European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday december 28, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 7 statehood for puerto Rico a hot Issue because cd support from flush and the widespread belief that statehood would funnel billions of dollars More in Federal Aid to puerto Rico Romero  s Campaign has backers of the Island s current common wealth status on the defensive a the fight for statehood is a fight for equal rights Quot be argued during a break in his Holiday campaigning a the Congress has Given equal rights to the Blacks we should have As much rights As the Blacks should t Wenot Only would puerto Rico become the first slate in the Union to have a Spanish speaking majority but statehood backers Point out that it would have a larger voice in Washington with two senators and six or seven members of inc House. Census Flure Ati officials say it would rank about 21th in population Between Kentucky and Arizona. It is the financial argument for statehood that thousands of people Here find compelling. Many would suddenly get Between $300-and $100 a month More in Federal welfare payments under statehood Quot statehood is for the poor a Romero Barcelo has written contending the higher Federal payments a As much As $3.2 billion a year by some estimates a would boost puerto Rico to a new level of Prosperity. Statehood advocates Promise that new tourism in what Romero Barcelo Calls Quot the Frontier stale Quot would add 100,000 jobs. But others including gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon a longtime adversary of Romero Barcelo contend that statehood would spell economic disaster for puerto Rico. Businesses and individuals Here re exempt from paying Federal income taxes. Loss of this exemption Hernandez Colon said would take away Quot the engine that keeps our Economy  departure of the More than Coo industries lured  the tax Breaks he said would leave puerto Rico Quot a tropical South  Quot it would condemn us to be a Caribbean ghetto a said Jose r. Gonzalez Branch manager of first Boston corp., and an investment banker. A Page founded by lawmaker will pay Fine Washington a a political action committee founded by rep. Dick Armey a Texas has agreed to pay a $3,000 Fine to Settle charges that it Viola Ted Federal election Law officials said wednesday. It 7 a spokesman for the Federal election commission said the Pac established by Armey accepted an illegal contribution and failed to file proper and timely election reports in 1988. Commission spokesman Fred Eiland said Armeyy a policy innovation political action committee or Ipac agreed on oct. 2 to pay a $3,000 civil penalty. Armey founded Ipac to help elect like minded conservatives to the House. It contributed $21,500 to 30 candidates this year 12 were elected. Armey spokesman de Gillespie de scribed the violations As a just basically technical  7 a these were charges made by Armeyy a political opponent a John Wayne Caton Gillespie said wednesday a the fact is that More serious charges. Were proven to be false and were  the Fec said it initiated the complaint. The settlement agreement covers complaints ranging from failure to file reports on time to accepting an excess contribution. Eiland said the committee accepted three contributions of $2,000 each in 1988 from James Lightner the retired chairman of electro space systems inc. Of Richardson Texas a defense firm now owned by Chrysler corp. The limit on contributions rom an individual to a Pac is $5,000 a year. Eiland said the Pac received the $2,000 contributions from Lightner in february june and september out noted in an october report that Lightner a contributions for the year were $5,000. A a.  .-���. A map shoppers at Macy so new York Check out Post Christmas offerings which most retailers count on to  lacklustre  sales May get worst since 82. By the los Angeles times their profits during the Christmas shop Hurt. Extreme cold Snow and flooding retailers throughout the United Ping season analysts said that this in the West kept shoppers away and states did not just get a Lump of Coal in years poor sales could spell trouble surprisingly mild weather in the East their stockings this Christmas season next year. Hurt apparel sales. They got a bucketful. A a i think what makes it particularly for the season just ended final sales As shoppers flocked to the malls worrisome is that unlike 1982, this is results wont be in for weeks. Most an wednesday to Exchange Holiday gifts now a heavily leveraged Industry. And a Alyss said however that not even a and to Check the after Christmas sales lot of the major players require a Large last minute surge of buying the last Industry analysts and officials estimated amount of Cash flow to service their weekend before Christmas could Sal that sales for the crucial Holiday season debts a said Ira Kazish an economist Vage the season officials said will fall below most expectations. They with the retail consulting company Many merchants reported that their anticipated possibly the worst season management horizons in Columbus sales at stores open More than one year since the recession of 1982. Ohio. A the seriousness of this Down _ known in the retailing Industry As a it looks As though people done to have turn accelerate the process of same store or comparable store sales Money to spend Quot said Joyce free who shakeout and consolidation in the retail were Flat or a pwn from a year ago. Was shopping at a los Angeles mall. A i Industry a taking into account inflation which is done to know of anyone who is Happy a analysts and Industry executives running at More than 6 percent this said e. Harlin Smith a spokesman for blamed the poor  the recession year the figures would look even worse. A los Angeles based Carter Hawley Hale the weak Dollar High interest rates total sales were either Flat or fell an stores which owns four department fears of unemployment and worries average 3 percent from a year ago in store chains. About the persian Gulf crisis. Inflation adjusted dollars analysts Esti because retailers generally earn half unseasonal weather also May have mated. By Bill Mcallister the Washington Post san Juan puerto Rico the truck lurched Forward into the warm mid december night its six huge speakers blaring a puerto rican Christmas Carol with a Bamba beat and a distinctly political message. A the son of heaven was born in Bethlehem and Carlos Romero was born in Borinquen Quot Sang the six Mem bar band in Praise of the White haired Man who was waving and tossing Christmas candies to children along the route. A Arriba cd Caballo Quot shouted one of the onlookers to Carlos Romero Barcelo. 57, the Island s former governor. Nicknamed Al Caballo the horse for his tireless campaigning to make this impoverished Island of 3.6 million into the nations 51st state he was on the Road again to convince Romero Barcelo puerto Picans that statehood is the key to their future. After 92 years under the . Flag puerto Rico appears closer than Ever to resolving its status. The . House of representatives Preir Lrtil Horti Nyrl nil 4-Lvaa of Makh president Bush and All three of the islands major political parties have endorsed legislation that would allow puerto Picans to vote on whether to remain a Semi autonomous . Commonwealth or seek statehood or Independence. Angel Sanchez 39, who lived in Rochester n.y., for five years before returning Home draws a Sharp distinction Between his Island and the others in the Caribbean. A we done to want to be like Cuba or Santo Domingo a said Sanchez a restaurant worker. A if we be like Santo Domingo we be  his comments in broken English mirrored the Politi Cal Paradox of puerto Rico an Island that pledges loyalty to the . Flag while it boasts almost defiantly of its 500-Ycar-old hispanic tradition. In a land where fewer than one in five people speak fluent English puerto Rico would become an Quot american Quebec a resisting efforts to blend into a larger More heterogeneous nation argue those who favor maintaining the Island s Commonwealth status. Quot the nation does no to need another state that Speaks English Quot Romero Barcelo said. Quot a state that Speaks Spanish would help the  language is a key Issue affecting statehood but Elear Florida i Atlantic puerto Rico Cuba gun Ico Jamaica Caribbean sea by not the Only Issue. With a per capita income of $5,673 in 1988 a half that of the poorest state Mississippi a puerto Rico As the 51st . State would be entitled to massive amounts of Federal Aid. Fully 60 percent of the islands population lives in what the Federal govern Rhonl classifies As poverty. Yet by Caribbean standards puerto Rico is an economic Paradise. The Island already receives generous . Tax benefits and More than $6 billion a year in . Many politicians Here agree that statehood probably would win a a a status referendum if it were held now