Time To Start Walking,
Gasoline Prices To Hit
The Roof: Super ¢808.25,
Regular ¢784.25
Although consumers of
diesel fuel are getting
a break, consumers of
regular and super
gasoline will be footing
the bill, as gasoline
prices will soon reach a
record ¢808.25 for a
litre of super (us$6.06
a US gallon) and ¢784.25
for a litre of regular
(us$5.88 for a US
gallon), thanks to an
increase in taxes.
The ministro de la
Presidencia, Rodrigo
Arias, said yesterday
that although owners of
diesel powered vehicles
will see a tax reduction
of ¢97.50 colones on
each litre of fuel
purchased, the tax on
super and regular
gasoline will increase
to ¢325.50 and ¢306 from
¢173.25 and ¢165.75,
respectively, on each
litre dispensed at the
pump.
"The decision we make
today is based on social
equality. We are basing
our decision on the
premise that those with
the least is whom we
have to protect, like
the farmers and 80% of
the workers of this
country who daily use
public transportation to
get to and from work",
said Arias.
Although owners of
diesel powered passenger
vehicles are getting a
break at the pump, they
will pay double the
annual property tax on
their vehicles. Diesel
powered farm vehicles
and public
transportation vehicles
like buses and taxis are
exempt from the
increased tax. The tax
increase will be applied
at the time of renewing
the marchamo, the annual
vehicular circulation
permit.
Minister Arias also said
that on Thursday the new
vehicular restrictions
of San José will take
effect as that is the
day the government
decree is published in
the official government
publication, La Gaceta.
The expansion of the
current vehicular
restriction was to have
been in place yesterday,
Monday, but the
government did not get
the decree published in
time.
The restriction will
prohibit all vehicles -
save for taxis and buses
- from circulating in
the area surrounded by
the Circunvalación on
the west, south and east
of San José and La Uruca
- Tibás on the north,
between the hours of 6am
and 8:30am and 4:30pm
and 7pm, weekdays,
determined by the last
digit of the vehicle's
license plate.
The restriction is for
plates ending in 1 & 2
on Mondays; 3 & 4 on
Tuesdays; 5 & 6 on
Wednesdays; 7 & 8 on
Thursdays; and 9 & 0 on
Fridays. The restriction
is not applied on
holiday days.
In addition to the above
vehicular restriction, a
separate government
decree will be published
on Thursday that will
also prohibit the
circulation of all
commercial heavy
vehicles in the
restricted area and the
restricted time.
The commercial heavy
vehicle restriction will
also apply, during the
same hours, restricted
circulation of the ruta
32 (Braulio Carrillo),
the autopista General
Cañas, Bernardo Soto
(San Ramón), Próspero
Fernández (Santa Ana)
and the Florencio del
Castillo (Cartago).
The job of enforcing the
above restrictions is up
to the Policía de
Tránsito (traffic
police) and according to
statements made last
week by the director of
the Policía de Tránsito,
Germán Marín, he does
not have sufficient
officers to enforce the
regulations, having at
best 25 officers during
the morning and
afternoon peak rush
hours.
In addition, and not
much of a deterrence,
the fine for
infringement is only
¢5.000 colones, that can
be reasoned as the cost
of doing business,
especially for
commercial operators, if
they get caught.
Gasoline Prices (if
approved by the
Legislative Assembly).
Super: current ¢656, new
¢808.25
Regular: current ¢644,
new ¢784.25
Unlike the regular price
increases of gasoline
that are requested by
Recope, the state
refinery, and approved
by the Aresep, the
government regulator,
the Legislative Assembly
determines the tax
applied to gasoline
prices. |
