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Santo Domingo.- Several deputies used the session of the legislative body yesterday to allege that the disclosure of the multimillion-dollar benefit they enjoy for the import of vehicles responds to a compromise of the business sector, which they assure uses this type of action when a tax reform is approaching.
The deputies Aquilino Serrata, Tobías Crespo and Julito Fulcar assumed the defense by alleging that there are sectors that seek to discredit the representatives of Congress with the issue of motor vehicle exemptions, for which the State for the last 11 years has failed to collect RD$2.7 billion (US$49.0 million) in taxes.
The deputies reacted to an extensive report, published last Monday by Diario Libre, by the journalist Mariela Mejía, with the title “Exemption of vehicles to legislators: an expensive privilege that went into business.”
The Diario Libre report was carried out based on data from the General Directorate of Customs (DGA).
Well, “there are sectors that seek to discredit the representatives of Congress”. The deputies need to look into mirrors to see it is they who discredit themselves.
This tax benefit when first enacted had the good intention to provide the officials a break in taxes for personal vehicles, tools to help them perform their office. When the benefit was bastardized in 1996, it allowed the benefit to be sold.