[AM4CP] On Taxation And MU's

Day 2,139, 15:54 • Published in Canada Canada • by Acacia Mason


The Platform To Date:

Opening Remarks

Good Evening eCanada,

Today I want to touch on the subject of Taxes and Military Units (MU’s). The plan is to lay out for you, what this government would do in terms of taxation and MU utilization, if my team is elected.

On Taxation

As it stands right now, eCanada is a tax haven, as we continue to enjoy a tax holiday. There are those who feel that we need to immediately move to increasing the work tax, in an effort to offset projected expenses and MU infrastructure. I have a couple of issues with this approach and I have some solutions which I would like to offer for your constructive criticism.

First off, there is a bout of “Chicken Little” syndrome overwhelming Congress. Many members find themselves running around yelling, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling, we must raise the work tax to 5%”. The issue here is two fold. Firstly, there is NO tangible evidence that 5% would even be the correct taxation level to administer programs which haven’t even been budgeted or planned for. Yes, you read that right...there is currently NO budget, and NO actual discussion on what programs would even need funding, and even if they were, what that funding amount would look like. How can you plan to buy a car if you have no idea how much that car is going to be? Do you just haphazardly save 10% of your paycheque and pray its enough? Thats irresponsible governance and you deserve better.

Second, should the very people who would be paying this tax, not have some sort of say? Should YOU, the voting public, not have the right to see what your options are, and then make a decision as to what YOU want YOUR government to do? I don’t know about you, but I would prefer to be ASKED what I find is important to me in the game, and THEN have my government act accordingly. I DONT need a group of elitists telling me what I need!

Under an Acacia Mason government, within 3 days of being elected, a formal survey will be made available. In this survey, YOU the voting public, will have a chance to dictate which programs you feel are most important. Whether that is MU infrastructure, continued tax relief, food programs, weapons programs, or something else, YOU will have the power to decide how YOUR tax dollars are spent.

Once the survey is collected, programs will be implemented, or not implemented if that is what you like, based on your feedback. For example, if you decide that you prefer a continued tax holiday, then you shall have a tax holiday. If you want MU infrastructure programs, then that is what you will have. The choice is yours.

For those worried about our MPP needs, know this. At our current income rate, which we project to be just over $1600 cc/day, this government would have enough money to fund 5 MPP’s per month without a need for tax increases. As our population grows from immigration, so too will our monthly income. I will discuss MPP’s and such in a later plank, in great detail.

Once programs, or non-programs, are established, within 10 days of election, a formal budget will be presented to Congress. This budget will represent your wishes.

The key thing to remember here is this. I am not saying I wont raise taxes, but I am also not saying I will. I am letting YOU decide if we raise taxes or not, and if we do, I am letting YOU decide how much they will need to be raised, based on what YOU feel is most important. What you will have to remember is, the more programs you ask the government to choose to fund, the greater the chance we will need to raise revenue through taxation. The important thing to note however, is that we will have a firm tax rate to work with, as opposed to just pulling a number out of a hat.

Just remember too, when taxes stay low, so do prices for things like food and weapons. Also, wages remain higher because producers can offer you more money to work. There is an inverse relationship to consider, and you will need to consider this, when you consider your funding wants and needs.

On MU’s

There is currently a lot of chatter about the state of MU’s. I want to give you my take on the current MU situation. I am a big believer in self sufficiency. It is my opinion that MU’s should make every effort to try and manage on their own. Those that cannot, should be folded and absorbed by larger and healthier MU’s, in an effort to trim the fat, and increase efficiency. I would much rather have a handful of strong and healthy MU’s, then to have several of varying degrees of success and health.

I recognize that MU’s are outside the control of the government, BUT, if MU funding is a chosen program, decisions will then have to be made in terms of how much to fund, and to which MU’s. It is my opinion that any MU funding, should be reserved for our best and most well managed MU’s. I know what you’re thinking...”But Acacia, the best MU’s dont need the funding...why give them more money?”. Its simple...our best MU’s will have demonstrated an ability to grow and supply successfully and efficiently, and so it is my opinion that they should be given the first opportunity to upgrade their infrastructure. That would be my position if MU funding was a program you wanted to be pursued.

There is a proposal out there for the creation of a National MU. I am of two minds on this. On one hand I see it as a valuable tool, and a great way to ensure that money is set aside for CO’s that can impact critical battles. On the other hand, I see it as a roadblock in helping our existing MU’s who have worked hard to survive over the last 8 months, and may see money normally earmarked for them, being sent to a new MU that will require a great deal of investment. What happens on this issue will ultimately reside on what you decide is important on the survey. If MU funding is critical, then the National MU concept should be scrapped. If MU funding is NOT critical, then perhaps we look at this program and see if there is money in the budge to allow for it. I see value in both options, but it is too early at this point to commit to one option or the other. Especially when we are yet to see just what a budget would look like.

In Closing

I like our tax vacation. I think lower prices and higher wages are a win/win for the public. Yes, the current economy is not to scale with two back to back tournaments/missions. This is all the more reason as to why we should NOT be tinkering with taxes at this point. We need to let the economy settle down before we try to do anything. Acting before that, is both foolish and knee jerk reactionism.

YOU, the voting public need to have a say in how your public officials handle YOUR money. This government will be founded on the principles of transparency and communication. We WILL NOT ram legislation or decisions down your throat, nor conduct our business in the dark backrooms of the legislature. We will be the safe and steady hand of governance. There will be no power brokering, where your best interests are left in the cold. Honest, Transparency, and Communication will be our hallmarks.

MU’s are important to the safe defence of our Country. How they are handled however, is a decision that needs to be examined closely, and YOU need to have a say in that. Do we need a National MU? Do we need infrastructure funding? Do we need to let MU’s continue to be self sufficient? If they receive funding, how heavy should the controls be? There are all issues that need full exploration if MU funding is to be a priority for you. We must be deliberate in our actions, and ensure that the right decisions are being made. Temperance will guide our decisions on whatever programs you want funded.

This is YOUR eCanada...on October 5th, let my team and I help you shape it!

Yours In National Unity,