[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6564781,"mediaKeyId","3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70","parentId",3254028,"title","Agriculture officials outline FY2025–26 requests; lawmakers press on recovery projects, accounts receivable and school‑meal payments","audioSeconds",3454,"startMs",7891000,"endMs",11345000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70&start=7891&end=11345","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70/thumbnail_7891000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6564781/Agriculture-officials-outline-FY202526-requests-lawmakers-press-on-recovery-projects-accounts-receivable-and-schoolmeal-payments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564781-18b401397288ffd869f0b81561d7263e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143176&Signature=IcTPQh74DlaMxqB5BOUAdeifprqZGYtN2qEGkBvDK64sxyLvL-uOHzVJ6YIMl5WLm59SyfUb9RHGWmuYBLFcWUp2iNDL80ojuGogd0iobR~EzR6ysg9F7FBUe562pd0bQ82~IIdDyc~ubgzbKA2A31-Ge9AxCmipxNynrVhIqF9-Fs5vjXGx66JsTOW8ozR~F5grmGx-opV~cBT8M2SWERziPoD5x7ECnw7-ee470DLX3Q2UQ3PAutyRMcPviWG-XiVnP8uTrWUJxTsJEH0TBB5bwJ-tryNrZv7sDob-~f9Bjrg1YkGCvc0IYvTpZeivqoxGrZ-1VrgHzlPmrE8nuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Camara de Representantes PR","date","2025-05-09T20:14:39Z","article","Top leaders from Puerto Rico’s Department of Agriculture and its component agencies appeared before the House Finance Committee on May 9 to summarize budget requests for FY2025–26, give an update on federal recovery and grant awards, and answer lawmakers’ questions about accounts receivable, project schedules and program delivery.

Secretary Josué Rivera Castro opened with a high‑level summary: the department requested about $38.46 million in general‑fund support and a consolidated budget of roughly $42.9 million. He outlined program priorities including an agricultural statistics and economics office, a digital farmer profile (\"agroperfil\") to inventory land and producer data, support for youth and women farmers, seed and germplasm work, and efforts to increase local food production and market linkages.

Authority of Lands: arrears and recovery projects
Agrónoma Elga Méndez Soto, director executive of the Authority of Lands (Autoridad de Tierras), told the committee the authority’s requested budget is $18,076,211 (requested) versus a lower baseline recommendation; the difference included an item for a legal settlement and other nonrecurring needs. She said the authority services about 40 district offices and eight senatorial districts and listed 31 FEMA‑related recovery projects; most remain in design while the irrigation pivots project is roughly 95% complete.

Méndez Soto reported arrears from lessees and said the authority had approximately $8.4 million in accounts receivable from active tenants; she estimated that, combining arrears from tenant farmers and unpaid obligations by government agencies and municipalities, the total recoverable exposure could be substantially larger (the discussion referenced a figure in the tens of millions). She told lawmakers the authority is preparing targeted enforcement and desahucio (eviction) actions and will send a more detailed ledger on arrears when requested.

ADEA and school meal invoicing
Agricultural development administrator Jorge Quiles Maldonado (ADEA) and Javier Lugo Roldán (Corporation for Agricultural Insurance) also testified. ADEA described its role in procuring local produce for school meal programs and other institutional buyers; the committee raised a concern that billing and reconciliation with the Department of Education is unresolved. ADEA officials said invoices are processed regionally and that the agency has been working to reconcile long‑standing unpaid balances related to school meal purchases. ADEA reported it would provide a detailed accounts‑receivable breakdown requested by the committee.

Federal grants and recovery funds
Secretary Rivera Castro enumerated federal grants: the Resilient Food Systems/AMS award (about $3.5 million for competitive proposals), livestock and poultry inspection funds (~$425,000), pesticide management grants (EPA) and other programmatic funds. He said roughly 2.2% of the department’s budget is federal grants (the department estimated federal funding equivalent at the time of testimony). The secretary also said the department had extended certain grant deadlines through year‑end after negotiating with federal agencies.

Committee direction and follow‑ups
Committee members repeatedly asked for project‑by‑project status, percent complete and whether FEMA/ARP projects are fully funded for completion. Secretary Rivera Castro and the agency leaders agreed to deliver a table showing each recovery project, funding source, percent complete and outstanding procurement or permitting milestones within five business days. Members also asked the Department of Education to appear in a follow‑up hearing to reconcile school‑meal invoices that ADEA says remain unpaid.

Why it matters: Agriculture policy and recovery funds affect food security, rural employment and local economies. Lawmakers signaled they will scrutinize project management and receivables because uncollected revenue or project delays reduce available funds for current and new programs.

