NGA Home Governors News Room Federal Relations The Center for Best Practices About Current Governors: Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Governor's Information printable version Puerto Rico Governor Pedro  Rossello Born:  April 5, 1944 Birth State:  Puerto Rico Party:  New Progressive Party Family:  Married; three children Religion:  Roman Catholic School(s):  University of Notre Dame; Yale University; University of Puerto Rico Physician Periods in Office: From: January 1, 1993   To: January 1, 2001 State Web Site PEDRO ROSSELLÓ (pronounced roh-say-YO) is a native of San Juan. He graduated in 1966 from the University of Notre Dame and in 1970 earned an M.D. from Yale. In 1976 he entered private practice as a pediatric surgeon and began teaching at the University of Puerto Rico, where in 1981 he obtained a master's degree in public health. In 1985 he was appointed director of the San Juan Health Department. That led to eight years of service in political and governmental posts, culminating in the gubernatorial nomination of his pro-statehood party. As governor, he reversed a spiraling crime rate; effected sweeping reforms in health care, education, and the judicial system; elevated the English language to official status, along with Spanish; slashed working families' income tax rates by 30 percent; and implemented a new economic development model that has reduced unemployment to its lowest level in two decades. His achievements were recognized in the form of honorary degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Massachusetts, as well as the President's Awards of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and League of United Latin American Citizens. In 1998 Governor Rossello was simultaneously president of the Council of State Governments and chair of the Democratic and Southern Governors' Associations.

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