How politics screwed Puerto Rico out of billions in disaster aid

[corbe]

How politics screwed Puerto Rico out of billions in disaster aid

The hurricane-wracked island was denied billions in extra Medicaid funds. Now Republicans and Democrats are sniping over who's to blame.

 By JOHN BRESNAHAN and HEATHER CAYGLE
  | 12/23/2017 07:02 AM EST
 
On Wednesday night, as Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and his top lieutenants struggled to pass the disaster aid package — as well as a funding bill to keep the government open — House Majority Whip Steve Scalise reached out to Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) with an offer: Would Democrats back the disaster supplemental if Republicans added billions in Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico?

At that point, Scalise and other GOP leaders were in a bind. They didn’t know if they could pass the disaster aid bill because Texas and Florida lawmakers wanted more money for their states. Members from those delegations were threatening to bring down legislation to keep the government open, triggering a politically embarrassing shutdown for Republicans since they control the Congress and White House.

In the end, Velazquez, who was born in Puerto Rico and has been working to get more federal funding for the island territory, turned down the offer. That decision has set off fierce partisan finger-pointing, while denying hurricane-wracked Puerto Rico of at least $4.6 billion in extra money to provide Medicaid to poor residents, according to Republicans.

<..snip..>

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/23/puerto-rico-disaster-aid-medicaid-315974

[RoosGirl]

Puerto Ricans pay taxes to Puerto Rico.  Let them figure it out for their own damn selves.

[Cyber Liberty]

@corbe Is there a ink for this article?  The link on your post goes to one about Thad.

[corbe]

    Thanks @Cyber Liberty, for bringing that to my attention.


<<<<LINK FIXED>>>>

[Smokin Joe]

Puerto Ricans pay taxes to Puerto Rico.  Let them figure it out for their own damn selves.

More on that, they aren't as tax-free as you might think.https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16385658/puerto-rico-taxes-hurricane

[RoosGirl]

More on that, they aren't as tax-free as you might think.https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16385658/puerto-rico-taxes-hurricane

Yes, this was the part I knew about

Puerto Rico is a US territory and not a state, so its residents don’t pay federal income tax unless they work for the US government. Even so, workers there pay the majority of federal taxes that Americans on the mainland pay — payroll taxes, social security taxes, business taxes, gift taxes, estate taxes and so on.

Federal income tax is about 50% of the total amount of taxes collected.  So maybe Puerto Rico is entitled to 50% of what a state would get for similar "emergency".

[corbe]

   AS a Texan who felt Hurricane Harvey (lost some rather large tree limbs) AND as a former Houstonian I just seem to have a problem, with the US Debt being what it is, that we (Texans) have our hand out for Federal Disaster Aid when we are sitting on a $10B 'Rainy Day Fund', unless of course it's secretly a SUCEED FUND..

https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/01/hey-texplainer-can-texas-lawmakers-tap-rainy-day-fund-help-harvey-reli/

[Smokin Joe]

Yes, this was the part I knew about
Federal income tax is about 50% of the total amount of taxes collected.  So maybe Puerto Rico is entitled to 50% of what a state would get for similar "emergency".

But m'dear, federal income tax is based on income. With a median household income below 20K, I don't think they would be paying so much in as waiting for the EITC checks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Puerto_Rico

edit to add source link.

[RoosGirl]

But m'dear, federal income tax is based on income. With a median household income below 20K, I don't think they would be paying so much in as waiting for the EITC checks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Puerto_Rico

edit to add source link.

Wow, 45% of population is below poverty level.  Ok, maybe they get 25% of what a State would get in similar emergency.  Or I go back to my original statement; let them figure it out themselves.

[Smokin Joe]

Wow, 45% of population is below poverty level.  Ok, maybe they get 25% of what a State would get in similar emergency.  Or I go back to my original statement; let them figure it out themselves.

Would we treat Detroit that way? Flint? Any Indian Reservation? There are lots of places in the country which aren't much better off, and we bail them out. Letting them continue with a post and tube electrical grid and washed out roads isn't going to make them more prosperous, either.

[RoosGirl]

Would we treat Detroit that way? Flint? Any Indian Reservation? There are lots of places in the country which aren't much better off, and we bail them out. Letting them continue with a post and tube electrical grid and washed out roads isn't going to make them more prosperous, either.

"We" or me?   

[Smokin Joe]

"We" or me?   

Dear, you'd just let them die and reduce the surplus population. But as a nation, known worldwide for giving money we do not have in huge sums and allowing it to be sucked up by every self-enriching pig and scam artist out there (including some who own foundations), I think "we" (willing participants or not) is the proper term.

