Recently we had a thread about how Diputados sell their exonerations to import cars, here's an update. Computer translated:
Deputies consider that if they eliminate their exemptions, wages should be increased
- If they earn less they would be "on their knees" in front of the PE and businessmen; see officials receive up to 17 salaries
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Rafaela Alburquerque, PRSC. -
José (Bertico) Santana, PRM. -
José B. Hernández, PLD. -
Elías Báez, PRM. -
Félix Castillo Rodríguez, PLD. -
Francisco J. Paulino, PRM. -
Saury A. Mota Ramírez, PRD. -
Héctor (Pirrín) Féliz, PRD. -
Cesar (Tonty) Rutinel, PRM. -
Bolívar (El Boli) Valera, PLD. -
Geraldo Concepcion, PRM. -
Dorina Rodríguez, PRM. -
Rafaela Alburquerque, PRSC. -
José (Bertico) Santana, PRM.
Several deputies infer that no sector meets to lower their salary, on the understanding that the two exemptions to import motor vehicles that they receive are part of their employment benefits; that if they eliminate these exemptions, their salaries should be increased and that it is unfair that they, who are the most "sacrificed", receive less economic income than officials who "do not go out to seek votes" and earn up to 17 annual salaries and other huge benefits.
The issue was discussed by the members of the Permanent Commission of Finance of the Chamber of Deputies and guests, who express that if their salaries, which are between RD $ 175,000 and RD $ 320,000 per month (without incentives), are reduced, they would be on their knees ”In front of the State and business sectors, when they offer them gifts to approve some initiatives.
The discussion between the deputies was candid, above all, because the audience was free from the presence of journalists.
Here are the most important extracts from the minutes of the meeting on October 4, which can be seen in its entirety on our website in its official document:
Elías Báez: This is a hot topic that has haunted us for years. I have always proposed that an amount be put to the exoneration since the judges, prosecutors, the military, have exonerations. For example, when I was a prosecutor, I got two (exemptions) of $ 30,000. The attorneys have 60,000 (dollars), the judges and officials (of the central government) almost all have tax exemptions to export (import) a vehicle. It has been proposed that they buy a vehicle, others that they be given bonuses. If you buy a vehicle from them, you have to raise the budget of the cameras and if you give them a bonus too ... a charge to the State; you have to look for more money ... if the others have exemptions, the legislators also have to have an exemption. ... we see that third parties buy a Ferrari, They buy a vehicle for 20 or 30 million pesos when they give a legislator a million. In other words, that must be stopped now.
Félix Castillo Rodríguez: The legislator is always attacked as a body or on a personal level: the barrel, exonerations, salaries, travel expenses, commission payments. A part of the population does not agree with these types of fringe benefits and salaries. I wonder if others, who do not have to go through what a legislator goes through, and there are state officials who receive five salaries a year ... I can mention the Central Bank and the Superintendency of Banks.
José B. Hernández: They give them 17 salaries.
Félix A. Castillo: So, won't there be a project for those who receive 17 salaries? Know if this study has been done, regarding the marginal benefits that BC officials receive, from the Superintendency of Banks, Customs, Superintendence of Electricity, Superintendency of Insurance ... Know if a study related to the private sector has been carried out. The State is not receiving RD $ 248,000 million in the last year due to exemptions ... If that is removed in Congress, the legislators would have to increase the budget of Congress, to have that marginal benefit of a bond, within the budget of the Chamber of Deputies and Senate.
Saury A. Mota Ramírez: Can you imagine a meeting of doctors planning to cut their salary? I want someone to tell me a sector that meets to plan to reduce the salary, let's not fool ourselves, as if there were journalists ...
