I had heard rumors about it, but now the rumors are true: Puerto Rico is distributing “federal economic incentive payments” to its taxpayers, thanks to the U.S. Congress. You see, for reasons I don’t quite understand, the Puerto Ricans are getting the same sized stimulus checks as the mainland. That seems a little odd to me, as they don’t pay U.S. Federal income taxes. They do pay PR income taxes, so why the money isn’t coming out of the PR treasury is beyond me. (Besides the fact that the PR treasury has no money, that is.) 

As if that wasn’t odd enough, guess how they are distributing the money? To the hard working private workers first, right? By SSN, like up in the States, right? HA-HA. Of course not! The government workers are getting their checks first (initially direct deposit, then checks). All you hard-working non-government people have to wait another month. That, my friends, sums up living on that island quite well.

The checks are based on 2006 PR tax returns, which we filed, as Evelyn was working at the observatory. I wonder if we’re going to get one? And if we do, are we allowed to be double-stimulated? God forbid I have to return the check, as I’d be filling out forms and buying tax stamps for the next 10 years just to clear it up.