Provenance: Secretary Rivera Castro, Agrónoma Elga Méndez Soto (Authority of Lands), Jorge Quiles Maldonado (ADEA) and Javier Lugo Roldán (Corporation for Agricultural Insurance) provided testimony and answered committee questions recorded in the May 9 hearing transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Audiencia 1","oneSentenceSummary","Department of Agriculture leaders told the House Finance Committee on May 9 that their FY2025–26 request includes about $38.46 million in general‑fund support (consolidated $42.9M) and emphasized priorities including an agro‑profile, youth farm access and recovery project completion.","taxTitle","House of Representatives, House, Committees, Legislative, Puerto Rico","taxId",77854,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6564785,"Centro de Bellas Artes seeks nonrecurring funds for façade, parking and a new outdoor theater",854,6551000,7405000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70&start=6551&end=7405","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70/thumbnail_6551000.jpg","/articles/6564785/Centro-de-Bellas-Artes-seeks-nonrecurring-funds-for-façade-parking-and-a-new-outdoor-theater","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564785-6c7a50f4c344a2c18ff2201b7e16bfc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143176&Signature=NYg0tIcCEberrq8laoD6ASGuATzkEosWBYpNKC0dyLqnErMV4HX9ICJHnOSGxRaZCrtUPqeu1xNDsNemxEF4aGKYXe7BnBODlaKmrAdwhsjSAnsiqb8tkbjjlf7rkIUzHzs6doDVL3tI-41OQqP5Zp3JhsP6IQXKgjHqNz3lq-hvhju7qZh-98Ww-4RZGV9MTTJSHikvcNnoCk6lV8sBrqUcgry9kYMDFzz7oMoDoA0bF8TY47XQSvwjKdjtel97C7TXKVGpU7itUHl~YxenG~De1dIWJdO0V4Cfx2r8TiLle3DBrkq74KgVGAYJSu4NO0IsdIe8BVqfa8X9JVl5MA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The corporation that operates the Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré asked the House Finance Committee on May 9 for targeted nonrecurring funding to finish ongoing infrastructure projects, improve accessibility and develop a small open‑air theater.

José Yépez Pérez de Corcho Morgado, general manager of the Centro de Bellas Artes, described ongoing phases of work and a CAPEX allocation. \"Actualmente la corporación cuenta con una asignación especial para de CAPEX, para la mejora del estacionamiento, que eso se proyecta para este año y principio del próximo, de 4,193,000 dólares,\" Yépez Pérez de Corcho Morgado said. He told the committee the project will reinforce the parking structure and roof and that the corporation recently invested roughly $10.5 million in energy and water efficiency and other capital improvements.

The corporation reported 41 employees and a mixed operating model combining general‑fund payroll support (about $2,094,000 annually) with self‑generated income from rentals, ticketing fees and concessions (roughly $1,171,000). Yépez Pérez de Corcho Morgado asked the committee to consider a one‑time $1,000,000 nonrecurring allocation to develop a new outdoor performance space and related improvements to the main entry. He said the outdoor theater could open by September and generate roughly $100,000 a year in new earned revenue when operating.

Why it matters: The Centro de Bellas Artes hosts national and international productions and supports cultural activity across the metropolitan area. Committee members asked whether FEMA and ARPA funds covered ongoing projects; the manager said FEMA obligations remain for some storm‑related work and ARPA funds had been used for a limited set of repairs and contingencies.

Details cited in testimony
- CAPEX: $4,193,000 currently obligated to parking structure repairs and roof work; ARPA funds $250,000 available for contingency; FEMA reimbursements estimated at about $2.2 million remaining for other recovery projects.
- Staffing and finances: 41 employees (mix of career, trust and transient staff). The center receives $2,094,000 from the general fund for payroll and reported self‑generated revenue of roughly $1,171,000.
- Requested nonrecurring funds: $1,000,000 to finish a new outdoor theater, entry improvements, and other one‑time investments intended to boost earned revenue by about $100,000 per year.

Committee members praised recent infrastructure investments and asked for a summary schedule and confirmation that current FEMA and CAPEX projects are fully funded through completion. Yépez Pérez de Corcho Morgado said the center is obligated to finish current FEMA projects and will provide additional project schedules when requested.

