Jersey City– El Gobernador Phil Murphy firmó hoy una orden ejecutiva estableciendo una comisión para ayudar a Puerto Rico. La comisión, compuesta por 18 miembros, colaborará con agencias federales y estatales para acelerar el proceso que beneficiará a puertorriqueños desplazados en el estado de New Jersey, también examinará otras maneras en que el estado podría ayudar a la isla.
«Es inaceptable que cinco meses después de que el huracán María tocó tierra en Puerto Rico, tantos de nuestros compatriotas americanos todavía están sintiendo el impacto de la tormenta,» dijo el Gobernador Murphy. «Esta agencia compuesta de agencias federales y estatales proveerán ayuda a aproximadamente 30,000 puertorriqueños refugiados en New Jersey, dirigiendo así a nuestras agencias a ayudar rápidamente a aquellos que han sido desplazados. Debemos buscar otras maneras de ayudar a la isla y devolver la normalidad a los puertorriqueños. La respuesta federal no ha sido suficiente y debemos aumentar nuestros esfuerzos como estado para ayudar a nuestros hermanos en la isla.»
“Quiero agradecer el Gobernador Phil Murphy de New Jersey por crear la Comisión de Puerto Rico,” dijo el Gobernador Ricardo Roselló de Puerto Rico. “El Gobernador Murphy y el estado de New Jersey han sido grandes aliados en la recuperación de Puerto Rico después del huracán María. Trabajaremos juntos para asegurar que la comisión sea exitosa en su objetivo.”
Lydia Valencia, CEO de New Jersey Puerto Rican Congress y miembro de la Comisión junto al Gobernador Murphy y Carlos Mercader
Carlos Mercader, el director ejecutivo de la administración de asuntos federales de Puerto Rico, también asistió al evento. «De parte del gobierno de Puerto Rico, quisiera expresar nuestra más profunda gratitud al estado de New Jersey y al Gobernador Phil Murphy por crear la comisión de New Jersey Puerto Rico, la cual ha sido creada para ayudar a los puertorriqueños evacuados en el estado, al igual que a aquellos afectados en Puerto Rico,» expresó Mercader.
En diciembre, el Gobernador Murphy y su esposa Tammy viajaron a Puerto Rico acompañados por miembros de la legislatura, comerciantes, y comunidad religiosa para asesorar y ayudar en los esfuerzos de recuperación. El Gobernador Murphy también se reunió con el Gobernador de Rosselló y reiteró su promesa de continuar con los esfuerzos de ayuda en New Jersey.
La orden ejecutiva del Gobernador Murphy tiene como mandato que la comisión colabore con las agencias estatales para cerciorarse de que los servicios que están siendo actualmente proveídos a los evacuados puertorriqueños en New Jersey y Puerto Rico continúen. La orden ejecutiva también requiere que la comisión colabore con agencias federales para acelerar los procesos que puedan beneficiar a puertorriqueños en New Jersey los cuales estén necesitados de ayuda, al igual que con las agencias sin fines lucrativos que proveen servicios de apoyo a los desplazados.
