Puerto Rico: what can YOU do to support the island?

Shop and hire

Local businesses in Puerto Rico have been hit directly with operational costs and sales due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. After more than three months, some of the local businesses have yet to get power. What can you do to help? Support local businesses! This great website puts you just a click away from buying a unique product from one of the affected businesses in the island.

As well, it is serving as a platform to promote some of the great talent in Puerto Rico that has been displaced from their workplace. These are very prepared individuals that besides LinkedIn don’t really have other ways to market themselves. Shop and Hire is serving as a platform for them to display their services and skillset. So, if you are looking for a talented bilingual… this is a site to visit besides LinkedIn!

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Call and write to your Representative

There are so many things happening in Congress that it can be overwhelming to keep up with it…. So here’s a gist of what has happened so far and some of the asks you can make to your Representative.

Tax Reform – Our unfortunate territorial status strikes back! In the new tax reform, Puerto Rico has been included in a 12.5 percent tax on profits derived from intelectual property held by foreign companies. Although Puerto Ricans are US citizens, the island was listed as foreign in the US Tax Code. Feeling alienated yet? There’s more… the new tax bill also failed to apply a new $2,000 child tax credit to Puerto Rico residents which they are looking to ammend. The ask is to treat Puerto Ricans equal and not throw more burden to our economy which will make foreign operations less profitable (including Puerto Rico).

R. 4667 – An $81 billion bill introduced by the House to respond to this year’s hurricanes and wildfires. The governor estimated of 94 billion costs in damages. We need to make sure Puerto Rico doesn’t receive a different treatment, in regards to disaster relief, due to its territorial status. Call your Representative and make sure Puerto Rico gets a fair share.

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