Article About Metro

Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
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Bad timing, Good project.

All (subways) are controversial, because all of them are very expensive," said Robert Puentes, a fellow with the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program. But, he added, "It's a very bold national investment which could have payoffs for the nation as a whole."
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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But, he added, "It's a very bold national investment which could have payoffs for the nation as a whole."

Santo Domingo is not the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is not "The Nation as a Whole". Actually the Nation as a Whole will be tremendously in The Hole because of this "bold national investment"

(the bold letters are mine...;-)
 

Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
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What's good for Santo Domingo is good for the rest of the country.
Modernizing our capital city is essential in prospering our entire nation.

I agree, the metro should not have been prioritized at the expense of many important social programs, but, in the end, it will help stem the transport chaos and maximize opportunities for business and tourism.

Prosperity is often painful, inconvenient and expensive!
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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What's good for Santo Domingo is good for the rest of the country.
Modernizing our capital city is essential in prospering our entire nation.

I agree, the metro should not have been prioritized at the expense of many important social programs, but, in the end, it will help stem the transport chaos and maximize opportunities for business and tourism.

Prosperity is often painful, inconvenient and expensive!


The population of Santo Domingo represents about 20% of the total population of the Dominican Republic. The Santo Domingo Metro would serve less than 20% of the population of Santo Domingo.

And a resounding NO to your closing statement. Pain, inconvenience and expensiveness is the antithesis of prosperity.

Antithesis: The direct or exact opposite, such as hope is the antithesis of despair.
 

aegap

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Mar 19, 2005
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Mirador, care to tell us what percentage of the Dominican government tax revenue come from Santo Domingo vs., say, Azua and Barahona?
 

El_Uruguayo

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Dec 7, 2006
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Not much you can do about it now, just cross your fingers and hope it works out for the best. I just hope for all the people that have to guagau up and down Maximo Gomez, to and from Villa Mella, that it gets done on time, because it is a constant tapon!!
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Mirador, care to tell us what percentage of the Dominican government tax revenue come from Santo Domingo vs., say, Azua and Barahona?

I would say more than 50% of tax revenue comes from
Romana, Bavaro, Puerto Plata combined (tourism, tourism, tourism)
That leaves less than 50% for tax revenues from SDQ, and only if excluding the rest of country.
 

Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
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You're not "getting it".

The population of Santo Domingo represents about 20% of the total population of the Dominican Republic. The Santo Domingo Metro would serve less than 20% of the population of Santo Domingo.

And a resounding NO to your closing statement. Pain, inconvenience and expensiveness is the antithesis of prosperity.

Antithesis: The direct or exact opposite, such as hope is the antithesis of despair.

Ever heard the expression "nothing that's good comes easy"? Or, if you speak Dominican, " Si quieres mognos (trensas) bonitas, tienes que aguantar jalones"? Or, "Hay que hacer sacrificios para triunfar"? All these expressions infer that "blood, sweat and tears" are an integral part of what it takes to triumph, to prosper. Certainly no "antithesis" here since effort, pain, sacrifices, inconvenience and inve$tment; combined, is the usual and most direct route to prosperity and well-being.

Although the metro will serve only SD, It will benefit everyone for the simple reason that it will facilitate the running of, and increase the number of, businesses big and small. Also, as a ramification, the smoother running of our government with obvious results for our nation as a whole.

Think of it as building a better network of roads, bridges, overpasses. Or, if you will, the many more connections between neurons that naturally develop in our brain as a result of studying and thinking hard/deeply.
The more connections, the better (faster) ability for reasoning through to a sober/sound conclusion.....No pain, no gain.
 

aegap

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Mar 19, 2005
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I would say more than 50% of tax revenue comes from
Romana, Bavaro, Puerto Plata combined (tourism, tourism, tourism)
That leaves less than 50% for tax revenues from SDQ, and only if excluding the rest of country.

Tourism gets a lot of breaks, hence its growth lately. In fact, I believe the only enterprise of a significant size that gets more tax breaks would be the Zona Franca stuff. The big tax money makers are beers and such (think Grupo Leon's Cerveceria Nacional) and perhaps the Communications company, but I'm not sure of that.
 
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Narcosis

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Dec 18, 2003
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Tourism gets a lot of breaks, hence its growth lately. In fact, I believe the only enterprise of a significant size that gets more tax breaks would be the Zona Franca stuff. The big tax money makers are beers and such (think Grupo Leon's Cerveceria Nacional) and perhaps the Communications company, but I'm not sure of that.

You are partially right in that they may be the single largest retention agents but it is not they per say that are paying the taxes it is the consumers, they just collect the ITBIS and pass it along to the government.

The prize should go to the middle class which are the ones that pay for most of the taxes, be it from consumer items that actually get taxed at reputable businesses (supermarket items, consumer electronics, cars, clothing, formal restaurants), gas and all taxes involved with owning a vehicle, (the poor get subsidized transport and fuel, buy clothes sold in the street many times smuggled over the border, and eat in makeshift street stands or improvised establisments that dont pay taxes), services such as telephone, internet, electricity, water, insurance etc etc.

The question would be where does this middle class reside?
 

DominiRican

Member
Apr 7, 2004
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The population of Santo Domingo represents about 20% of the total population of the Dominican Republic. The Santo Domingo Metro would serve less than 20% of the population of Santo Domingo.

And a resounding NO to your closing statement. Pain, inconvenience and expensiveness is the antithesis of prosperity.

Antithesis: The direct or exact opposite, such as hope is the antithesis of despair.

Isn't it normal for a train system to only benefit a percentage of the populous? I'm in Chicago, and if 100% of the people used the trains it would be a setting of a movie in some ugly tier of hell, and I also don't think waiting until poverty is abolished before putting forth effort in modernizing. As Jesus Christ Superstar once said, "there will always be poor".