NewsWhore
12-06-2006, 05:40 PM
All today's newspapers carry headlines about just what the President's new tax proposals are going to affect. El Caribe reports on the RD$5 tax on fuels and the fact that the PRD and PRSC parties continue to reject the proposals. The paper also reports that the CNTU transport companies union and the gasoline retailers association (ANADEGAS) "condemned" the new tax on fuels because of the important role that fuel plays in everyday life. Diario Libre says that the new taxes will affect many products and people's purchasing habits. The paper emphasizes the higher import tax on vehicles, higher registration fees and a new tax, called the "tax on circulating", all of which will affect most Dominicans' daily lives. Listin Diario also reports on the vehicular taxes as well as the additional ad valorum tax on fuel imports, which goes from the current 13% up to 16%. Hoy newspaper focuses on the new fuel taxes, and mentions the new taxes on lottery winnings, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. Diario Libre goes on to report that the new proposals will limit the new legislators to just one tax-free vehicle, as well as prohibiting the use of official vehicles on weekends and holidays.
What was not taxed is as interesting as what was proposed for taxation.
While the original government proposal would have taxed sugar, coffee, cocoa, cooking oils, yogurt and butter, the President did not apply VAT to these products. Several times during his speech, the President said "as was agreed with the business community", and, as a result, income tax will be gradually reduced each year as per last year's agreement. The President also appears to have listened to the hotel and tourism sector and did not apply a 5% room tax, but the sector will be affected by the tax on alcoholic beverages. Finally, the ideas to apply the 16% VAT rate to the cargo haulage sector and double the 1% tax on luxury dwellings were discarded.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
What was not taxed is as interesting as what was proposed for taxation.
While the original government proposal would have taxed sugar, coffee, cocoa, cooking oils, yogurt and butter, the President did not apply VAT to these products. Several times during his speech, the President said "as was agreed with the business community", and, as a result, income tax will be gradually reduced each year as per last year's agreement. The President also appears to have listened to the hotel and tourism sector and did not apply a 5% room tax, but the sector will be affected by the tax on alcoholic beverages. Finally, the ideas to apply the 16% VAT rate to the cargo haulage sector and double the 1% tax on luxury dwellings were discarded.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)