La comisión formada por la orden ejecutiva del Gobernador Murphy tendrá como tarea consultar con las entidades anteriormente mencionadas y examinar:
- La moratoria de hipotecas, hipotecas reversas y juicio hipotecario en Puerto Rico las cuales caducarían el 19 de marzo del 2018;
- La generación de energía en la isla;
- Los recursos disponibles a estudiantes y profesores que hayan evacuado o que permanezcan sin poder completar el curso escolar en Puerto Rico;
- Animar al turismo voluntario de los ciudadanos de New Jersey de manera de que visiten a Puerto Rico y así ayuden a las organizaciones de recuperación sin fines lucrativos, y crédito de impuestos y/o deducciones que podrían ser otorgados por servicios prestados,
- Reclutamiento de abogados voluntarios para apelar por aquellos beneficios denegados por FEMA
Los miembros de la comisión son:
- Rev. Joshua Rodríguez
- Peggy Anastos
- Ana Montero
- Arlene Quiñones Pérez
- Jay Jiménez
- Carmen Garcia
- Lydia Valencia
- Héctor Ruiz
- Gualberto “Gil” Medina
- Tonio Burgos
- Arianna Mouré
- Sam Delgado
- Alixon Collazos
- Idida Rodríguez
- Al Álvarez
- Ivette Álvarez
State of New Jersey
Executive Order #10
Governor Philip D. Murphy
WHEREAS, Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico in September 2017, causing an estimated $100 billion in damage and leaving nearly 3.5 million American citizens without basic necessities; and
WHEREAS, thousands of Puerto Ricans evacuated the island due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Hurricane Maria and approximately 30,000 evacuees have relocated to New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, substantial recovery efforts are underway, but much of the island remains without power, safe drinking water, and basic medical supplies many months after the disaster; and
WHEREAS, members of New Jersey’s State Legislature and then Governor-elect Murphy, along with representatives of the business community and faith-based leadership, visited Puerto Rico on December 15, 2017, to assist with the recovery efforts; and
WHEREAS, Governor Ricardo Rosselló welcomed the New Jersey delegation at that time and emphasized the need for continued collaboration and assistance for those recovering in Puerto Rico and evacuees who relocated to New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey is home to approximately 600,000 Puerto Ricans, which represents the third largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Puerto Ricans account for approximately six percent of the total population of New Jersey and one in every four Latinos and Latinas in the State is Puerto Rican;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, PHILIP D. MURPHY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
- There is hereby established the Commission on Puerto Rico Relief (the «Commission»), which shall be empowered to examine, determine, and advise the Governor and his staff on New Jersey’s efforts to assist Puerto Ricans on the island and in New Jersey. The mission of this Commission shall be to assist in coordinating New Jersey’s response efforts to the humanitarian crisis caused by Hurricane Maria.
- The Commission shall be comprised of no greater than sixteen (16) individuals to be selected by and to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. These members shall be appointed based on their experience and expertise in matters concerning Puerto Rico affairs. Furthermore, two additional members shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Governor of Puerto Rico.
- The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commission shall be selected by the Governor from among the membership of the Commission. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
- The Commission shall meet at such times and in such locations as necessary to discharge its responsibilities under this Order; provided, however, that the Commission shall meet at least once in the northern, southern, and central regions of the State.
- The Commission is authorized to call upon any department, office, division or agency of this State to supply it with data and any other information, personnel or other assistance available to such agency as the Commission determines to be necessary to discharge its duties under this Order. Each department, office, division or agency of this State is hereby required, to the extent not inconsistent with law and consistent with budget constraints, to cooperate fully with the Commission and to furnish the Commission with such assistance on as timely a basis as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order. The Commission may consult with experts or other knowledgeable individuals in the public or private sector on any aspect of its mission.
- The Commission shall meet with and solicit input from relevant New Jersey state agencies, including but not limited to the Department of Human Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Children & Family Services, the Department of Health, and the Department of Labor, to ascertain the services being provided and the number of individuals impacted by such services. Moreover, the Commission shall collaborate with federal agencies, including but not limited to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as collaborating with nongovernmental and nonprofit agencies as appropriate.
- In consultation with the aforementioned entities, the Commission shall:
- Identify points of necessary cooperation between federal and State agencies that will allow for expedited services in the United States; and
- Examine the moratorium on mortgage and reverse mortgage foreclosures in Puerto Rico that is set to expire on March 19, 2018; and
- Determine capabilities of New Jersey utility companies to assist with power generation on the island; and
- Examine existing and future availability of New Jersey colleges and universities to host and provide resources to students and faculty who have evacuated from or remain unable to complete coursework in Puerto Rico; and
- Identify volunteer tourism opportunities pursuant to which New Jerseyans are encouraged to visit Puerto Rico and assist nonprofit recovery organizations and examine whether federal and/or State tax credits and/or deductions should be issued for services rendered; and
- Identify and recruit legal volunteers to appeal from potentially erroneous denials of FEMA benefits.
- The Commission shall prepare and publicly release a report regarding its findings within ninety (90) days following the appointment of the members of the Commission, as provided in this Order.
- Nothing in this Order shall be construed to supersede any federal, State, or local law.
- This Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 12th day of February, Two Thousand and Eighteen and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and
Forty-Second.
/s/ Philip D. Murphy
Governor
Attest:
/s/ Matthew J. Platkin
Chief Counsel to the Governor
