Memorandum
- From
- Connor Quincy via FOX News
- Date
- Filed
- Politics·4 min to read
- Re
Puerto Ricans voice opposition to statehood push, citing tax and culture fears
RePuerto Ricans voice opposition to statehood push, citing tax and culture fears
Residents in San Juan tell Fox News Digital they oppose making Puerto Rico the 51st state, warning of higher taxes, economic strain, and loss of cultural identity, even as a 2024 nonbinding referendum showed 59% support for statehood.
Several Puerto Ricans interviewed in San Juan voiced strong opposition to making the island America's 51st state, warning that statehood would drive up taxes, deepen economic hardship, and erode Puerto Rican culture. The residents, who spoke with Fox News Digital, pushed back against the pro-statehood campaign led by Governor Jenniffer González Colón, arguing that joining the U.S. as a full state would not solve the island's problems.
Carly, who grew up in Puerto Rico and now lives in Connecticut, said she does not want the island to follow the path of Hawaii. "I don't want taxes to spike. People's wages here are really low to maintain life here," she said. Alejandra, a San Juan resident, echoed that concern, saying statehood would make daily life more expensive for locals who are already struggling. "Everything would become more expensive than it already is," she said. "It would make stuff even worse."
The statehood debate carries significant economic implications. Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory since 1898, operates under a different federal tax structure than the states. Becoming a state would bring the island more fully into the federal tax system, potentially changing how residents and businesses are taxed. Governor González Colón, a member of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party and an ally of President Donald Trump, argues that statehood is necessary to achieve equality, claiming the territory receives unequal treatment in numerous federal programs.
Some residents also cited the current political climate as a reason to stay away from statehood. A woman who referred to herself as "Boo" pointed to public scrutiny of Trump as a deterrent. "There's a lot of controversy with the... especially the president right now," she said. "We don't want to be a part of that, for sure." Boo also said she fears Puerto Rico would lose its cultural identity if it joined the U.S. as a state. "Puerto Rico is already being very Americanized," she said. "I wouldn't like that to keep going on if we become a state because it will lose the heart and soul."
Others expressed support for independence instead. Angelie, a Puerto Rican resident, said the island has the potential to become its own country. "We had the chance to be a country then the United States, no hate though, colonized us and promised us something and then it was another stuff," she said. Luis, another resident, said he believes Puerto Rico should be an independent nation but questioned whether the island is ready. He noted that the territory has become dependent on federal funding. "They have been feeding us with a lot of federal funding and people are used to that," he said. "A lot of people do not work just because they are used to get the federal funds."
The debate continues even after a nonbinding referendum in November 2024 asked voters to choose between statehood, independence, or associated independence. The vote found that 59% favored statehood, 29% favored independence, and 12% favored associated independence. Despite that result, the residents interviewed in San Juan remain unconvinced, citing economic uncertainty and cultural preservation as their primary concerns.
