mayors in Puerto Rico

Historically mayors used to be minor political figures in the Puerto Rican landscape as the executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico exerted an overarching authority over the municipalities.{{Cite web|url=http://derechoupr.com/dmdocuments/Universidad+Interamericana+de+Puerto+Rico.pdf|title=Derechoupr.com|website=Derechoupr.com|access-date=10 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.oslpr.org/files/docs/{E9DEDF79-1CCF-4AE4-9960-A324AC3CA27A}.doc|format=DOC|title=CAMARA DE REPRESENTANTES : P. de la C. 1057|website=Oslpr.org|access-date=10 August 2019}} However, in recent years, the executive branch has adopted a decentralized form of government and started to focus on statewide politics rather than on local or regional ones. These policies have granted a high degree of autonomy to its municipalities and their mayors,{{cite web|url=http://www.lexjuris.com/Servicios/lexRCS20070104.htm |title=LEXRCS2007104 Enmienda Constitucional para elevar a Rango Constitucional la Autonomía Municipal |publisher=Lexjuris.com |access-date=2012-11-30}} and has allowed certain highly populated municipalities with robust local economies —such as Caguas{{cite web|url=http://www.elperiodicopr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2472:municipio-caguas-recibe-premio-nacional-por-excelencia-en-finanzas&catid=69:noticias&Itemid=124 |title=Municipio Caguas recibe premio nacional por excelencia en finanzas |publisher=Elperiodicopr.com |date=2012-10-18 |access-date=2012-11-30}} and San Juan{{cite web|url=http://www.ocpr.gov.pr/map/Municipios/SanJuan.pdf|title=Municipio de San Juan : INDICADORES SOCIOECONÓMICOS|website=Ocpr.gov.pr|access-date=10 August 2019}}— to prosper and exercise a high degree of autonomy, while leaving others with mild or little population —such as Florida{{cite web|url=http://www.ocpr.gov.pr/map/Municipios/Florida.pdf|title=Municipio de Florida : INDICADORES SOCIOECONÓMICOS|website=Ocpr.gov.pr|access-date=10 August 2019}} and Moca{{cite web|url=http://www.ocpr.gov.pr/map/Municipios/Moca.pdf|title=Municipio de Moca : INDICADORES SOCIOECONÓMICOS|website=Ocpr.gov.pr|access-date=10 August 2019}}— with challenges to overcome. Nevertheless, these policies have made mayors highly influential on the local, regional, and statewide economy of Puerto Rico, as well as in its politics and society.{{cite web |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/losalcaldesmaspoderosos-1386585.html |title=Los alcaldes más poderosos - El Nuevo Día |publisher=Elnuevodia.com |date=2012-11-15 |access-date=2012-11-30 |archive-date=2013-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121075558/http://www.elnuevodia.com/losalcaldesmaspoderosos-1386585.html |url-status=dead }} An example of this would be the Willie Tax which was implemented independently in Caguas by its former mayor, William Miranda Marín.{{cite web |author=Casiano Communications |url=http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news02_free.php?nw_id=5613&cl_id=2 |title=Remembering Willie Miranda Marín - Caribbean Business |publisher=Caribbeanbusinesspr.com |date=2011-07-12 |access-date=2012-11-30 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118185559/http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news02_free.php?nw_id=5613&cl_id=2 |archive-date=2013-01-18 }}{{cite web |url=http://webs.oss.cayey.upr.edu/iii/sites/webs.oss.cayey.upr.edu.iii/files/u1/VAR_8.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630142252/http://webs.oss.cayey.upr.edu/iii/sites/webs.oss.cayey.upr.edu.iii/files/u1/VAR_8.pdf |archive-date=2010-06-30 }} The tax was subsequently adopted by other municipalities and eventually evolved into the statewide sales tax known as the Puerto Rico Sales and Use Tax (IVU).{{Cite web |url=http://www.hacienda.gobierno.pr/pdf/reglamentos/REG-7249.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319164259/http://www.hacienda.gobierno.pr/pdf/reglamentos/reg-7249.pdf |archive-date=2013-03-19 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.hacienda.gobierno.pr/downloads/pdf/leyes/LEY+NUM+117.pdf|title=Página no encontrada - Departamento de Hacienda de Puerto Rico|website=Hacienda.gobierno.pr|access-date=20 April 2018}}

