NewsWhore
05-10-2007, 02:40 PM
The political parties PLD, PRSC, PRI along with the Central Electoral Board (JCE) are supporting Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez's proposal that the state stop funding political campaigns. Lopez Rodriguez also called for the campaign period to be limited to two weeks, instead of the official three month long campaign.
JCE head Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman says that Law 275-97 on campaign financing needs serious revision. Castanos clarified that the JCE gives parties 0.25% of all tax revenues in pre-election years and .50% of collections in the five months leading up to an election. Castanos said that by tying party funds to the tax collections, the parties receive a windfall in revenues that could be put to better use. This year the state will be handing out RD$296.8 million to the parties.
Orlando Jorge Mera of the PRD agrees with the proposal and says that next week the PRD will submit to Congress a bill for campaign finance reform. Federico Antun Batlle, president of the PRSC, said that the Cardinal's concern is valid. "The concern of the Cardinal is that so much money goes to politics instead of to combating poverty," said Antun. PRI's Trajano Santana criticized that the three majority parties receive 80% of the funds, while minority parties get only 20%. Every month, the PLD, PRD and PRSC receive RD$6.6 million, according to the report in the Listin.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
JCE head Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman says that Law 275-97 on campaign financing needs serious revision. Castanos clarified that the JCE gives parties 0.25% of all tax revenues in pre-election years and .50% of collections in the five months leading up to an election. Castanos said that by tying party funds to the tax collections, the parties receive a windfall in revenues that could be put to better use. This year the state will be handing out RD$296.8 million to the parties.
Orlando Jorge Mera of the PRD agrees with the proposal and says that next week the PRD will submit to Congress a bill for campaign finance reform. Federico Antun Batlle, president of the PRSC, said that the Cardinal's concern is valid. "The concern of the Cardinal is that so much money goes to politics instead of to combating poverty," said Antun. PRI's Trajano Santana criticized that the three majority parties receive 80% of the funds, while minority parties get only 20%. Every month, the PLD, PRD and PRSC receive RD$6.6 million, according to the report in the Listin.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)