Francisco J. Paulino: I would like the journalists to all get together and plan to reduce the salary and the gifts they give to the different institutions where they live. Nobody here is going to cheat on us, that's part of a legislator's salary. And look, in my case I have not sold them. But I am sure that there are colleagues here who aspire to deputies thinking that they were being given an exoneration. It was part of the package, or is it not true that part of the governor's package is that he retires with five salaries for his house during his lifetime? ... Or is it not true that the packages exist in each of the institutions or journalists' block? Let's not see it as something that we are doing thieves, oh look ... we are meeting, to reduce our salary, it already happened to us once. The senators came and increased their salary based on that, oh and the honorable deputies never approved the salary increase law and we were left with the salary lower than them, with a law ... and we say because it was thought to be I was going to say something ... Now he comes and as a result of the scramble that the media has us, an aura of the activity that we develop has become a halo. But the worst thing is that we stick together and one raises one thing and another raises another. And it is seen that from the Chamber we do not give a firm and decisive answer. Ah, well we are afraid; we are going to repeal the law as and what happened. The law was not made by any of us here. Now, you come and say, look there is a country in crisis, magnificent; I agree with that...
Saury A. Mota: From 1.5 of the entrepreneurs in this country.
Francisco J. Paulino: ... when the Executive wants a loan and passes his hand to us, "look at this, it's here"; or when you want us to approve the budget now, you are fine there. There they don't tell us anything, and during that time they don't criticize us and we, like guanajos, accept the blows they give us. We agree that they take away an exemption, we are going to make the salary increase transparent, we as legislators have to propose a way out, and say it clearly and baldly.
José (Bertico) Santana: Deputy Paulino's presentation reflects the feelings of all legislators. The position that the press has taken in relation to us legislators is something outrageous.
Saury A. Mota: What is the plan? Every day we throw more mud at Congress to weaken it and those economic powers, so when they come here they will find us more on our knees every day and continue to defend and support their interests. If you really want to do something serious, that's not the solution ... Let's ... ask for the reports there are, let's see where the money is? And responsibly, we are going to remove the mask from this comedy and say, "This is what there is," and call the press. So, when you call all of them ... to listen to you, to find a comprehensive solution to everything, there will be no solution and a henhouse will be set up for there being no solution, saying that this is not ... because after that, because here always ...
... Here loans are approved that the industrialists say: "Look, I'm going to take this but fix this for me, take 30 million, so that I can fix everything around me"; I'm going to take five from them, after you fix everything with the money from the State ... it will be worth a hundred and the State does it and we approve the loans here, and when they arrive we are on our knees for one reason or another, for everything what arrives; and we take pictures and the whole thing ... and here nobody executes a budget.
Nobody here has anybody on their payroll, because we don't execute budgets. So we have no one to defend us.
Héctor (Pirrín) Féliz: This theme is recurrent ... the first million pesos that are found to pay campaign expenses is from the exoneration. It is to pay or they go to the institute to look for it or they give it up. Let's not take away from that bonus, we will not agree on that. I agree that it is good for the Government ... that in this situation the budget is increased, in those two periods to the Chamber of Deputies, and they are given a bonus to withdraw that exoneration, a vehicle or that in a way or another you perceive that million and some weight in a way that the others ...
Geraldo A. Concepción: I identify myself with the positions of Deputies Paulino and Mota Ramírez. This issue is not for discussion at a simple table, it is a fairly serious issue that affects not the blocks here in the Chamber, it is the body. It is to the body and out there ... what they are saying is that we are a group of vagrants, drug traffickers, thieves and we come and sit here in a healthy way and to give an answer to them, deprive ourselves of this benefit, which we all know. What it costs and what it costs us to admit that we really are lazy and thieves. That is going to have consequences that we cannot imagine. I agree with a review of all the fiscal exceptions that exist in the Government, in the State, so that we face this seriously and that in the specific case of us deputies, I agree with the voucher. What a bond would represent would not represent more than 300 million pesos for the Chamber of Deputies. The dignity of us is at stake and there are many, those charlatans who are criticizing us ... I challenge anyone to review my work and personal life, with any of them to see if I am more of a thief than they are, or I am more lazy , more scoundrel or more charlatan than they ... Those who are criticizing us in a general sense are the real thieves because most of these journalists are like the state's leech ...
