August 2014 Napa Valley Earthquake Relief for the Pacific Act (Debating)

[Cranberry]

Thank you for bringing this bill on the floor, Mr President Pro Tempore

Firstly, I see no conflict between the aims of the bill and Hagrid's intentions. If anything, the bill just reinforces and confirms Hagrid's intention, and gives it the affirmation of the Senate, if passed that is.

Secondly, is there are need for this bill? Well, there is. Maybe I am biased here, as Regional Senator for the Pacific I am foremost bound to the people of the Pacific. Yet I would support similar measures if the earthquake would have occurred in other regions, so I urge for my fellow senators to not see this as "another handout for the Pacific" but as relief for a plagued area. (Though I guess Lumine would be on my side supporting it also if not for the latter )
That being said, I shall come back to the bill itself. Essentially building up the same mechanism as with the homelessness act, it enables the Pacific Region to propose a plan on what the sum we provide is used for, which in turn is either approved or vetoed by the SoIA.
According to a few sources (here or here), the earthquake would have caused damages up to $4 billions, $1 billions alone for the plagued wine industry in Napa Valley. I therefore propose the sum of no less than $2.5 billions for relief for the Pacific Region.

Thank you for your attention.

[Cranberry]

I never thought that you would accept 2.5 billions, I just thought let's a number from which we can work... I see your reasons, for e g 500-700 millions, and I do also think that that's about the most reasonable thing we can do.
So what with $600 Millions?

[Cranberry]

That for one is a real problem.
Maybe we could ask the SoIA for a damage estimation, and how much is covered with existing insurances?

[Cranberry]

It is only natural that such a bill would come from the representative of the great People's Region in the Senate.
And indeed, the blows to the wine industry are indeed very sincere and sad for our region, if not the whole world.

[Cranberry]

This is just for Napa County, though, not the whole area. I bet Marin County, Somoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County and as far as Sacramento or Santa Clara Counties have suffered (nearly equally) under the quake. I would say, let's get the SoIA on

[Cranberry]

This is just for Napa County, though, not the whole area. I bet Marin County, Somoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County and as far as Sacramento or Santa Clara Counties have suffered (nearly equally) under the quake. I would say, let's get the SoIA on

I have a bit of a doubt, Cranberry, if this bill only concerns the Napa County according to your interpretation, wouldn't it be a better idea to cover the entire region?
[/quote]
No, not the bill is just for Napa County, but DemPGH's damage numbers were just for Napa County. I guess I expressed myself a bit misleading there

This is just for Napa County, though, not the whole area. I bet Marin County, Somoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County and as far as Sacramento or Santa Clara Counties have suffered (nearly equally) under the quake. I would say, let's get the SoIA on

As far as I know Santa Clara County experienced no damage whatsoever.

Great for Santa Clara County, but my point was that not just Napa County was hit, but the counties in its surroundings also.

[Cranberry]

Wiki says Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties. But I think that this does not matter as we never specify which counties shall get the funds, and we will have to wait for a SoIA/GM report if I'm right.

[Cranberry]

Oh yes, we could do that
The official name is I guess "South Napa Earthquake", so here we go:

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[Cranberry]

I would say, leave the way of how to distribute the funds to the Pacific Regional Government, as it's outlined in this bill. Simfan surely comes up with a good plan, and Hagrid is entitled to refuse their plan shouldn't it be good. Agree with that?

This is just for Napa County, though, not the whole area. I bet Marin County, Somoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County and as far as Sacramento or Santa Clara Counties have suffered (nearly equally) under the quake. I would say, let's get the SoIA on

As far as I know Santa Clara County experienced no damage whatsoever.

My beauty sleep was interrupted.

A truly horrible damage to Atlasia!

[Cranberry]

I would say, leave the way of how to distribute the funds to the Pacific Regional Government, as it's outlined in this bill. Simfan surely comes up with a good plan, and Hagrid is entitled to refuse their plan shouldn't it be good. Agree with that?

This is just for Napa County, though, not the whole area. I bet Marin County, Somoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County and as far as Sacramento or Santa Clara Counties have suffered (nearly equally) under the quake. I would say, let's get the SoIA on

As far as I know Santa Clara County experienced no damage whatsoever.

My beauty sleep was interrupted.

A truly horrible damage to Atlasia!

Yeah, I suppose I am fine with that. I prefer not to leave certain things to chance, but there are only so many hours in the day.

I'm sorry, but I don't really understand what you want to say?

[Cranberry]

Yes. We still need a GM/SoIA report to determine how much money we'll be giving to the Pacific.

[Cranberry]

I would say, leave the way of how to distribute the funds to the Pacific Regional Government, as it's outlined in this bill. Simfan surely comes up with a good plan, and Hagrid is entitled to refuse their plan shouldn't it be good. Agree with that?

