tax which is comprised of 5.5% to the commonwealth and up to an additional 1.5% which municipalities can optionally charge. In other words, it now works just like the majority of states - a base central tax with optional municipal add-ons. Considering how much revenue the typical state and county governments collect from sales taxes, you can imagine how much this well help. However, bear in mind, this is a relatively recent enactment and will take some time for that additional income to build up in the treasury and have any sort of significant impact. Nevertheless, it will always be an island economy with all the inherent economic issues that entails. You can see this for yourself by studying Hawaii, which regardless of the fact that it is a state still struggles with virtually all of the same economic issues. Now, I'm not commenting one way or another about whether Puerto Rico should or shouldn't become a state but simply pointing out that doing so doesn't magically change the situation. In fact, contrary to the implication above, if it did become a state, it is quite likely it would cost the U.S. government MORE not less - in case you didn't realize it, precisely because they are not a state they receive only a fraction of the funding for some federal programs (e.g. medicare) than they would if they were a state. Yet, since almost 50% of the population is below the poverty line by U.S. standards, there would be very little additional income tax being paid into the federal coffers. And note the use of the word "additional" - Puerto Rico residents are only partially exempt from federal income tax as it stands now, not entirely. So again, factoring that into average taxable income, there would not be any huge incremental difference for the federal treasury. So, Puerto Rico becoming a state would hardly result in them "paying up like the rest of us" but rather in them receiving the same level of federal support as the rest of us. Again, take a look at Hawaii - do you actually think the federal government started making a profit off them becoming a state?!?! But they were still allowed to become a state. Why... for strategic reasons. The same reasons why the U.S. government would never simply "cut them loose" in Puerto Rico.

Do you have factual links to back up your claims?

[hindsight2020]

I can vouch for him/her. Pick up the newspaper back home. ™ El Nuevo Día - Justicia no procesará a policía
This guy/gal hit it so in the head its not even funny!

Back in 1950ish, sure it made sense to make PR a state (refer to Hawaii case study). Nowadays it's tough as it is, since most people in PR have been brainwashed under the "cultural suicide" mantra spouted by the few rich families back home to keep the avg PR person poor and without alternatives. It won't happen.

[sunrico90]

See the following link: Fiscal Crisis in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: A Case Study in Politics, Governance and Populism...and maybe Public Finance (http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p143822_index.html - broken link)

[kettlepot]

Out of curiosity, how well does the average Puerto Rican speak English given that it is a Spanish speaking territory? Or perhaps conversely, how well does the average Puerto Rican speak Spanish since English probably has a significant impact on the island? Is there a lot of Spanglish spoken? Or is that something only done by PRs in CONUS?

(When I say well, I mean following the rules of grammar and size of vocabulary)

[mlv311]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

Out of curiosity, how well does the average Puerto Rican speak English given that it is a Spanish speaking territory? Or perhaps conversely, how well does the average Puerto Rican speak Spanish since English probably has a significant impact on the island? Is there a lot of Spanglish spoken? Or is that something only done by PRs in CONUS? (When I say well, I mean following the rules of grammar and size of vocabulary)

We had a good discussion about this subject recently on CD: Puerto Rico?

Bottomline is that while you'll find more English speakers in tourist areas, but that doesn't mean you won't find people who speak English elsewhere in the Island. Like Purtex says, "many are not comfortable speaking English" so out of shyness, they may not even attempt it.

Spanglish is more prevalent in the U.S. mainland versus PR, IMHO, and I don't think it's limited to Puerto Ricans. Unfortunately, many Hispanics/Latinos living in the U.S. mainland speak Spanglish.

[beachmom2007]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

Out of curiosity, how well does the average Puerto Rican speak English given that it is a Spanish speaking territory? Or perhaps conversely, how well does the average Puerto Rican speak Spanish since English probably has a significant impact on the island? Is there a lot of Spanglish spoken? Or is that something only done by PRs in CONUS?

(When I say well, I mean following the rules of grammar and size of vocabulary)

I have lived in PR for 2 years for a job assignment. If my husband didn't speak Spanish we would have a hard time, being I don't. I have had one baby here and will have another in December. All but 1 of the doctors I have dealt with spoke English and the one was in an ER. When I delivered though, I would say at least 50% of the nurses at the hospital did not. A lot of people that I encounter on a daily basis (stores, services, food establishments) don't speak English either. I was really surprised when we first moved here. So, either they really don't speak English, or they are too uncomfortable to try.

[joseph hosz]

well as far as puerto rico goes, the us would never cut puerto rico lose its a military strategic point for the usa, its close to latin america and its in hairs pinch from the dominican republic, not to mention statehood would devistate the average peurto rican simply becuase property taxes which are now none existant would be put into effect along with federal taxes, the right of return from the usa wouldnt be much of a different