QCOSTARICA – The fraction of the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) is pressing hard against the bill that would reduce the 2022 Marchamo, promoted by the opposition in the Legislative Assembly and that, according to the Government, would cause a gap of ¢30 billion colones in public finances.
This Thursday, at the meeting of the heads of the political factions, the official PAC spokesperson, Laura Guido, warned that they could present other motions on the bill that would provide a discount on the property tax of vehicles, the main component of the Marchamo.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the other parliamentary fractions expressed their interest in moving forward as soon as possible with the project, because, in order for it to be effective, it must be approved with enough time before the INS begins the collection, on November 1.
This Thursday, in fact, with an agenda already set a day before, legislators were unable to advance on the bill, on which several motions from the ruling party Enrique Sánchez still weigh and more than a dozen from Luis Ramón Carranza could arrive, also from the PAC.
Laura Guido said they are asking the opposition for a proposal to cover the shortfall of ¢30 billion that the plan would generate, or otherwise, the PAC would have to present motions to try to mitigate the impact of the project.
“We are asking that you tell us where you think these resources will come from, that they include it in a motion, that they make a proposal to us to put those resources and we are with the intention of talking, listening, having a dialogue,” said Guido.
She alleged that “possibly more motions will be presented”, although at the moment only some of the eight that Enrique Sánchez had presented remain to be processed.
Guido’s argument is that the lack of income generates a problem, which translates into less infrastructure, deficient services or greater indebtedness for the country and that, while people would receive a discount on their brand, their income would increase. interest on the internal debt to finance the operation of the State.
“We could dispense with the motions if they ask us where they are going to get the resources they are defunding,” she insisted.
Finance Minister Elian Villegas had described the project as fiscal irresponsibility.
In addition, with a last-minute motion approved this week, proposed by the Christian Socialist Erwen Masís, a million unpaid Marchamos would be forgiven, provided that the owners of those vehicles pay the 2022 Marchamo, before January 1 of next year.
Legislative president, Silvia Hernández, said that it is her responsibility to make known and vote on all the motions that are presented to the initiative.
“The majority of fractions suggest that the bill be given priority and priority will be given in the remaining days, as long as it is materially and humanly possible,” she commented.
Earlier on Thursday, the fraction of the Christian Social Unity (PUSC) had called for the bill to be processed that same day and accused the PAC of obstructionism.
“The initiative has failed to advance due to the opposition of the PAC, which for the second year in a row uses all delaying tactics to stop the proposal. This is a necessary project to give relief to Costa Ricans affected by the pandemic,” said the head of the PUSC, Pablo Abarca.
Also, he accused the Government of “not thinking about the citizens, under the pretext of public finances when they shot up spending in violation of the fiscal rule in various institutions.”
