Publications

PUBLICATIONS


Stay informed on key issues and policy matters regarding Puerto Rico by browsing our extensive list of publications.
Access over 700 pieces with in-depth analysis and up-to-date insights.

 

Puerto Rico’s Looming 2019 Medicaid Fiscal Cliff

Puerto Rico and its residents have experienced numerous crises and shocks in the last decades, including an economic depression dating back to 2006; a public debt crisis resulting in the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history and a federally appointed fiscal oversight board pursuing deep budget cuts; a demographic crisis with population dropping by more than 600,000 residents since peaking at 3.8 million in 2004; and most recently, the devastation and cascading effects left by the hurricanes of 2017.

La burocracia de la reconstrucción

Los fondos federales para la reconstrucción después de un desastre natural se administran a través de un complicado entramado de programas, manejados por diferentes agencias y están sujetos a una multiplicidad de reglas y reglamentos. En términos generales, las dos agencias principales son la Administración Federal para el Manejo de Desastres (“FEMA”) y el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (“HUD”).

Los atropellos de la Junta de Planificación y la necesidad de debatir seriamente el futuro de nuestras políticas de suelos

Actualmente, La Junta de Planificación está llevando a cabo un ejercicio de calificación de suelos, de forma poco transparente y atropellada, que busca alterar significativamente las directrices existentes. Con este escrito queremos proveer un trasfondo general sobre las implicaciones de estos cambios, aclarar algunos términos que pueden ser técnicos y escabrosos, y proponer un debate sobre asuntos críticos para la planificación y el futuro de Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico’s Renewal

The summer of 2019 witnessed a masterful demonstration of civic engagement by the people of Puerto Rico. When accusations of corruption, misconduct, and deceit threatened to tarnish the island’s reputation, the people of Puerto Rico —both home and abroad— took to the streets peacefully to clean house and show the world that civility and honesty can prevail in the face of daunting political challenges.

Oversight That Works

Puerto Rico’s protracted economic depression — and the draconian measures implemented to combat the resulting fiscal imbalances — have eroded the island’s government capacity to perform at all levels and created fertile ground for unscrupulous actors to engage in fraudulent behavior.  Severe austerity programs implemented since 2006 have led to: drastic budget cuts in numerous key agencies, high employee turnover, low morale amongst public servants and limited resources across the board.

Federal Disaster Funding Update for Puerto Rico

Recently, there has been a heated debate about whether Puerto Rico has been treated fairly by the federal government in the allocation of funds for disaster assistance in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The answer to this question is complicated because it depends in large measure in understanding (1) how the federal appropriations process works and (2) how the different kinds of assistance programs function.

CNE 2019 Summer Reading List

Great books enlighten, empower, and energize us to seek new insights. This summer, CNE staff members share the top three books shaping their thinking.