Dominicans have been paying much more in taxes to cover the costs of bigger government. While in 2003 the government budget was RD$72.69 billion, ten years later the Medina administration is proposing RD$530.8 billion, or a 730% growth, as reported in Diario Libre. Government spending has increased three-fold over this time, even after taking inflation into account, reports Diario Libre. Economist Ernesto Selman, executive vice president of the Regional Center for Sustainable Economic Strategies (CREES) doubts that wealth distribution has been effective. He told the newspaper that workers’ wages have not increased anywhere near this proportion.