The Department of Taxes (DGII) announced that tax collections in 2004 reached RD$60 billion, up from RD$40.9 billion in 2003. Juan Hernandez, director of the DGII, said that his greatest efforts in year 2005 will be directed to reduce evasion of the ITBIS, the 16% tax on sales. He said that in the first months of the Fernandez government, tax collections for ITBIS increased 64%, taking into account the 33% increase in revenues generated by the October tax reform passed by Congress. He attributed the increase to the greater efficiency of the organization in collecting taxes.
He announced a nationwide campaign to encourage the use of credit cards in making purchases, as these are technologically linked to the tax department with mechanisms that serve to reduce tax evasion.