This is just for Napa County, though, not the whole area. I bet Marin County, Somoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County and as far as Sacramento or Santa Clara Counties have suffered (nearly equally) under the quake. I would say, let's get the SoIA on

As far as I know Santa Clara County experienced no damage whatsoever.

My beauty sleep was interrupted.

A truly horrible damage to Atlasia!

Yeah, I suppose I am fine with that. I prefer not to leave certain things to chance, but there are only so many hours in the day.

I'm sorry, but I don't really understand what you want to say?

I mean I'd rather make sure that we get Bob Joe his money and sign off on it than delay it and pawn the work to Hagrid, but obviously delegating is a big part of being an officeholder.

Oh, yeah, I get your point. So you mean we should already lay out for what the money should be used?
Alright, I'll provide an amendment later.

[Cranberry]

I don't think that we should do anything without a GM report here, or do you?

[Cranberry]

What's taking so long with the numbers?

Hagrid is on LoA for some time...

[Cranberry]

lol Simfan

Thank you for your detailed execution, to say so, it is indeed very helpful. I will seek myself if I find any numbers, but once we do have final numbers, I will provide an amendment giving at least some detail how to allocate it, but else you are free to allocate it your way.

There has been no consensus on tabling this bill, we just need numbers and then we will be ready swiftly, so you and the Council (lol) can take over.

[Cranberry]

Well, Hagrid is now back from his leave of absence, have you consulted with him already, Cranberry?

I have not, I slumbered deep when he returned xD But I'll be consulting with him immediately.

[Cranberry]

cough, cough

Thank you, this has been seen. I will get you something formal by tomorrow night.

I guess it just should be a matter of days now

[Cranberry]

So then wait for tomorrow. We have a SoIA report due as well, so I guess once we get the first number, we will immediately get the second numbers as well.
Thank you however, Governor.

[Cranberry]

Thank you, Governor.
Might I ask you to maybe show us the calculation with which numbers you used, so that we can comprehend how you ended up with this number?

[Cranberry]

I guess we can wait for that as well; but as of now, assuming the total damages to be around 1,2 billions, we should think on how to split up the costs between the People's Region and the federal government.
 
I would propose that we pay 900 million, while the People's Region should pay the remaining 300 Million from the emergency fund of the People's Region's budget surplus (we had one this july, so that should be no problem)

[Cranberry]

With all due respect, Mr President; 900 Million is a very reasonable sum. Whole destinies were destroyed, life courses received a turn for the worse. I guess the split between the two bodies are reasonably split; and I urge my fellow Senators to support this plan.

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[Cranberry]

But we won't be paying for everything. We pay a reasonable amount, 3/4. The People's Region is plagued economically, so I think it would be wise if we payed for a larger amount than just 1/2 - 3/4, to say.

[Cranberry]

When did the Pacific get the designation the People's region? The northeast has more members of The Party and can also, along with the south, claim to have been more involved in TPP's founding

I don't think we should pay for every bit of damage not covered by the insurance because otherwise, well, what's the point of it? Which then leaves me wondering what lambda (at least I assume it's lambda) is in simfan's equation. That seems the important question.

A quick rummage on the wiki gives the Pacific's expenditure as $379.200 billion while the federal government spends about 695 billion on the pacific. Just in terms of relative spending power.

Firstly, The People's Region of the Pacific is our official name, it's in our constitution. Even before that, the first time I could trace it back was Wolfentoad - he put in on our sigil; so at least Wolfentoad must have used the name.
But that's completely irrelevant here

You are in a way right that people who don't have insurance should not get paid everything, because then everyone would think why to pay more if they get everything back. I however also think that we need to make a difference between a disaster, an emergency really, and normal circumstances. Under normal circumstances, it is good and right that we don't pay anything. But an emergency is an extraordinary circumstance. Okay, maybe we should not be paying anything.

So what would you propose? Split evenly by the federal and the regional government? We may not forget that we in the People's Region are bound to accept small tax rates, are a region in crisis with little revenues and therefore very little expenditures. But I would be inclined to say yes to 600 million from the federal government; if this is more acceptable to you.

[Cranberry]

I guess then really best wait for Simfan to give us the exact numbers for the equation. A few days more or less should not matter anymore.

7:3 would be nearly the 900:300 I proposed; maybe a bit less for the federal government and a bit more for the PRP... But anyway, I guess we should wait for Simfan's equation, to see whether and what we could strike a bit...

Thank you, by the way, Simfan; for doing basically all the work with the numbers for this bill. I know I'm making it quite easy for me here; but I'm so bad at numbers, and I guess I can only thank you thousand times for this. Thank you very, very much indeed!

[Cranberry]

Oh didn't see this, I would have been okay with a final vote.

As for bore's amendment, what would you say with 800 millions?