Puerto Rico: The 51st State of the Union?

CAPE MAY COUNTY – Susanna Martinez of Ocean City is 29 years old. She is tall and slim with blond hair and green eyes. On her mother’s side she is of Lithuanian heritage, on her father’s side she is Puerto Rican. She is trilingual; she speaks American English, Lithuanian and Spanish. Martinez visits Puerto Rico bi-annually. But until asked, she had never much thought about the Caribbean island’s political status.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. It was ceded to the U.S. as a result of Spain’s defeat in the Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1917, Puerto Ricans became American citizens and in 1948, they started electing their own governor.
Every few years the citizens of Puerto Rico hold a referendum to state their preference for their political destiny: Should they remain as they are a Commonwealth, become an independent country or become a state of the United States? Past referenda have always resulted in maintaining the status quo.
Earlier in January President Obama signed the budget legislation known as the Murray-Ryan Bill. It included $2.5 million for Puerto Rico to hold another referendum to determine its “future political status.” Their last was held in August 2012.
Besides statehood and independence the voters could choose “enhanced Commonwealth” status. This choice would theoretically allow the Commonwealth, while remaining within the American family to conduct its own foreign affairs. Something that on its face runs contrary to existing U.S. law as both territories and states are not allowed to conduct their own foreign affairs.
One of the champions of this “enhanced Commonwealth” status is Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla. He does not favor statehood fearing, he said, that it would “turn Puerto Rico into a ghetto, an entire country turned into a Latin American ghetto.”
Padilla and his sentiments have a considerable following.
Jose Silva, a resident of Wildwood was born and raised on the Caribbean island. In his youth he was quite fervent in advocating for Puerto Rican independence. “You know how emotional the young people get. It is all passion and no thinking,” he observed. Now he says it is best to leave things the way they are. “I think we have the best of both. We do not need statehood. I can be from New Jersey for statehood,” he laughed.
Residents of Puerto Rico pay no federal tax on their personal earnings and businesses that operate there and receive favorable treatment from both the Federal and Commonwealth governments. In addition, the federal government cannot tax interest payments on local debts. If Silva chooses to retire back home he may make out better financially leaving things as they are.
Mayor William Pikolycky of Woodbine thinks communicating the facts about the three options to the residents of his borough is important. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the borough is 24 percent Puerto Rican. “Obviously the many Puerto Ricans who came here after World War II came to do farm work. Many stayed and became part of our community, just like my ancestors from Ukraine,” Pikolycky said. His chief concern is how a change in Puerto Rico’s political status would affect his constituents. “How would independence, for example, affect travel back and forth? And how about retirement? A lot of people decide to retire back where they grew up. Would it affect their pensions?”
The mayor offered his help in setting up venues to inform the community about what the referendum is offering. “I would encourage our local Puerto Rican community groups to help the residents to understand the ramifications of the vote. They could then inform their families back in Puerto Rico so they could make an informed choice.” He noted that effective communication and information was also important for our elected federal representatives. Commenting that sometimes legislators vote on things, such as the Affordable Care Act without fully reading the bill. “So it is important for all parties to be informed,” he said, adding that he had no particular position on the matter just that the citizens had all the facts.
Even if the referendum passes in favor of statehood that is only the beginning. It would have to pass muster with both the governor and then it would have to petition Congress to apply for statehood. Presently the House of Representatives is controlled by the Republican Party and given the voting pattern of Puerto Ricans on the mainland it would not appear to be in their political interest to make Puerto Rico the 51st state. With a population of 3.5 million it would equal states such as Iowa, Kansas and Nevada in representation.
Cape May County resident Maria Aceveda agrees. “I am a Republican,” she declared, “but most Puerto Ricans I know are not. They are stuck in old thinking. I would not want to see the Democrats get any more seats. So ‘no’ to statehood. You don’t really get nothing anyway that helps the people.”
In the last election 80 percent of Puerto Ricans living on the mainland voted for President Obama. Island residents/citizens may not vote in the presidential election. Pedro Pierluisi, is Puerto Rico’s Democratic (non-voting) representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. He recently said that the funds voted for by Congress for education and information is “an unprecedented act.” There is no time limit on the funding.
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com.