[RoosGirl]

Dear, you'd just let them die and reduce the surplus population. But as a nation, known worldwide for giving money we do not have in huge sums and allowing it to be sucked up by every self-enriching pig and scam artist out there (including some who own foundations), I think "we" (willing participants or not) is the proper term.

Well, I wouldn't just *let* them die, but if some of them dropped off from exhaustion actually working to rebuild their own country I don't think that would necessarily be a bad thing.

[Smokin Joe]

Well, I wouldn't just *let* them die, but if some of them dropped off from exhaustion actually working to rebuild their own country I don't think that would necessarily be a bad thing.

I would wager a chunk of the money will go to windmill merchants and the like.

[Cyber Liberty]

I would wager a chunk of the money will go to windmill merchants and the like.

It's hard to say.  We don't have Obama and Clinton directing the work.  But we have a lot of Obama holdovers, so anything's possible.

Didn't PR throw out the one company that was willing to repair the main electrical grid?  I think they may be their own worst enemies here....

[Smokin Joe]

It's hard to say.  We don't have Obama and Clinton directing the work.  But we have a lot of Obama holdovers, so anything's possible.

Didn't PR throw out the one company that was willing to repair the main electrical grid?  I think they may be their own worst enemies here....

I haven't kept up past the first couple of weeks after the second hurricane hit.

[RoosGirl]

It's hard to say.  We don't have Obama and Clinton directing the work.  But we have a lot of Obama holdovers, so anything's possible.

Didn't PR throw out the one company that was willing to repair the main electrical grid?  I think they may be their own worst enemies here....

They did, but I think there was some funny business about how that contract was awarded, as in the guy had never done a similar job and/or didn't have the employee capacity to work on a job that big, and he was related to "someone" along the way.

[Cyber Liberty]

They did, but I think there was some funny business about how that contract was awarded, as in the guy had never done a similar job and/or didn't have the employee capacity to work on a job that big, and he was related to "someone" along the way.

It's true there were problems with the awarding of the contract, but the primary selling point to PR was this company was the only one willing to do it without demanding at least $25 Million upfront.  When the Dems started bitching about the contract, PR threw them off the project, leaving nobody to complete it.

[Fishrrman]

Puerto Rico should have been given independence back in Truman's time, whether they wanted it or not.

Too late now.

[jpsb]

Puerto Ricans pay taxes to Puerto Rico.  Let them figure it out for their own damn selves.

Bump! And let us not forget that PR threw out the US Navy.

http://www.peoplesworld.org/article/navy-closes-last-base-in-puerto-rico/

[mrclose]

Puerto Rico gives out $100 million in bonuses after pleading for $94 billion in hurricane relief

Dec 3, 2017 - Puerto Rico gives out $100 million in bonuses after pleading for $94 billion in hurricane relief. ... Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello Nevares last month asked federal taxpayers to shell out $94 billion to pay for the territory’s recovery from Hurricane Maria

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/3/puerto-rico-gives-christmas-bonuses-after-asking-h/

[anubias]

    unless of course it's secretly a SUCEED FUND..

Stumped me for a bit.  I’m guessing you are referring to secession?

[Neverdul]

Puerto Rico gives out $100 million in bonuses after pleading for $94 billion in hurricane relief

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/3/puerto-rico-gives-christmas-bonuses-after-asking-h/

It would appear that the bonuses are the law in Puerto Rico. I’m not saying that this makes sense especially considering their financial situation even before Maria, but I’m not sure that the governor could just decide on his own to stop the payments.

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/puerto-rico-labor-department-updates-annual-bonus-regulations.aspx

This seems to say that government employees are not eligible but I’m guessing if they are part of a collective bargaining agreement (union) they are covered under that, and again, I’m not sure the governor could on his own decide not to make the payments.

Excluded from the definition of “employees” are: (i) independent contractors; (ii) those employed in agricultural activities, domestic service, in family homes, or by charitable institutions; employees covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement whose negotiated bonus is equal or greater than that provided by Law No. 148; (iii) officials and employees of the Puerto Rico’s government and any of its three branches, instrumentalities, public corporations and municipalities; or (iv) federal employees.

https://aldia.microjuris.com/2017/10/30/new-guidelines-regarding-payment-of-christmas-bonus/

I’ve never worked for a company nor had any clients with a location in PR but was aware that they have some laws regarding PR and DOL that are different from US States (perhaps with the exception of CA).

[corbe]

Stumped me for a bit.  I’m guessing you are referring to secession?

   Sorry for the confusion @anubias You got it right~Secession Fund.

[anubias]

   Sorry for the confusion @anubias You got it right~Secession Fund.

I was having an even slower than normal brain day.  Not enough sleep.  Never enough sleep.