Governor has not agreed to reduction of promised tax relief checks.

By THE STAR STAFF

Public Affairs Secretary Jean Peña Payano asserted Tuesday that the government has not agreed to reduce the proposed tax relief checks promised by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, emphasizing that discussions with the Financial Oversight and Management Board are ongoing. 

Peña Payano said certain comments from the governor were made in response to a general inquiry about potential fiscal scenarios, rather than an indication of any official modification to the proposal. He said the governor’s fiscal team -- comprising AAFAF, the Treasury Department, and the Office of Management and Budget -- remains in continuous communication with the oversight board.  

The La Fortaleza official referenced a recent letter from the oversight board as evidence of an active exchange of information and negotiations. Peña Payano pointed out that during last week’s oversight board meeting, members reiterated that dialogue with the administration continues, even as discrepancies over fiscal projections persist. He reaffirmed that the government’s priority is to ensure the relief begins after April 15, once the current tax cycle concludes, in accordance with the governor’s public commitment.

Peña Payano described the current process as a standard component of the broader legislative review that has taken place since the establishment of the federally mandated oversight board. He emphasized that once new laws are approved and signed, exchanges of data and evaluation between the board and government fiscal officials routinely follow. In this case, he added, public attention has intensified because the discussions involve a highly anticipated tax relief measure.