Tax reform cacophony: Govt. eyes spending, private sector wants caps

Santo Domingo.- The private sector wants to address the fiscalissue beyond the talks over a tax reform, while the government seems poised toadd the element of the so-called tax expenditures.

Each sector appears to advances its position and will debateits tax arguments: Responsibility and transparency on the side of the privatesector, and control over tax exemptions on the government side.

However, the talks over a fiscal pact isn’t the privatesector’s high priority, at it is for the Government.

And what’s most important, as the Dominican IndustriesAssociation (AIRD) proposes, is to conclude the talks for the electric pact,another of the three structural mandates in the National Development Strategy(END).

Discussion in depth

To be sure, it’s the tax issue what most worries theprivate sector, as myriad business representatives have said.

There is, however common ground that the discussion shouldcover the two phases of public finances: income and expenses.

In that scope, the private sector wants not only to discussthe quality of public spending, but also to establish caps.

That’s why the think tank CRESS, a private sector entitywhich analyzes economic issues, insists on fiscal responsibility andtransparency, calling it is a mandate of the END, as a complement to the fiscalpact.