Tasa Vehicular

Experts and civic groups are demanding transparent audits of municipal vehicle-tax revenues to verify that authorities use the money for road maintenance and improvement, as public protests grow over rate increases that citizens say have not improved street and highway conditions.

Taxi drivers in El Progreso, Yoro, have blocked road access to protest an increase in vehicle registration fees, saying they have received no response to demands for a reversal and threatening to escalate their action.

The city council of El Progreso revoked a municipal vehicle-tax increase that sparked protests and roadblocks, and ruled that residents who already paid will receive a credit toward other municipal fees.

Business leaders in El Progreso say a municipal increase in the vehicle tax was imposed without consultation and is disproportionate, raising concerns about how it will affect local commerce.