Tougher rules for political parties to handle taxpayer money

Santo Domingo.- With similar prerogatives as in previous years, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) last week issued a regulation to distribute State funds to the parties for 2017, with a repeated warning that the disbursements will be withheld from the organizations that fail to render accounts.

The resolution stresses the need to comply with Electoral Law 275-97 which states: “The parties that have opted for the electoral contribution are obliged to create an accounting system to the legally accepted principles, in which the movements of income and expenses of the party are reflected.”

Moreover, articles 53 and 55 specifically regulate income. “Failure by one or more Political Parties to comply with the provisions of Articles 52, 53 and 55 of the Electoral Law obliges the Central Electoral Board to retain the portion corresponding to it (s) within of the economic contribution that the State contributes to the political organizations to meet the expenses incurred for their activities.”

It also adds that the management of State funds should be accounted separately from other sources in a checking account, and the expenses incurred both from the account and from the others, must have their respective vouchers or justification documents. “No later than two months after December 31 each year, the political parties shall deposit with the Secretariat of the JCE, the reports of their income and expenses, on the understanding that their resources do not come from sources prohibited by the law.”

The new regulation was approved by all members of the JCE on March 21.