Office of Management and Budget of Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
The Office of Management and Budget of Puerto Rico, formerly known as the "Bureau of the Budget", was created by Law 213 of May 12, 1942, during the administration of Governor
Rexford Guy Tugwell, who was part of the brain trust
of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
, and who was appointed as the last non-native Puerto Rican governor by Roosevelt. The Bureau was part of a package of new agencies created to provide the impoverished United States territory with a state-like government. Some of the new agencies included the Puerto Rico Planning Board
, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority
and the Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico. It was created to assist the Governor in the preparation of the annual budget and the public improvements plan.
The Bureau grew during the late 1940s and its offices, within the grounds of Puerto Rico's Executive Mansion, La Fortaleza
, housed fewer than 25 employees that populated three divisions, the Forecasting Division, the Statistical Norms Division and the Administrative Management Division. From 1946 to 1951, the Bureau was headed by Roberto De Jesús Toro, who served under the first native-born governor, Jesús T. Piñero
, and the territory's first elected governor, Luis Muñoz Marín
.
In the 1950s, under director José Ramón Noguera, who served from 1951 to 1958, the Bureau took charge of a major government reorganization. By the time Ramón García Santiago served from 1958 to 1961, the Bureau had tripled its employee headcount to 75. In 1973, the Bureau moved to its own building on Cruz Street in Old San Juan.
During the incumbency of the longest-serving Director, Luis Montañez, the name of the agency was changed to Office of Budget and Management by Law 147 of 1980. The name, as well as the emphasis of the agency's focus, was once again changed by Law 110 of 1995, when it was renamed Office of Management and Budget under executive director Jorge Aponte, who expanded the technological side of the agency and added to the director the role of becoming the government's Chief Information Officer or CIO.
In 2005, while Ileana Fas served as its director, the Office confronted the first time in Puerto Rico's history in which the new budget, approved by a New Progressive Party-dominated legislature presided by House Speaker José Aponte Hernández and Senate President Kenneth McClintock
, was vetoed by Popular Democratic Party Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
, and triggered the constitutional mechanism of keeping the previous year's budget in place. In 2006, the Governor, in a struggle against the Legislature, ordered a partial shutdown of the government for two weeks, which also imposed new challenges on the office, which saw a succession of three directors during one four-year term. Prior to 2005, directors served, on the average, for almost five years.
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
Rexford Guy Tugwell, who was part of the brain trust
Brain Trust
Brain trust began as a term for a group of close advisors to a political candidate or incumbent, prized for their expertise in particular fields. The term is most associated with the group of advisors to Franklin Roosevelt during his presidential administration...
of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, and who was appointed as the last non-native Puerto Rican governor by Roosevelt. The Bureau was part of a package of new agencies created to provide the impoverished United States territory with a state-like government. Some of the new agencies included the Puerto Rico Planning Board
Puerto Rico Planning Board
The Puerto Rico Planning Board was created in the 1940s during Rexford G. Tugwell's governorship and is the only state government agency in charge of centralized planning under the American flag...
, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority
Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority
The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, originally named the Puerto Rico Water Resources Authority or Autoridad de las Fuentes Fluviales was created by Law #83 of May 2, 1941 during the governorship of Rexford G. Tugwell, an FDR "brain-truster".Publicly-owned, PRWRA unified diverse regional and...
and the Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico. It was created to assist the Governor in the preparation of the annual budget and the public improvements plan.
The Bureau grew during the late 1940s and its offices, within the grounds of Puerto Rico's Executive Mansion, La Fortaleza
La Fortaleza
La Fortaleza is the current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina . It is the oldest executive mansion in the New World...
, housed fewer than 25 employees that populated three divisions, the Forecasting Division, the Statistical Norms Division and the Administrative Management Division. From 1946 to 1951, the Bureau was headed by Roberto De Jesús Toro, who served under the first native-born governor, Jesús T. Piñero
Jesus T. Piñero
Jesús Toribio Piñero Jiménez was the first native Puerto Rican to be appointed governor of Puerto Rico by the Government of the United States.-Early years:...
, and the territory's first elected governor, Luis Muñoz Marín
Luis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
.
In the 1950s, under director José Ramón Noguera, who served from 1951 to 1958, the Bureau took charge of a major government reorganization. By the time Ramón García Santiago served from 1958 to 1961, the Bureau had tripled its employee headcount to 75. In 1973, the Bureau moved to its own building on Cruz Street in Old San Juan.
During the incumbency of the longest-serving Director, Luis Montañez, the name of the agency was changed to Office of Budget and Management by Law 147 of 1980. The name, as well as the emphasis of the agency's focus, was once again changed by Law 110 of 1995, when it was renamed Office of Management and Budget under executive director Jorge Aponte, who expanded the technological side of the agency and added to the director the role of becoming the government's Chief Information Officer or CIO.
In 2005, while Ileana Fas served as its director, the Office confronted the first time in Puerto Rico's history in which the new budget, approved by a New Progressive Party-dominated legislature presided by House Speaker José Aponte Hernández and Senate President Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
, was vetoed by Popular Democratic Party Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer. He served as the eighth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth of the United States, from 2005 to 2009. He is a Harvard University alumnus and a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law,...
, and triggered the constitutional mechanism of keeping the previous year's budget in place. In 2006, the Governor, in a struggle against the Legislature, ordered a partial shutdown of the government for two weeks, which also imposed new challenges on the office, which saw a succession of three directors during one four-year term. Prior to 2005, directors served, on the average, for almost five years.
Executive directors
- María Sánchez Bras - 2009-2010
- Armando Valdés - 2007-2008
- José Guillermo Dávila Matos -2006-2007
- Ileana Fas - 2005-2006
- Melba Acosta - 2001-2004
- Jorge Aponte - 1993-2000
- José AlonsoJosé AlonsoJosé Alonso may refer to:*José Alonso , Spanish athlete*José Alonso , Argentine trade-unionist*José Alonso *Jose Alonso , co-discoverer of element Seaborgium...
- 1989-1992 - Roberto Inclán - 1986-1989
- Orlando Sánchez Muñoz - 1985
- Luis Montañez - 1977-1984
- Jaime Santiago Meléndez - 1973-1976
- Luis Montañez - 1968-1972
- Elías Rivera Cidraz - 1966-1968
- Guillermo Irizarry - 1961-1966
- Ramón García Santiago - 1958-1961
- José Ramón Noguera - 1951-1958
- Roberto De Jesús Toro - 1946-1951
- Louis Sturckle - 1942-1945