State expenditures continue to exceed tax revenues while the government cries out for legislative approval of the proposed tax reform.
In October, total revenues amounted to ¢3,241,326 million ($6,047 million), recording a variation of 8.5%, while total expenditures reached ¢4,589,189 million ($8.561 billion), growing 9.6% compared to the same period in 2014.
In January 2014, current account expenditure increased by almost 8% compared to January 2013, with the category of Remuneration up 11%.
The monthly figures from the Central Government Revenues, Expenditures and Financing report published by the Ministry of Finance of Costa Rica, shows that the increase in total revenues in January 2014 was almost 11%, which meant a reduction in the fiscal deficit financial compared to GDP of 0.7%.
From January to November 2013, the fiscal deficit reached $2.270 billion, 4.6% of the national production, 25% more than that accumulated up to November 2012.
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The Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies has highlighted the unsustainability of the fiscal deficit in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Pensalibre.com reports that "... according to the results of a report by the Central Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi) submitted yesterday ... Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica find themselves with in unsustainable scenarios regarding public debt in the next few years. "
The country ranks third in Latin America in terms of the difference between income and expenditure in relation to GDP.
In 2012, government revenues totaled 14.4% of GDP while expenditures were 18.8%.
Data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), reveals that compared with 2007 figures the country shows a significant deterioration . "... While last year the deficit was 4.4% in that year there was a surplus of 0.6%. Revenue was 15.5% of GDP and expenditure of 14.9%," noted an article in Elfinancierocr.com.
While up to May Finance revenue grew by 10% interannually, Central Government expenditure increased by 13.1%.
"Finance revenue grew by 10% interannually up to May, driven especially by the collection of income tax, tributes which recorded a growth of 11.7% in May," noted an article in Elfinancierocr.com.
During the first month of 2013 government spending was 16% higher than in January 2012, while income rose by 8.4%.
Crhoy.com reports that "In general, the central government deficit during the first month of the year stood at 0.84% as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP). Meanwhile, interest expenses increased in the order of 36%, whereas a year earlier it increased in the order of 10.1%. "
In November the government deficit amounted to $ 1.82 billion, or 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP), the same level as in 2010. Nevertheless, in 2010 the shortfall was lower, at $ 1.52 billion. Of the $1.82 billion shortage the government needs to cover its running costs, $1.12 billion were financed with domestic debt and $700 million with external debt.