Dorina Rodríguez: I join what the honorable Castillo, Paulino, Sauri and Gerardo said. We have to start using our role of supervising, because I do not think that here there is a person more sacrificed than a deputy ... to also be the most discredited. It is time for the country to begin to see which are the real beneficiaries of the State. There are the ARS, last year a lot of people died from oxygen, but the ARS earned more than four billion pesos and they are the decent ones. We could assume it as the Finance Commission, the role of supervising, who is it that is keeping the money from this country? And just as the businessmen have money, to have a campaign discrediting ourselves, we are going to make a saw to put in the press or create with the power and the people we have,
Rafaela Alburquerque: I do not agree with the fact that at this moment it was chosen for this bill, of a living and can be here and I do not care who came and put it to gain political point. I congratulate you ... but your ability may harm this Congress. You may not need the double exoneration ... but I need it and others do. So, putting this issue now has been, giving the reason to some guys who have gone to the Constitutional Court, guys who have less morals than all of us who are sitting here, they went to the Constitutional Court so that a double law is declared unconstitutional exoneration ... Those of us who want to be told that we are good, we are going to approve this law of my dear brother, who did not do it in bad faith, but instead seeking it, but that sound affects the entire National Congress. My opinion, very respectful ... is that this project is not known now, let's not touch it now, because if we do we are collaborating with the detractors of Congress. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. is that this project is not known now, let's not touch it now, because if we do we are collaborating with the detractors of Congress. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. is that this project is not known now, let's not touch it now, because if we do we are collaborating with the detractors of Congress. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. because if we do we are collaborating with the detractors of Congress. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. because if we do we are collaborating with the detractors of Congress. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. We would be giving force to the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the law declaring it ... Then I ask you and I ask you ... This is a historic moment in the country, because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at them to all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We must not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been a beneficiary of it and I have solved my problem with it when I've had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We should not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been I would benefit from it and I have solved my problem with it when I have had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration. because this is a moment where mud is being thrown at all the institutions, we do not know for what purpose ... We should not touch on this issue now, and I am defending on television and everywhere the double exoneration, because I have been I would benefit from it and I have solved my problem with it when I have had it. I am no more papist than the pope, nor am I going to be a more moralist than all morals. No, no, if that is corruption I am corrupt, but I want my exoneration.
Bolívar (El Bolí) Valera: I have never been in a place where so much work is done, there are so many serious people and it is so little recognized as in the Chamber of Deputies and so little is earned, it is the first thing ... I agree with the that Castillo Rodríguez said, all the country's exonerations should be subjected to a broad study, that the people know and change the discourse that everything bad about the deputies ... At the moment, that first the people know that everyone who receives exemptions and exemptions, an aubergine is going to be set up. I really was benefited from an exemption, I defend them, because I understand that it is easier for us here than for those who live in the interior. We do what Castillo Rodríguez and the other comrade said, a report and we are all going to take it from us and there the matter ends.
José (Bertico) Santana: I want you to pay attention to me, so that we can make a decision about it, that Mrs. Lila Alburquerque has a proposal, that we do not discuss the issue now and that we leave it on the table. And there is a proposal: that a weighted study of tax exemptions be made ...
Rafaela Alburquerque: And I'm going further still, with what they proposed, I think we should ask for all the exemptions that each institution has to do ... When we have all the exemptions and all the exemptions in paid spaces, we will publish "All these people receive exemptions", when all are removed, we remove these.
Francisco J. Paulino: ... Listen well, there has been talk of the great benefit that the deputies have and the great sacrifice that the State has for not receiving income from imports of luxury vehicles, which are exonerated to the deputies by the Attributions that the law has that benefits us, right. Okay, that is supposed to be a tax sacrifice, which is not within the framework, and Frank to correct me, he knows about that, about the tax, if they do not enter, they are income ... If the State does not receive them, because They are tax exempt, it is a tax sacrifice, right.
José (Bertico) Santana: Here I go, it is a fiscal sacrifice, it is not an expense; I think we should do in addition to what they are proposing. That the Ministry of Finance ... tell us what is the projection of income that the State has for the import of these vehicles, because I have to see a tax sacrifice, for the exemptions of the same.
