Once-thriving Puerto Rico mountain town finds itself at economic abyss amid population flight

ap ^ | September 18, 2015

[george76]

LARES, Puerto Rico – Ismael Rodriguez looked out on a nearly empty plaza from the clothing store he opened in 1960, now hemmed in by padlocked businesses in this mountain town in northwestern Puerto Rico... experiencing the deepest malaise of just about any community on this island in the depths of an economic crisis.

"I have seen the destruction of a town," Rodriguez, 67, said as he gestured toward the plaza. "Look at all the shuttered stores."

Lares has become emblematic of the economic stagnation that is overwhelming Puerto Rico, and those who live here believe it is a warning sign of things to come across the island

[hosepipe]

Obamanomics

[Texas Eagle]

My advice to Puerto Ricans: start swimming towards Germany.

[george76]

64,000 people fled Puerto Rico last year amid economic crisis for the U.S. mainland. The exodus represents a 31 percent increase from 2013, when some 49,000 people left.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2015/0917/64-000-people-fled-Puerto-Rico-last-year-amid-economic-crisis-video

[V_TWIN]

PR kicked the US Navy out because of Vieques in the early 2000s. This story and other economic woes are contributing factors of the US Navy departure IMO. So they have only themselves to blame. They wanted it, they got it.

[Texas Eagle]

Pagan said Lares is scraping by thanks to U.S. government funds that have paid in part for the construction of a park, renovations of rundown homes and a program to help the town's growing elderly population, which has swelled by nearly 10 percent the past four years, one of the biggest increases in Puerto Rico. "If it weren't for the help from the federal government, this would be chaos," he said Sheeeeeeyit. As if Puerto Rico isn't one giant welfare state.

[Texas Eagle]

Okay, csmonitor, so 64,000 left. How many moved there? How many were born there?

I'm not denying PR Flight is a real thing. It would just be nice to know all the facts.

[grania]

I don't understand Puerto Rico, not at all. The island could do very well with over-55 communities for those paying under $200,000 for a retirement house or $1200/month or so for rental. That would be the US retired middle class, who have lots of disposable income.

It's part of the US, and besides that retirees moving there would benefit from their advantageous tax status. FWIW, I'd go ASAP if there were safe English speaking communities with recreation, shopping, and cultural/entertainment options nearby.

[Dilbert San Diego]

I’ve heard that increasing numbers of Puerto Ricans are settling in Florida. Which could help tip the political balance in that state.

Remember, Puerto Ricans are not “immigrants” as such, because as American citizens, they are as free to move to the mainland, or move from state to state, as you and I are to decide to move to another part of the country.

[txhurl]

Vieques tourism groups still bad-mouth the USMIL on their tourist websites. Don’t they bother researching WHY they’re losing business?

[txhurl]

Vieques tourism groups still bad-mouth the USMIL on their tourist websites. Don’t they bother researching WHY they’re losing business?

[umgud]

They wanted it, they got it.

More likely, they were whipped up to think they wanted it by whacko activists who don't have to live there.

[george76]

High tax rates and excessive regulations killing jobs as manufacturing businesses close ?

[Dilbert San Diego]

You have just explained a big business opportunity for someone.

I’ve heard of Americans retiring in Mexico or Central America so their retirement money will go farther. But, they are gambling on remaining safe from social or political instability in those countries.

To achieve the same goal of stretching your money, in a tropical paradise, but a place which is still part of America, sounds like a great business to me.

[george76]

PR should invite them back : like the PI is starting to do.

>> PR kicked the US Navy out because of Vieques

[headstamp 2]

Yep, and all the support systems that would go with it to service the retired population’s needs.

Medical, tourism, domestic services, construction, etc. It could be the new Florida.

[V_TWIN]

Yep, somebody oughta ask ‘em how that’s working out for ‘em.

[econjack]

Agriculture was once Lares' economic engine, producing surpluses of coffee, plantains, oranges and bananas thanks to the 25 to 40 sacks of free fertilizer that farmers received from the government. But as government revenues dwindled, officials instead gave each farmer $45, which buys one sack of fertilizer, said Mayor Roberto Pagan.

"How is that enough to make a living?" he asked, noting that the number of farms in Lares has dwindled from nearly 1,500 to less than 1,000 in recent years.

Is anyone really surprised that a propped up economic system collapses when the subsidies run out? People tend to forget the gov't "produces" nothing. It exists by taking money from Group A and giving it to Group B. Political power comes from being in the middle. Lamenting what we see here is like crying over the demise of the buggy whip industry in the US when the automobile appeared. Get over it and move on.

[pabianice]

I remember the chaotic but vital economy around NS ROSEY ROADS when I flew into and out of there in Navy aircraft. But the Liberal ruiners demanded the base be closed. It was. So live with it.

[dfwgator]

Rate things are going, nobody is going to be left in Puerto Rico, they’ll all be in Nueva York.