  The new tax
transfers to the Red Cross are funds generated with
the 1% tax on consumer receipts for telecommunications
services, which
includes landline phone calls, cell phone calls, cable and internet payments. - Costa Rican Red Cross courtesy photo. |
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 Published Thursday, August 27, 2020 Congress
approves 1% tax
to finance Red Cross By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Congress approved bill No.21148 that creates a 1% tax on the payment of internet services (wireless on mobile devices or line services) to finance the Red Cross expenses. Currently, the 1% Cruz Roja tax is already collected on the payment of mobile phone services, landline phone services and cable services. "This will allow the Red Cross to face the current situation after the decrease in income and hire more members to support the pre-hospital work carried out in the communities," said Glauco Quesada-RamÃrez, president of the Costa Rican Red Cross. According to the Red Cross, its officers work in the first line of response to emergencies, this entails a series of operating and management expenses. Currently, the institution is financed by approximately 56% of its funds and 44% from public funds. In 2019, the Red Cross handled 430,000 emergencies. "This year more than 250,000 emergencies have been attended, in addition to having transferred more than 2,000 confirmed and suspected covid-19 patients," added Quesada. The income of the Red Cross generated with the tax on the use of landlines and cell phones, has decreased due to the tendency of the population to use platforms such as WhatsApp, "because of this, the population tends to use fewer phone calls," the Red Cross said in its statement. The new tax transfers to the Red Cross are funds generated with the 1% tax on consumer receipts for telecommunications services, which includes landline phone calls, cell phone calls, cable and internet payments. According to the Red Cross, the new income will allow the hiring of more than 300 rescuers. The new tax will be enforced once the document is signed by the government and published in the official newspaper La Gaceta. ---------------------- How will increasing taxes during the economic crisis created by the pandemic impact your budget? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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