www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Just a few comments.

Arias is in favor of the tax package, but I think you will see some changes from its current form.

Costa Rica needs to increase the tax revenue. There-s no debate on that issue. The deficit is huge and only getting worse. The big question is how to fix it. I, for one, would prefer for them to enforce the actual laws and tweak here or there. My fear with the new package is that they will change the rules of the game and not increase revenues one bit: the big winners would be the lawyers and accountants helping game the system. My other concern is that increased tax revenues will result in higher government spending and we won-t address the growing deficit.

The CAFTA demonstrations will be a nightmare, in large part because there is no backbone in the government.

No, they need to collect the taxes already in place and keep the money out of the pockets of the thieving politicians. They just keep making more and more excuses, but where the hell is the money going they are collecting. I'm not sure if CAFTA is good or not. But the demonstrations are largely ICE workers who know that they will actually have to find a job and work for a living if competition is opened.

While I would tend to agree that nothing should be done in haste, given the history of CR law-making, I would not be overly optimistic that the law will not have a detrimental effect for several reasons:

The CR government has a history writing and enacting laws that tend to have the effect of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Several examples leap to mind; Squatters laws which have been used mostly against gringos for years to extort money or steal land. It is one of the biggest scams going and yet the CR government knows the targets are mostly foreigners who are ignorant of this law and have limited influence. They want to seem populist with the people, so they do nothing about reforming the law. The next thing that leaps to mind is expropriation of land, where the government takes over land from private owners near a national park or on land destined to be a park for very limited renumeration.

Add to that the elimination of most of the tax benefits enacted as incentive to move there and I would say that there are probably better places to reside. I would say that the application of this law could cause expats some significant legal issues. Of course that is just my opinion and YMMV.

YO TimBones:
Talk about government stealing of land......as you know, the state and federal pirates here in the U.S. are doing that big time with the broadening of eminent domain.

Also, show me an honest lawyer in CR and I'll show you a chica that will sleep with my old man....that low life.