Omar Fernández calls for income tax relief for salaries under RD$52,000

Santo Domingo.- Senator Omar Fernández, representing the National District, urged the government on Wednesday to exempt salaries up to RD$52,000 from income tax, in accordance with the Dominican Tax Code. He criticized the 2026 General State Budget proposal for freezing the income tax-exempt threshold—set at RD$34,685—for the sixth consecutive year, despite inflation.

Fernández warned that this decision directly impacts over 300,000 workers, diminishing their purchasing power. He explained that the lack of adjustment represents a loss of RD$17,244 per month for low- and middle-income earners. “That’s money being taken directly from the pockets of Dominicans who need it most,” he stated in a video shared on social media.

Highlighting that the average basic food basket now costs RD$46,716, Fernández argued that maintaining the outdated tax threshold is equivalent to depriving each worker of a year’s worth of essential goods. He called on the Executive Branch to comply with the law and adjust the exempt salary scale to reflect accumulated inflation. “What I’m asking is simple,” he concluded. “That the government follow the law and give Dominican families a well-deserved economic relief.”