Federal Court of Puerto Rico Dismisses Gasoline Discount Case
After the Federal Court for the district of Puerto Rico dismissed the case that seeks to enable the discount for paying gasoline in cash, which exists in other jurisdictions in the United States, the Association of Gasoline Retailers of Puerto Rico (Adgpr) submitted a motion for reconsideration in said forum, without ruling out going to the Boston Court of Appeals, if necessary.
Ramón “Monchito” Ortiz, president of the Adgpr, confirmed to THE SPOKESMAN the motion for reconsideration submitted on October 20 and awaits a decision. If the court were to rule again against the organization, they would continue the appeal in Boston, where they expect the court to rule in their favor.
The double price corresponds to the concept of occupied field, meaning if there is a conflict between a state law and a federal law, the federal statute must prevail, stated Monchito. He assured that the law exists in United States and emphasized that they want a discount while clarifying that in the United States it is not a discount but the law allows for a charge to be imposed if you pay with plastic.
Ortiz also revealed their intent to request meetings with legislators to propose the elimination of the gasoline tax. The “crudita” tax was established by former governor Alejandro García Padilla in 2015, with collection intended to pay the debt of the Highways and Transportation Authority (ACT).
In their effort to eliminate the tax, Ortiz believes it would result in a benefit to commerce and help the consumer pay less for a liter of gasoline.
The Adgpr president believes that the “crudita” tax increase costs related to card processing and cause the consumer to pay 1.25% to 2% more for cashless transactions. He stressed that the reduction or elimination of the tax would lead to a decrease in the costs related to card processing and improved efficiency for consumers and the business.