Francisco J. Paulino: The proposal that I am making is simple ... First, it is to leave this project on the table and that we approve sending a communication to the Department of Exonerations, of the Ministry of Finance, so that they give us the information regarding the amount of tax exemptions and exemptions by institution. For example, in the Chamber of Deputies, how much do they give to the guards? How much do you give to the Public Ministry? To Foreign Relations. Listen to this, even players are given exonerations. This proposal is for both slopes. Now we are going to vote that it remains on the table and second, to prepare the communication to the Ministry of Finance.
José (Bertico) Santana: Frank is making a proposal to leave it on the table. We all agree unanimously. I want to make it clear that I am governed by the majority, us wanting to justify what we have, acting against what they have, would not be the most correct, because they are going to say that we ... with hitting no, with making everything transparent ... . Do you understand me? When I speak that they exist and the communications media say that the State sacrifices itself counting billions, for imports, for the vehicles of the deputies and senators! But come here ! And who has told the State or where the State has planned that Venturi is a vehicle ..., that they are going to bring it if there are no exemptions? That a Ferrari or another vehicle, they will bring them without quantifiable exemptions. Conversely, You can do an exercise from the fiscal point of view of the benefits that the State receives, after the vehicle is here, because many things are paid after the vehicle is ... And I adhere to what many raised, because any secretary or directors of the State have those benefits, in addition to paying them schools, universities, salaries, assigned vehicles, diplomatic passports. What we don't have, they do. diplomatic passports. What we don't have, they do. diplomatic passports. What we don't have, they do.
César (Tonty) Rutinel: Whoever is afraid, let him go, Bertico. They have to give us a list of all the institutions that do not pay taxes and that the Government exempts them. That is the answer that we will be giving to the press ... So, we are going to submit the two proposals, please submit them.
José (Bertico) Santana: Come on, I'm not afraid. The first thing is to leave it on the table unanimously, until the proponent voted. Request in the second proposal that a breakdown be sent to us ... We are going to make a request to the Ministry of Finance, so that within a period of no more than one week, they send us here what is the volume of fiscal sacrifice that the State has, for imports and tax exemptions that they have registered with the Ministry of Finance.
Francisco J. Paulino: I also want the total amount of tax exemptions received by all sectors to be obtained and, secondly, who receives vehicle exemptions: these are two issues. Wait, I said tax exemptions, it is one thing, and vehicle exemptions is another thing; and paying taxes is another.
José (Bertico) Santana: ... Frank so that you and Rafael can see it, please listen, Albuquerque was an ambassador to the minister counselor, a minister counselor can bring an exonerated car ... he can bring a car and any car that he bring is exonerated.
Rafaela (Lila) Alburquerque: But not the minister counselor alone.
"Here, loans are approved that industrialists say:" Look, I'm going to take this but fix this for me, take 30 million, so I can fix everything around me "; I'm going to take five from them, after you fix everything with the money from the State ... it will be worth a hundred and the State does it and we approve the loans here, and when they arrive we are on our knees for one reason or another, for everything what arrives; and we take pictures and the whole thing ... and here nobody executes a budget "
Saury A. Mota Deputy
"Any official is paid 17 salaries, their children's studies, assigned vehicles and others"
José Santana S. Deputy
Read in the following document the inexistent minutes of the meeting, of last October 4, of the Permanent Commission of Finance of the Chamber of Deputies:
Finance Commission by Diario Libre on Scribd
A law would be in force in 2024
The congressmen are studying a bill to allow them to import a motor vehicle, for up to an amount of US $ 150 thousand, which would take effect in 2024. The exonerated vehicle could be transferred after two years of being acquired.
Diputados consideran que si eliminan sus exoneraciones deben aumentarse los salarios
Si ganan menos estarían “de rodillas” frente al PE y empresarios; ven funcionarios reciben hasta 17 sueldos
www.diariolibre.com
