Gov. Pedro Pierluisi
By THE STAR STAFF
On Thursday, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia stated that he has yet to make a determination regarding the potential convening of a special session following governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón’s opposition to the proposal.
However, the governor pointed out that there are flawed laws requiring amendments and matters, including the enactment of global minimum tax legislation, that necessitate immediate attention.
“What I previously mentioned, and I reiterate, is that there is a possibility of calling an extraordinary session; however, I haven’t come to that conclusion yet,” Pierluisi expressed. “I have engaged in initial discussions with the leaders of the legislature, and before finalizing any decision, I will consult with the governor-elect.”
“There are important pending issues; for instance, there are appointments that were unaddressed in the extraordinary session deserving the Senate’s attention,” the governor remarked. “Some appointments are nearing expiration, which would also benefit from Senate consideration.”
He also highlighted that there are laws passed by both legislative chambers which contain inaccuracies that need rectification.
“We have been in touch with the co-authors of those bills who have proposed measures to amend those inaccuracies, and it is crucial to pass those adjustments because we do not want to maintain defective legislation,” Pierluisi stated.
The governor emphasized the urgency for Puerto Rico to proceed with the global minimum tax, stating that “this is a significant concern for foreign companies, particularly those from Europe, engaged in the manufacturing industry, which face the applicability of this global minimum tax starting January 1; thus, that sector wishes to see this issue resolved.”
The broader commercial community has long been advocating for the resolution of the inventory tax issue.
“Clearly, this decision remains unmade,” Pierluisi noted. “As I mentioned previously, I aim to avoid unnecessary controversy, so if an extraordinary meeting is convened, it will only be due to a preliminary agreement with the legislative leaders, and certainly, I have already conferred with the governor-elect, who has no significant objections to it.”
