Tax Reform (Again)

The consensus in Puerto Rico is that a broad-based tax reform is long overdue. It is important to understand, however, that tax policy involves difficult trade-offs among various objectives. We at the Center for a New Economy believe the following principles should guide any tax reform effort in Puerto Rico.

Selected Highlights of the Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2022

On January 27, 2022, the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board (“FOMB”) for Puerto Rico certified a new Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2022. In this report, we highlight for our readers some of the most important components of the Fiscal Plan.

Tracking Neighborhood Change in Geographies of Opportunity for Post-Disaster Legacy Cities: A Case Study of San Juan, Puerto Rico

In January of 2022, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy published a working paper carried out by CNE’s research unit on “Tracking Neighborhood Change in Geographies of Opportunity for Post-Disaster Legacy Cities”. Using the San Juan Metropolitan Area (SJMA) as a case study, we measured how different indicators for neighborhood change are associated with storm impacts, specifically those stemming from Hurricane María, and the geographical distribution of opportunities.

Housing Reconstruction Monitoring Dashboard

The Housing Reconstruction Monitoring Dashboard is an interactive and dynamic tool that provides detailed data, at the municipal level, on housing damages and reconstruction investments related to Hurricanes Irma and MarĂ­a.

The Short Memory of the Masters of Disaster

Recently, we have been hearing some unreasonably rosy statements about how well the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority used to work. That is why I looked up the Official Statements for PREPA’s last two bond offerings, dated April 12, 2012, and August 15, 2013. These documents contain a wealth of data and information about Puerto Rico’s electricity system.

The Threefold Challenge to the Puerto Rican Economy

The Puerto Rican economy is simultaneously recovering from three systemic shocks: the COVID-19 pandemic, the considerable damage inflicted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and the upcoming creditor’s vote on the Plan of Adjustment negotiated by the FOMB.