Provenance: Manager testimony and the committee Q&A are recorded in the hearing transcript for May 9.","The Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré told the legislature it has CAPEX for parking repairs and asked for $1 million in nonrecurring funding to complete entry improvements and build an outdoor theater expected to increase earned revenue.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6564790,"Office of the Procurador del Ciudadano asks legislature for $503,000 and a technology upgrade",347,3232000,3579000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70&start=3232&end=3579","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70/thumbnail_3232000.jpg","/articles/6564790/Office-of-the-Procurador-del-Ciudadano-asks-legislature-for-503000-and-a-technology-upgrade","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564790-feb8aa946d65f106dbdc83dfb523d34b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143176&Signature=Ynhc3CPF4xPnZRi4kTu8IZaySEN0I7fP2OOGLjh8U~QLB~YCfBj2hGHXD4zDGASsLfpQ4Px~XEJ-hmSkXlEH3ml~dtWZao7xdj33EERdH3VfW1bSIGg~1Tm9qtJ261L08LHLoAjRTxVT0vv285kAFJWKpMJWl1AmY1mfVDDJRiLoJSkSXwJ-3uPsqaXX4R34Cl-SdgKDXa4PiS5yV~qpjZS-c4IubE3BCel6s7Ty28~hGAr6VJT09qAIbQvIAh83i-TfWrSHtqZClKXJOYHBPqy9EK0qzKRAGw72WSLZK9UHX4OMpNF7VJlqUDAWqTFj2TxFJRiC2Re0IRCJUD6YAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Edwin García Feliciano, Procurador del Ciudadano (Ombudsman), asked the Puerto Rico House Finance Committee on May 9 to fund a technology replacement and additional staff to carry out newly created specialized advocacy units and to maintain casework capacity.

García Feliciano told the panel his office handled roughly 26,000 citizen contacts in the last fiscal year and currently employs about 60 people with an operating budget “de cerca de 3.3 millones de dólares.” He said the office’s case‑management software dates back two decades and has been unreliable; the office asked for a nonrecurring capital investment of $220,000 to replace it. “El sistema mecanizado que utilizamos para atender los reclamos ... data de hace 20 años,” García Feliciano said.

The Procurador also asked for 13 additional positions to staff a set of newly authorized specialized ombudsman units that the legislature has created in recent sessions: a small‑business ombudsman, a transport ombudsman, a data‑banks ombudsman, and representation of customer interests on several public boards (electric power and aqueducts authorities). The salary and benefit cost for those 13 positions was presented as roughly $396,000; combined with other operating needs the office requested $503,000 in non‑payroll funds in the budget under review.

Why it matters: The Procurador’s office acts as an intermediary between citizens and many agencies of the executive branch. García Feliciano said the office’s interventions not only resolve individual complaints but also generate broader institutional recommendations — for example, compiling the island’s most complete lists of school closures, shelter status and tire‑management research.

Details provided in testimony
- Caseload and cost per complaint: The office described serving about 26,000 citizen contacts last year and estimated the average cost to process a complaint at about $140 from intake to resolution.
- Technology request: $220,000 nonrecurring CAPEX to replace an aging case‑management system; current license costs are reported at about $55,000 annually.
- Staffing request: 13 positions to staff several specialized ombuds units; estimated cost about $396,000. García Feliciano noted the office previously had as many as 140 employees in a different era but now operates at roughly 60, and indicated a long‑run staffing ceiling around 90.

Committee response and follow‑up
Members pressed for details on the technology solution, asked whether the requested positions are permanent or one‑time, and sought clarity on which new statutory duties produced the staffing need. García Feliciano tied the staffing ask to specific laws that created new specialized ombudsman functions (small business, transport, data banks, etc.) and said those statutory mandates arrived without dedicated operating allocations.

The Finance Committee asked the Procurador to provide an itemized payroll impact and to confirm whether the technology request can be delivered as CAPEX to avoid recurring licensing charges. The committee also discussed the office’s remit and whether additional investigators should be added in future budgets; García Feliciano said the office currently has 17 investigators and expects to request additional investigative positions in the next budget cycle to reach roughly 30 investigators.

Provenance: García Feliciano’s entire presentation and the committee’s questions appear in the hearing transcript; key figures and direct quotes were taken from his testimony to the Finance Committee on May 9.","Edwin García Feliciano, Procurador del Ciudadano (ombudsman), told the House Finance Committee on May 9 that his office needs a $220,000 capital upgrade and new staff to handle legally created specialized ombudsman functions and rising casework.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6564795,"Puerto Rico consumer affairs agency urges digital overhaul, more inspectors and staff",1141,3394000,4535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70&start=3394&end=4535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3254028-ce31ed68dc268d6a7bfe90c515fdad70/thumbnail_3394000.jpg","/articles/6564795/Puerto-Rico-consumer-affairs-agency-urges-digital-overhaul-more-inspectors-and-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564795-4c8703bba06d56961f2fc6cc3d3f45cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143176&Signature=D38uUravOCLmmK6ZWEeHf4YgK8vPwF~Xk3pZU4unlw87lHEOZv5uHSPHZ5PPZKsH4wpTBYoq2dw~IubS6UYrnodKCyX8BjbeY5BnTM8QyheAGg0m9Ijp8M6FKBc68bGU5I2kpXLeHYFB2rHjdY~qOGif0hhrl4VaAfVBbQKaeLNNozU~bfnWK~ZC58m4PCUmbF3PsribKHKuxx9cU1e-xyR7DCBgQ5dr5QJ8juUTwNhhG5HipnlDm-2iZPKgToQTSVXOi5PMwChiAjDmziZ0G5NnJeIsBaDoncyu70EKixFsv9MCc8SlHmOnNkWJ13i23y48742Nzx9kmAUt2SUSqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO) told the Puerto Rico House Committee on Finance on May 9 that it needs a major technology upgrade and additional specialized staff to manage a rising volume of consumer complaints and enforcement duties.

