hardly the same thing....... your propina is voluntary, this is not..........MUCH differentI suppose you have never had a traffic stop and pay a propina to go? So, if stopped will you still "stand on principle (in the DR) or pay the dishonest cop? He's part of government. As far as "The government should not charge non-tourists the..." in the end we are all visitors . For expats, resident or not (except citizens ) this is not our country. IMO no vote=no say. For me, personally, $10 = no stress.