The Project of Tax Modernization Law presented by the government of Luis Abinader continues to generate “unrest” in different sectors. On this occasion, the former vice president Margarita Cedeno and the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Francisco Dominguez Britoexpressed their concern about the possible effects of the new proposal.
In the case of Margarita Cedeño, he questioned the relevance and negative impact that this new reform would have on the lives of Dominican citizens.
In her analysis, the former official remembers how in 2021 society pressured the Government to withdraw a similar proposal due to the difficult economic conditions facing the country. Now, four years later, a new proposal has been put on the table, which forces, according to Cedeño, to ask fundamental questions about the need and destination of this additional income for the State.
“We have to evaluate whether this reform will allow financing the works and services that the country requires to take advantage of its potential in tourism, free zones and exports,” expressed Cedeño.
Likewise, he wondered if this proposal will contribute to improving the quality of life of Dominicans and strengthening the middle class, pointing out that “we must question whether we are paying for better infrastructure, higher quality education or simply to cover the country’s high debt. ”.
The former vice president also called for reflection, urging the Government to clearly define where the development model of the Dominican Republic should go before imposing new tax burdens that would aggravate the economic situation of citizens.
Cedeño concluded by comparing the State to a company, questioning the management of resources and suggesting that, if it were evaluated as a private company, the Board of Directors would wonder what the Government has spent on and whether the additional budget really has a clear and beneficial purpose. for the nation.
For his part, Francisco Domínguez Brito stated that before proposing new taxes, it is essential that the government put order in its administration, avoiding chaos, disorder and anarchy in public spending.
He pointed out that in the last four years, the public payroll has grown by more than 120 billion pesos, including disproportionate salary increases and unnecessary positions known as “bottles.” Furthermore, he denounced that leaders of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and their associates have received pensions that, together, exceed 25 billion pesos, a situation that he considers unjustifiable.
“It is absurd to talk about new taxes when more than 160 billion pesos have been allocated in unnecessary expenses, such as advertising to promote officials instead of informing and educating the population,” he stated. According to the candidate, the government plans to raise approximately 121 billion pesos with the new taxes, which is ironic when compared to the waste current.
Francis also mentioned “the poor management of the electricity sector”, which has caused losses of more than 100 billion pesos, and criticized excessive spending in the last elections, where household appliances and cash were distributed.
To conclude, called on the government to withdraw its proposal for new taxes and, instead, engage in dialogue with the different sectors of the country. “The government must organize its house first and then, through the necessary consensus, make the appropriate decisions,” he pointed out.
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