William Miranda Marín
Encyclopedia
William "Willie" Miranda Marín (September 23, 1940 – June 4, 2010) was the mayor
of Caguas
, Puerto Rico
from 1997 until his death in 2010.
in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. In 1969 he completed his law degree at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras and was admitted to the bar in 1970.
Miranda Marín and his wife had three children: William Edgardo, Luis Alexander, and José Juan . They resided in the sector of Bairoa in Caguas.
On September 18, 2009, Miranda Marín announced he was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer
. On June 4, 2010 at 7:45 in the morning, Miranda Marín died in the Auxilio Mutuo Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico after battling his illness.
, and as chairman of the board of the Community Services Institute.
from 1975 to 1976, and as Adjutant General
of the Puerto Rico National Guard
with the rank of Major General
(1990-1992). While commanding the National Guard, he also served as executive director of the Office for Improvement of the Public Schools of Puerto Rico from 1990 to 1992.
Miranda Marín also was the chairman of the U.S. Democratic Party
Chapter of Puerto Rico, secretary-general of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
(PPD), chairman of the PPD Status Commission, and president of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association. Until his death, he was chairman of the board of the Municipal Revenue Collections Center (CRIM by its acronym in Spanish
).
His candidacy had been considered by the Popular Democratic Party (PPD by its acronym in Spanish) to be a viable contender for the Governorship of Puerto Rico.
In 2002, Miranda Marín was voted the "Caribbean Business' Public Sector Person of the Year." In 2005 Miranda Marín announced a 1% municipal tax surcharge in his town of Caguas, which allegedly was necessary in order to meet municipal payrolls, particularly for garbage collectors. The tax was nicknamed the Willie Tax
by Puerto Ricans
, and proved to be an enormous success in financial terms that provoked other municipalities to follow.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
from 1997 until his death in 2010.
Personal life
The son of José Miranda Gómez, a sugar cane cutter, and Rafaela Marín, a tobacco stripper, Miranda Marín was born in the Tomás de Castro sector of rural Caguas. and graduated from the José Gautier Benítez High School in Caguas in 1957. Four years later, he earned a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. In 1969 he completed his law degree at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras and was admitted to the bar in 1970.
Miranda Marín and his wife had three children: William Edgardo, Luis Alexander, and José Juan . They resided in the sector of Bairoa in Caguas.
On September 18, 2009, Miranda Marín announced he was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. On June 4, 2010 at 7:45 in the morning, Miranda Marín died in the Auxilio Mutuo Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico after battling his illness.
Businessman
Miranda Marín held top positions at Empresas Díaz and the San Juan Cement Co. from 1979 to 1990, among them treasurer, executive vice-president, and co-chairman of the board. Before seeking public office for the first time in 1996, he devoted three years to housing and commercial development. Miranda Marín also served as member and treasurer of the board of the Puerto Rico Health Services Corp., as chairman of the board of the San Juan Children's ChoirSan Juan Children's Choir
The San Juan Children's Choir is a children's choir from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The group was founded in 1966 by its director, Evy Lucío Córdova, whose founding members included Gloria Tristani, who went on to become the first Hispanic member of the Federal Communications Commission, and Giannina...
, and as chairman of the board of the Community Services Institute.
Political career
He served as executive vice president of the Government Development Bank from 1973 to 1975, as executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power AuthorityPuerto 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...
from 1975 to 1976, and as Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the Puerto Rico National Guard
Puerto Rico National Guard
The Puerto Rico National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components with a total authorized strength of 10,000 soldiers and airmen. The Constitution of the United States specifically...
with the rank of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(1990-1992). While commanding the National Guard, he also served as executive director of the Office for Improvement of the Public Schools of Puerto Rico from 1990 to 1992.
Miranda Marín also was the chairman of the U.S. Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Chapter of Puerto Rico, secretary-general of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth....
(PPD), chairman of the PPD Status Commission, and president of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association. Until his death, he was chairman of the board of the Municipal Revenue Collections Center (CRIM by its acronym in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
).
His candidacy had been considered by the Popular Democratic Party (PPD by its acronym in Spanish) to be a viable contender for the Governorship of Puerto Rico.
Political Views
Miranda Marín's views were regarded as soberanista, which seeks more sovereign political powers from the US outside the current framework of E.L.A. (Estado Libre Asociado).Mayor of Caguas
On January 13, 1997 Miranda Marín became the mayor of Caguas and had since won re-election in 2000, 2004 and 2008.In 2002, Miranda Marín was voted the "Caribbean Business' Public Sector Person of the Year." In 2005 Miranda Marín announced a 1% municipal tax surcharge in his town of Caguas, which allegedly was necessary in order to meet municipal payrolls, particularly for garbage collectors. The tax was nicknamed the Willie Tax
Willie Tax
Willie Tax is the municipal 1% tax imposed on the residents of the city of Caguas, Puerto Rico. The name is derived from the proponent mayor William Miranda Marin. The tax was levied in September 2005 after much debate and protest from the local residents. It was levied as a way to charge residents...
by Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and proved to be an enormous success in financial terms that provoked other municipalities to follow.