 In a recent national public opinion poll, commissioned by the Puerto Rico Herald and released on July 16, 2004, 900 mainland registered voters were queried about their familiarity with Puerto Rico, its relationship to the rest of America and its current governing arrangement. The telephone survey was conducted during July 9-12 by Opinion Dynamics of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 97% of respondents had voted in the 2000 presidential election.
Familiarity with Puerto Rico
Seven questions were asked attempting to gauge respondent’s familiarity with Puerto Rico and their level of knowledge about its current political situation. They were also asked about such issues as federal tax breaks for industries established in Puerto Rico and if residents of Puerto Rico should pay federal income taxes.
Some 54% of respondents said that they were either "very familiar" or "somewhat familiar" with Puerto Rico and 20% said that they had visited the island at least one time. Interviewers directed an additional question to those who had never visited Puerto Rico, explaining the easy entry protocols and the use of U.S. currency. After understanding this, 15% said that they were "very likely" to now visit and another 15% said that it was "somewhat likely" that they would visit. The remaining said that this knowledge would make "no difference" in their consideration of Puerto Rico as a destination, or that they were "not sure."
When asked if Puerto Ricans are American citizens, 41% said that they were and an equal number said that they were not. The remaining 19% were not sure. 65% of respondents knew that Americans did not need a passport to visit the island and 49% knew that Puerto Ricans did not need visas to enter the U.S. mainland.
When it came to the political reality of Puerto Rico, the results were mixed. For example, few thought that the island was independent and fewer still thought it to be a state, but only 29% chose the system best describing the current Commonwealth arrangement.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND PUERTO RICO?
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Puerto Rico is a state
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4%
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Puerto Rico is an independent nation
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8%
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Puerto Rico is a territory owned and governed by the United States; or
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42%
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Puerto Rico has an association with the United States that gives its people some self-government, but leaves important decisions to Congress?
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29%
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Not sure
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17%
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Non Status Congressional Legislation Regarding Puerto Rico
Eight out of ten poll participants believe that, so long as Puerto Ricans receive benefits from the federal government, they should pay federal taxes. When asked if the US government should impose that requirement, the number dropped to seven of ten. By a large majority, respondents opposed tax breaks for U.S. corporations doing business in Puerto Rico, even if such tax shelters could benefit the island’s economy.
AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS FEDERAL TAXES IN PUERTO RICO
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Choose One
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Puerto Ricans should pay income taxes
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US Federal Government should impose income taxes on Puerto Ricans
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US corporations in PR should get tax breaks
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Favor
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79%
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67%
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17%
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Oppose
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15%
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23%
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74%
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Not sure
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6%
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10%
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9%
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Interviewers asked respondents to react to certain situations relating to homeland security. When asked if citizens living in U.S. territories should be required to show a passport when entering any one of the fifty states, 52% of respondents were favorable to the idea while 37% opposed it.
When asked to state a preference among options relating to possible changes in U.S. policies toward Cuba, 47% thought that the current policy and trade embargo should be maintained or changed only slightly, while 36% thought that it should be dropped entirely. 17% were not sure of what course to take.
When asked to consider the government’s attitude towards the some 3 million illegal Hispanic immigrants believed to be in the United States, a majority believed that they should be treated no differently than immigrants from any other of the world’s regions.
HOW SHOULD ILLEGAL HISPANIC IMMIGRANTS BE TREATED?
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They should be granted amnesty and citizenship
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7%
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They should be allowed to remain but not granted citizenship
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4%
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They should be selectively processed like all other immigrants with some being granted citizenship, some permanent residency and some deported
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54%
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To the extent possible, they should be deported for entering the country illegally
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28%
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Not sure
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6%
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