Hoy newspaper reports that tax collections have fallen significantly below the government’s expectations. The government budgeted RD$65,177 million for this year, but analysts say that if the present pace of collections continues, they will fall short by RD$10,000 million. Hoy newspaper reveals that the government economists plan to meet the fiscal deficit by borrowing abroad. Major international loans are already being approved by the National Congress where the government party holds the Senate majority and has the support of the president of the Chamber of Deputies. Sectors say that one of the reasons for the fiscal deficit is the government practice of creating thousands of unproductive jobs to pay back political favors.
