Anti-poverty levy hit as back-door tax on food and medicine

The opposition hit the proposed 2% anti-poverty tax as a back-door attempt by the PAN to introduce the value added tax on food and medicines, which are currently exempt. Senate coordinator Carlos Navarrete (PRD) declared the proposed new tax “dead and buried.”  The PRI was more cautious. Francisco Rojas, the PRI leader in the Chamber, said that while the PRI opposed taxing food and medicine, “There is nothing definitive; we are just getting a first impression. It will be several weeks before we have a position.” (Reforma 9/12)