The Senate has passed, by 16 votes to 6, the bill creating the new province of Santo Domingo Oriental, and making Mendoza a municipality. The new province will be composed of the Santo Domingo Este, Boca Chica, San Antonio de Guerra, and San Jose de Mendoza municipalities. The bill was presented by Tonty Rutinel Dominguez, Senator for the province of Santo Domingo, and the Senate received a favorable report from the Commission of Municipal Development and non-governmental organizations. The capital of the province will be Santo Domingo Este. This bill is motivated by the fact that the current socio-economic composition of the Santo Domingo province is very different in its north, east, and west regions, which are also geographically distant one from another, hindering the adequate communication and integration required for a strategic development plan. The bill now goes to the Chamber of Deputies for approval. While the creation of provinces solves no problems, it does create more jobs for politicians at an increasing cost to tax payers.