DACO Secretary Barely Rodríguez Erazo summarized the agency’s budget request and operational pressures during a public hearing on the governor’s proposed FY2025–26 budget. \"Vivimos en una época de libre mercado y vamos a ser bien vigilantes en ese margen de ganancia,\" Rodríguez Erazo said, adding that DACO’s platform and inspection field tools are outdated and forcing staff into manual, paper‑based processes.

The department said it receives more than 2,000 regional visits monthly and that complaint caseloads have risen: DACO reported 2,105 active complaints so far in FY2025 and 6,121 for the prior full year. Secretary Rodríguez Erazo described inspection and enforcement gaps — for example, just two motor‑vehicle technical inspectors cover the whole island — and said specialized investigators and mediators are needed to reduce backlog and improve outcomes.

Why it matters: DACO enforces consumer protections across widely used sectors (fuel, vehicles, construction, condominium law, medical and pharmaceutical pricing, and weighing/measurement). Committee members pressed DACO on digital tools and accounts receivable practices because more efficient intake and billing would accelerate enforcement and increase self‑generated revenue.

Key requests and details
- Technology: DACO is seeking a multi‑part upgrade. The department described a consumer‑facing website refresh already provisionally funded (about $155,000 in prior OGP turnarounds and an item reflected in the Joint Resolution reply from the Fiscal Oversight Board). Separately DACO requested a case‑management replacement and mobile tablets for inspectors, estimated in testimony at roughly $200,000–$250,000 for field hardware plus $200,000–$225,000 for a case‑management/CAPEX package. DACO said annual license fees now are roughly $55,000 and that a one‑time CAPEX purchase would eliminate recurring license payments and pay back the investment in about four years.
- Staffing: DACO reported 143 employees across central and five regional offices and asked for additional investigators and technical staff. The secretary said the agency currently has two vehicle experts for the entire island and called recruitment for specialized inspector classifications \"de difícil reclutamiento.\" She said some positions were temporarily covered with ARPA‑funded contract attorneys that have since ended.
- Enforcement and measurement: The division of Weights and Measures (created under Law 147 of 1968) was cited as critical to fair trade; Rodríguez Erazo recounted an airport enforcement operation showing many noncompliant scales and emphasized that current paper processes prevent immediate sealing and payment, which undermines enforcement and revenue capture.

Committee follow‑up and requests
Committee members asked DACO to provide written quotes for the proposed tablets, case‑management system and a line‑item breakdown of how any CAPEX would be spent. The committee also asked for documentation of accounts receivable, the number and classification of inspectors by region, and details on which functions are supported by temporary ARPA or nonrecurring funds.

What DACO said about vulnerable consumers
Secretary Rodríguez Erazo said modernization would not replace telephone or in‑person access for seniors and other residents who lack digital access. \"Estamos buscando una manera de llegar recursos para tener un call center,\" she told the committee, adding the department plans educational videos and more outreach in the new site to reach non‑digital users.

Next steps
Committee leaders asked DACO to supply cost estimates and vendor quotes within days so lawmakers can consider the requests during the ongoing PROMESA review process. Members said they will press the Fiscal Oversight Board and the Office of Management and Budget if necessary to try to include nonrecurring CAPEX and critical personnel in the final FY2025–26 budget.

Provenance: DACO’s presentation and extended Q&A appear in the hearing transcript beginning with Secretary Barely Rodríguez Erazo’s opening remarks and continuing into the committee’s detailed questioning of the department’s technology and accounts‑receivable practices.","The Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO) told the House Finance Committee it needs a new case‑management system, tablets for inspectors and additional specialized staff to handle rising caseloads and enforcement activity, and asked lawmakers to approve one‑time and personnel funding in the FY2025‑26 budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Agriculture officials outline FY2025–26 requests; lawmakers press on recovery projects, accounts receivable and school‑meal payments

Centro de Bellas Artes seeks nonrecurring funds for façade, parking and a new outdoor theater

Office of the Procurador del Ciudadano asks legislature for $503,000 and a technology upgrade

Puerto Rico consumer affairs agency urges digital overhaul, more inspectors and staff