The ruling PLD party is majority in Congress and has it relatively easy moving through bills and the National Budget every year. That is, as long as the perks and benefits of the legislators themselves are kept at their very attractive levels.
Media reported that the legislators expect to remove a ceiling that would have limited to US$100,000 the duty-free cost of the two-vehicles per term allowed to the legislators. At present, legislators can import a vehicle, supposedly for their personal use, at any cost. The duty-free import licenses, most frequently are transferred by the legislators to other persons.
Luis Reyes, director of the National Budget office, was informed by Dionis Sanchez that the bicameral commission that convenes senators and deputies in Congress is already studying a bill regarding the tax exemptions and the US$100,000 ceiling would conflict with this.
Elpidio Baez of the PLD said the subject had come up privately and they had been told the clause with the top limit for duty-free imports would be eliminated. He questioned why the government would request that the legislators eliminate this perk, since it has historically been part of the benefit package for congress members.
In a follow up story in Diario Libre on Monday, 30 October 2017, businessmen and civic society representatives backed the government on reducing the privilege. Ivan Ogando, of the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales said that the argument of acquired right is a poor defense when it is of public knowledge that in many cases the lack of controls on the use of the vehicular exoneration results in this being sold for others to import luxury vehicles that have nothing to do with the legislative role of the legislators. Antonio Taveras, president of the Association of Industries of Herrera and the Province of Santo Domingo said the exoneration is an irritating privilege that should not continue.
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Hoy
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
30 October 2017
