In an attempt to increase tax revenues, the executive announced that it is now considering taxing the distribution of soft drinks such as juices, isotonics and sodas.
It is expected that in the first week of February analysis will be presented of modifications to the tax on the distribution of beverages and on tobacco and tobacco products, with the aim of obtaining more resources to finance the national budget for this year.
In order to encourage investment in the country, starting from this fiscal year income tax paid by taxpayers registered in the regime on profits will be reduced from 28% to 25%.
According to the latest amendment of the Law on Tax Update, Decree 10-2012, the rate of income tax (ISR) applied to taxpayers from 2015 will be 25%. The authorities clarified that the rate of 28% will be applied to taxpayers who have not yet completed the liquidation of 2014
The application of tax of $0.65 per mobile phone line that had been proposed by the Executive to fund part of the 2015 budget has been temporarily suspended.
The Constitutional Court temporarily suspended the collection of the tax on telephone lines after the Chamber of Industry and the three phone companies operating in the country submitted an appeal against the tax.
Tax revenues in relation to GDP increased in the Central American countries with the exceptions of Guatemala, where it fell, and Costa Rica, where it did not change.
A report entitled "Tax Statistics" prepared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), analyzes the behavior of tax collection in Latin America.
In 2010, when looking at total tax revenue as a percentage of GDP, Costa Rica has the highest ratio in Central America, and ranked fourth in Latin America, behind only Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
The study on Tax Statistics in Latin America, by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), notes that while the ratio of tax revenue to GDP has been growing in Latin American countries, the average of the so called "tax pressure" is still below the average for countries who are members of the OECD.
Citizens generally ask for and even demand massive social spending without much thought about its implications, says Ocliver A. Rojas Gómez in his blog on the Fuerza Verde web site.
The market can't carry out all economic functions, he says, and so some of the responsibility has to be lodged with the State as a provider of social services.
Still, the State should do so keeping in mind the basic concepts of efficiency and equality in terms of access to opportunity.
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