FY 2015 Budget (Passed)

[TNF]

Motion to table.

At this juncture we probably won't have a GM until the next President is inaugurated, so we might as well just sit tight and wait. Plus our Lameduck administration doesn't seem to believe in compromising over much of anything, so I would prefer we cease negotiations with a President more committed to making sure that his base doesn't become the latest in the series of groups that have become utterly disappointed with his ineffective, shortsighted administration.

[Cranberry]

Wasn't Barnes serving as Deputy GM? Couldn't he offer some numbers?

[Lief 🗽]

I second TNF's motion.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Thank God I didn't have to deal with creating a budget during my two terms. I can't imagine what a train wreck that would have been juggling all of you in my arms

[Lumine]

A motion to table? I would sincerely ask the Senate to reject such a motion, the least thing we need is to delay this for an unknown number of weeks because of what the Senator believes is a lack of compromise. And I resent that idea, because I have tried my best to conciliate my own views with the views of the Senate, and indeed I have already asked what would be acceptable for a majority of them in certain issues.

I have sent a message to Barnes given that he is still Deputy GM regarding the numbers and if there was a chance of him releasing them. I am willing to pass a budget and concede the fact that tax reform might not be possible given the limited time we have, but passing one without knowing what the revenue is would be, in my opinion, too irresponsible.

[windjammer]

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Sponsor: Windjammer

[windjammer]

I was tired of not having any number at all. This is the situation where the numbers would be exactly the same than last year, but of course, that's probably not the case, but we needed to have an estimate.

[windjammer]

Why not increasing taxes on marijuana and alcohol and put them at the same level than marijuana? We would get a lot of new revenues, and it would fairer. If marijuana is legalized, why should it be taxed more than alcohol and cigarettes?

[TNF]

I won't support increasing taxes on alcohol or marijuana. If taxes go up, they should go up on the wealthy and the wealthy alone.

[Cranberry]

I won't support increasing taxes on alcohol or marijuana. If taxes go up, they should go up on the wealthy and the wealthy alone.

Quick calculation: we'd need 3% more on the highest tax bracket to get in the remaining 20 billion (actually ~27 billions)

[bore]

Is that an amendment windjammer?

[windjammer]

Is that an amendment windjammer?

No, just to help us .

[Lumine]

Right, I have talked to Barnes and he does have some revenue numbers (although not all of them) and I have asked him to send. Once I have them I'll present them to the Senate, and I guess we'll decide from there, depending  on whether we have a GM nominee. I should note that one Atlasian has indeed showed interest in the the position, so there's hope!

I also fully support Windjammer on raising marijuana and alcohol taxes, and I believe it's a far better idea than to just raise taxes on the higest bracket without any concerns.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am deeply disturbed that some of considering just abandoning this for a whole month of "ceasing to work with the President" on this matter. Though many have made mistakes in this process, we ultimately would not be in this situation had the work been done last summer.

I am convinced that we can surely find something agreeable enough to pass.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I won't support tabling

[Cranberry]

No, I will also not support tabling this. I will refrain from any further comments here until we get those numbers from Barnes Lumine was speaking of.

[Lumine]

Right, I've spoken to Barnes, and this what we have:

Cynic started work on the Income and Corporate taxes, and while he gave an initial estimate the truth is that said numbers are somewhat different that the Averroes Budget (Edit: I changed the phrasing here, it didn't sound good):

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There also other estimates that were unable to be finished, although I would like to note that  since the Health Care Payroll Tax was raised again to 8% then we should get a very similar number than the 2014 one ($853.4 B).

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[Barnes]

If I may address the Senate briefly:

I was collaborating with Cynic to create the budget numbers when the recent events transpired.  I can confirm that the numbers presented by the President are the numbers that I forwarded to him following Cynic's resignation. 

Since I am not the Game Moderator, it would be inappropriate for me to develop these numbers any further on my own.  I will, of course, be happy to assist Kalwejt once he is confirmed as GM, and I will also offer assistance to the Senate if you deem it necessary.

I thank you for your attention.

[windjammer]

So with the financial transaction tax, we now have 50 Billion more?

So I guess we're not in deficit?

[Lumine]

So with the financial transaction tax, we now have 50 Billion more?

So I guess we're not in deficit?

Well, given that the earlier work was based on reducing spending as much as possible (or at least as much as the Senate and the Administration could support), and since we have raised some other taxes (Gas, Marijuana, Tobbaco and Alcohol) then that assumption is plausible.

If I may address the Senate briefly:

I was collaborating with Cynic to create the budget numbers when the recent events transpired.  I can confirm that the numbers presented by the President are the numbers that I forwarded to him following Cynic's resignation. 

Since I am not the Game Moderator, it would be inappropriate for me to develop these numbers any further on my own.  I will, of course, be happy to assist Kalwejt once he is confirmed as GM, and I will also offer assistance to the Senate if you deem it necessary.

I thank you for your attention.

Thanks for the assistance, Barnes! If I may ask, could you provide us with your opinion on Cynic's numbers regarding the Health Care Payroll Tax, the Gas/Tobbaco/Alcohol taxes and the Oil Spill Protection?

[windjammer]

Well, thank you Barnes, Cynic and Lumine for these predictions. If you could as well give an estimation about the current deficit/surplus, that would be great too .

[Jerseyrules]

Are citizens allowed to post with their concerns?

[windjammer]

Are citizens allowed to post with their concerns?

Yes

[Lief 🗽]

While we mull over the revenue numbers, I would like to propose an amendment. First of all, this amendment recognizes the drastic and pressing need to immediately cut spending, as the administration continues to argue for. Second, this amendment recognizes that the Justice Department is currently grossly over-funded, an inevitable conclusion based on the parade of cases it continues to waste the courts' time with (e.g. prosecuting someone for a crime for which that person has already been pardoned). Therefore, I propose that the administration of justice section be amended as follows:

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[Lumine]

From my point of view that amendment is unfriendly. It's pretty clear the goal there is less focused on actual spending reduction and more focused on a political attack on the Justice Department. These cuts, especially the gutting of Federal Law Enforcement, are bound to hit the Federal Government very hard when to comes to reacting and preventing critical situations.  

Furthermore, how can we actually be sure that the Justice Department is "grossly over-funded"?