Reports

Policy Brief: Possible Consequences of a Default on Puerto Rico General Obligation Bonds

Puerto Rico faces a serious fiscal and economic crisis. The island is over-indebted: with $70 billion in public debt outstanding and an additional $43 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, Puerto Rico has more debt, in absolute terms, than any U.S. state government except California and New York, while its economy is smaller than Kansas. The following chart compares Puerto Rico’s tax–supported debt (excluding debt issued by state-owned enterprises) and unfunded pension burden with three of the U.S. mainland’s lowest rated states.

The Endgame: An Analysis of Puerto Rico’s Debt Structure and the Arguments in Favor of Enacting a Comprehensive Debt Restructuring Mechanism for Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s debt structure is inordinately complicated. With no access to a broad debt restructuring mechanism, the chaos that a disorderly default could bring would further erode bondholder value, increase restructuring costs, depress the local economy, and make long-term recovery harder to achieve.

There Is Another Way: A Fiscal Responsibility Law for Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s drawn-out economic and fiscal crisis has prompted a series of debates on how to address a rapidly deteriorating socioeconomic situation. Amongst the options being discussed in the federal sphere is the establishment of a fiscal control board for Puerto Rico, similar to the one adopted in Washington DC, that would essentially command all aspects pertaining to government budgeting and spending. We strongly believe that this is not the only way forward.

Seis cosas que hay que saber sobre el Puerto Rico Fiscal and Economic Growth Plan

En este documento el Centro para una Nueva Economía presenta seis cosas que hay que saber sobre el Puerto Rico Fiscal and Economic Growth Plan preparado por el Grupo de Trabajo para la Recuperación Fiscal y Económica de Puerto Rico y el Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Liquidity Update preparado por la firma de consultores Conway MacKenzie.

Chapter 9 for Puerto Rico: Necessary but not Sufficient

Puerto Rico has experienced severe economic problems for several years now. Its economy has been contracting or stagnant at least since 2006, and unemployment, poverty, and inequality levels are extremely high, especially when compared with the fifty states in the mainland.