American affiliates in Puerto Rico get tax breaks like the ones granted to foreign companies, while the goods they produce are sold as made in America. The tax on intellectual property, which includes patents and design rights, would make Puerto Rico less attractive for business, compared with foreign countries that offer lower tax rates for manufacturers, said Ramón Ponte, president of the Puerto Rico C.P.A. It’s putting Puerto Rico in a worse-off position than it was yesterday.”Last year, a special law — called Promesa, or “promise” in Spanish — was enacted to restructure Puerto Rico’s more than $70 billion debt. Last month, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said lawmakers would address Puerto Rico’s tax concerns in negotiations with the Senate. Puerto Rico is sensitive to tax decisions made in Washington.
