LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL TASK FORCE ON PUERTO RICO

MJR

August 10, 2016
To: Members of the Puerto Rico Fiscal Control Congressional Task Force

From: Miriam J. Ramirez MD

Dear Members of the Puerto Rico Task Force:

I am a former Senator and a Grassroots leader in Puerto Rico since 1980. I have been walking the halls of Congress and testifying in the various US House & Senate Finance Committees and others with Jurisdiction over the issue of Puerto Rico.. 

In 1996, with the help of Sen David Pryor, we raised the issue in Congress and to President Clinton, of the IRS Tax evasion abuse which had not and will not help Puerto Rico's Economy. The truth prevailed and Sect 936 was eliminated. Or we thought it had, because they metamorphed into CFC's which is a bigger Tax Scam. (Letter from Sen Pryor included)

BUT NOW.... these powerful economic moguls, with their big interest and their economic and political power, joined by the wealthy elite cohorts in Puerto Rico, have the economic and political resources to make people in Washington think that the Puerto Rico Crisis is the result of the removal of Section 936! THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS!

The PRO-936 leeches, fail to mention that today, their now called CFC's have scammed the US Tax Payer to a tune of over a trillion dollars parked in tax havens like Puerto Rico & PANAMA! Yet, our people are poor!! All these tax gimmicks are the reason, not the solution to our economic disaster! Only the working poor pay taxes in Puerto Rico.

This has come to the attention of the CITIZENS FOR TAX JUSTICE and others who are clear in their assessment and appreciation of the issue. They have written an excellent article on this issue. THEY NAILED IT RIGHT. Puerto Rico and Section 936: A Taxing Lesson from History

The people of Puerto Rico are also clear in their assessment and are against Section 936, or the use of the US Territory of Puerto Rico as an Offshore Tax Shelter. We also oppose any other tax gimmicks that scam the US taxpayer and does not benefit the people of Puerto Rico who are plagued by poverty and unemployment. We have a feeling that our local politicians are locked into this position through their campaign donations. Our situation is SO PATHETIC, since we do not have Representation in Congress and have to beg Members and Staffers to help us !!!

I am absolutely sure that the constituents of the various Members of Congress, would NOT BE VERY HAPPY to hear that their Representatives are supporting the establishment of a tax shelter in Puerto Rico which could affect their districts' fleeing wealthy residents and businesses, to become CFC's and a Tax Free Millionaire Elite Class. Especially when over a $Trillion dollars of IRS Tax Evasion Dollars are parked in Tax Shelters and that is one of the top issues in the Presidential and State Elections' Campaigns. It has the potential of becoming an incredibly negative campaign issue.

Thank you,
Miriam J. Ramirez MD
My BIO: http://themjreport.blogspot.com/p/miriam-j.html