Today, mayors have become strong political stewardesses{{cite web|url=http://www.envivopr.com/2011/07/bsnf-busca-apoyo-del-alcalde-de-mayaguez/ |title=BSNF busca apoyo del Alcalde de Mayagüez : EnVivoPR.Com / Noticias y Tecnología |publisher=Envivopr.com |date=2011-07-12 |access-date=2012-11-30}}{{cite web |url=http://www.primerahora.com/jaimeperelloestasegurodequeseraelpresidentedelacamara-723044.html |title=Jaime Perelló está seguro de que será el presidente de la Cámara |publisher=Primerahora.com |access-date=2012-11-30 |archive-date=2012-11-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120115601/http://www.primerahora.com/jaimeperelloestasegurodequeseraelpresidentedelacamara-723044.html |url-status=dead }} and anchors for other politicians seeking support from the citizens living in their municipalities.{{cite web |url=http://www.18norte66oeste.com/index.php/home/noticias/1282-agp-resalta-la-obra-del-alcalde-de-villalba-durante-su-recorrido-con-la-ola-de-la-gente.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116060759/http://www.18norte66oeste.com/index.php/home/noticias/1282-agp-resalta-la-obra-del-alcalde-de-villalba-durante-su-recorrido-con-la-ola-de-la-gente.html |archive-date=2013-01-16 |title=AGP resalta la obra del Alcalde de Villalba durante su recorrido con la Ola de la Gente |publisher=18norte66oeste.com |date=2012-09-24 |access-date=2012-11-30 }} It has also become increasingly common to involve and discuss political matters with the mayors, their assemblies, and the organizations to which they belong to, before implementing public policies, and approving or vetoing bills.{{cite web|url=http://www.fedalcaldes.com/htmls/text_1.html|title=Progress - Federacion de Alcaldes|website=Fedalcaldes.com|access-date=20 April 2018}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20240922053342/http://www.senadopr.us/Calendario%20de%20Ordenes%20Especiales/Martes,%2010%20de%20abril%20de%202012.pdf] Both the mayors and the central government of Puerto Rico, including the Governor and the Legislative Assembly, have been able to work in unison and symbiotically to up bring Puerto Rico and its municipalities.{{cite web |author=Vocero.com |url=http://www.vocero.com/orientan-a-nuevos-alcaldes-sobre-transicion/ |title=Orientan a nuevos alcaldes sobre transición – Vocero de Puerto Rico |publisher=Vocero.com |access-date=2012-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120004303/http://www.vocero.com/orientan-a-nuevos-alcaldes-sobre-transicion/ |archive-date=2012-11-20 }}

The Puerto Rico Mayors Association was founded in 1949 by Felisa Rincón de Gautier.{{cite web|title=Historia de la Asociación de Alcades de Puerto Rico|url=http://aalcaldes.com/historia.html|access-date=September 29, 2013|publisher=Puerto Rico Mayors Association|language=es}} The Puerto Rico Mayors Federationwas founded in 1968 by Carlos Romero Barceló as the Federation of Municipalities of Puerto Rico. The president of the Federation as of 2017 is Carlos Molina Rodríguez, after succeeding Hector O'Neill.{{cite web|last=Irizarry Álvarez|first=Femmy|date=February 1, 2017|title=Carlos Molina es el nuevo presidente de la Federación de Alcaldes|url=http://www.primerahora.com/noticias/gobierno-politica/nota/carlosmolinaeselnuevopresidentedelafederaciondealcaldes-1203772/|access-date=May 31, 2017|language=es|newspaper=Primera Hora}}

Mayors in Puerto Rico have the following duties:

• Organize, direct, and supervise all the administrative activities of the municipality
• Prepare the general budget of the municipality
• Administer the budget and handle credit transfers
• Hire professional, technical, and consulting services deemed necessary, convenient, or useful
• Supervise, administer, and authorize fund disbursements received by the municipality.

The law states the following requirements to be a mayor in Puerto Rico. The candidate must:{{cite web|website=Gobierno.pr|url=http://www.bvirtual.ogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/Municipios/81-1991/81-1991.pdf|title=Ley de Municipios Autónomos de Puerto Rico}}

• Be at least 21 years old.
• Know how to read and write.
• Be a citizen of the United States and Puerto Rico.
• Lived in the corresponding municipality for no less than a year before the election, and be a certified voter in it.
• Not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor which involves moral deprivation.
• Not be destitute of employment for improper conduct.
• Not be declared mentally unfit by a court of law.

According to an amend signed in 2006, a mayor in Puerto Rico can be removed from office for the following reasons:{{cite web|url=http://www.camaraderepresentantes.org/files/pdf/05528DCYBD.pdf|title=Cámara de Representantes, P. de la C. 2684|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6L4WWtbYf?url=http://www.camaraderepresentantes.org/files/pdf/05528DCYBD.pdf |archive-date=2013-11-12|url-status=dead|website=Camaraderepresentantes.org }}

• Being convicted of a felony.
• Being convicted of a misdemeanor which involves moral deprivation.
• Incurring in immoral conduct.
• Incurring in illegal acts which imply abandoning detrimental to the public function, inexcusable and unjustifiable negligence or conduct hindering to the best public interests. Such conduct must have affected the interests of the population and the rights of its inhabitants, must be related to the administration of the position of mayor, and must substantial in nature.

To determine the latter, any person can present charges against a mayor in front of a committee, which will then evaluate them and submit a verdict.

Like most political positions in Puerto Rico, mayors are elected every four years in a general election. Voters registered as residents of each municipality vote for their respective mayors. As of now, there is no limit in terms for mayors.

There are currently 41 mayors affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), 36 are affiliated with the New Progressive Party (PNP), and 1 affiliated with Project Dignity (PD). The longest tenured current mayor in the Commonwealth is the mayor of Dorado, Carlos López Rivera. López has been serving as mayor since being elected in 1987. The current term ends in January 2029, following the 2024 general election.

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Category:Local government in Puerto Rico