Puerto Rico governor to fight proposed furloughs, cuts

Puerto Rico's governor said Friday that he will go to court to fight a federal control board's call to cut a public pension system by 10 percent, furlough tens of thousands of government workers and eliminate Christmas bonuses.
The comments by Gov. Ricardo Rossello come amid rising tensions between his administration and the board created by Congress last year to oversee the finances of a U.S. territory mired in a 10-year recession.
"We will take any steps necessary to protect the people of Puerto Rico," Rossello said.
He said the board cannot impose those measures unilaterally by July 1 without the consent of his administration.
A spokesman for the seven-member board did not respond to a request for comment.
The board has proposed furloughs of two days a month for teachers and four days a month for other government workers as a way to cut government spending by up to $40 million a month in savings. In addition, all Christmas bonuses could be eliminated by fiscal year 2018.
Rossello rejected those proposals on Thursday in response to a letter the board sent his administration last week.
By DANICA COTO
Puerto Rico governor to fight proposed furloughs, cuts

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