They also have no actual say for independence. That's why the Statehood vote failed; it didn't actually matter. Taxes or no taxes, they're not receiving representation no matter the outcome of their vote. They're a political chess piece, nothing more, and they realize this.

The majority did choose statehood, and everything that comes with it. The 500,000 blank ballots were a protest against the loans the PR government took out as part of the first step towards statehood. That money was misused by the then PR government. So those ballets were cast as a vote of no confidence, which both the then PR government and every US administration since have demonstrated that they cannot be trusted to put Puerto Rico's best interests at heart.

Even then, 63% voted for statehood. Congress ignored that.