S.20.1-15: Southern Budget Act (Statute)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Southern Budget Act
Section 1: This bill will hereby be known as the Southern Budget Act of 2020

Section 2: Spending and Appropriations
A: for the fiscal period beginning in March of 2020, the following departments will be funded at the following levels

* Pensions
Base: $68.00 Billion
Total: $68.00 Billion (100.00%)

* Healthcare
Base: $200.53 Billion
Jeb Stuart Act: $500,000
Raccoon Resistance Act: $20 Million
Doctors and Hospitals Act: $149 Million
Generic Spending: $190.00 Billion
Total: $190.17 Billion (100.00%)

* Education
Base: $120.00 Billion
Development of Foreign Language Programs in Schools Act: $10 Million
Young Athletes Act: $5 Million
School is Cool Act: $5 Million
Opidate Overdose Prevention Act: $2 Million
Teaching Incentives Act: $76 Million
Go South Young Man Act: $735 Million
Generic Spending: $105.00 Billion
Total: $105.83 Billion (100.00%)

* Defense
Base: $0.80 Billion
Total: $0.50 Billion (100.00%)

* Welfare
Base: $38.39 Billion
Prison Reform Act: $170 Million
Inmate Resources: $165 Million
Obsolete Crimes Deletion: $30 Million
Generic Spending: $30.39 Billion
Total: $30.76 Billion (100.00%)


* Protection/Security
Base: $28.00 Billion
Total: $30.00 Billion (100.00%)

* Transportation
Base: $70.20 Billion
Naval Infrastructure Spending Act: $8 Billion
Everglades Protection: $10 Million
Fast Act Amendments: $3 Million
Generic Spending: $40.00 Billion
Total: $48.01 Billion (100.00%)

* General Government
Base: $14.96 Billion
Rough Bulldog Act: $8,000
Sales Tax Exemption: $7.45 Million
Southern Tax Relief Credit: $860 Million
Tax-Exempt HSAs Act: $19 Million
Asset Seizure: $311 Million
Generic Spending: $9.96 Billion
Total: $11.16 Billion (100.00%)

* Discretionary
Base: $20.00 Billion
Total: $50.00 Billion (100.00%)

Total Regional Spending: $534.43 Billion

Section 3: Taxes and Revenue
A: For the fiscal period beginning in March 2020, taxes and revenues collected shall be the following:

* Income Tax
Base: $110.18 Billion
Corporate (5% Tax): $25.15 Billion
Total: $135.33 Billion

* Social Security
Base: $73.68 Billion
Total: $73.68 Billion (0% tax)

* Additional/Ad Valorem
Base: $223.75 Billion
Excise/Marijuana: $3.70 Billion per year (20% Tax)
Prison Reform Act: $ 22 Million per year
Animal Welfare Act Tokens: $360,000
Celebrating Southern Region Act: $3.2 Million
Opiate Overdose Prevention Act: $829 Million per year
Abortion-related Taxes: $13 Million per year
Online Lottery Act: $310 Million per year
Gambling Taxes: $1.3 Billion per year
Total: $229.93 Billion

* Fees and Charges
Base: $95.52 Billion
Real ID Compliance: $20 Million
Gambling Act: $505.5 Million per year
Better Skools Act: $18 Million
Ban Ban Ban Act: $21.5 Million
One More Year Act: $8 Million
Total: $96.09 Billion

* Business and Other Revenue
Base: $57.84 Billion
Total: $57.84 Billion (0% Tax)

Total regional revenue: $592.87 Billion
Reserves: $22.00 Billion
Balance: +$80.44 Billion

Section 4: Implementation
This bill will take effect immediately upon becoming law

Sponsor: West_Midlander

[West_Midlander]

I was waiting to propose a budget based on new calculations by the Comptroller General. However, the office of the Comptroller General had remained vacant for months, including my entire tenure as Governor. [Note: The Office is still vacant as Clyde, who was nominated yesterday, has to be confirmed by the Senate.] Without access to the spreadsheet for calculating the Southern budget, as I am not the CG, I don't believe I can do more in the interest of introducing a new budget for the region. As I am not the CG, I do not believe it would be within the bounds of this Office to attempt to calculate the cost of legislation passed throughout the past year and without access to the Southern government expense and revenue spreadsheet.

Thank you,

- Governor West_Midlander

Changes made from the 2019 Southern Budget:

- Slight amendment of the budget introduced by Gov. YoungTexan last year.
- 2019s changed to 2020.
- %s where spending by category was increased or decreased (last year) are changed to 100% as spending levels are maintained from last year*

*I don't think it would be responsible to increase or decrease spending without knowing if we still have a surplus after considering bills passed in the past year. I assume we still have a small, but reduced, surplus but I am unsure. The figures for the reserves and balance amount are from last year and other figures are in need of being updated once Clyde is confirmed as CG by the Senate.

If this bill is not yet on the Chamber floor, I will edit this post with Clyde's new figures if/when he is confirmed by the Senate. Otherwise, this bill can be amended on the Chamber floor to account for the new calculations.

The quoted portions explain my reasoning for introducing the budget in the way I did, when I did. My principal goal is fiscal responsibility.

I think it would be best if the Delegates debate the budget and then wait for Clyde to be confirmed by the Senate and to make his calculations at which point this bill can be amended to account for the new surplus and reserve values and spending on bills passed in the past year.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Understood.

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Paygo hasn't been repealed here. Only the Federal government up in Nyman has.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Paygo hasn't been repealed here. Only the Federal government up in Nyman has.

thank the lord Paygo is still in effect in the South. I've always (iirc) backed Paygo being in place here as long as I've had a position on it, and so should the rest of the Chamber.

[Clyde1998]

Just to confirm publicly, I've seen this and I'm working on the updated expenditure/revenue figures to allow for this to be debated.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Just to confirm publicly, I've seen this and I'm working on the updated expenditure/revenue figures to allow for this to be debated.

Good to hear.

[Clyde1998]

Based on my calculations, the additional expenditure from the previous financial year (between April 2019 and March 2020) - where I couldn't find a specific category, they've been added to general spending - and the changes in taxation income (changes largely in line with inflation; Income Tax, Corporate Tax and Social Security changes are inline with IRL changes in revenue) are:

Southern Budget Act
Section 1: This bill will hereby be known as the Southern Budget Act of 2020

Section 2: Spending and Appropriations
A: for the fiscal period beginning in March of 2020, the following departments will be funded at the following levels

* Pensions
Base: $68.00 Billion
Total: $68.00 Billion (100.00%)

* Healthcare
Base: $190.17 Billion
Jeb Stuart Act: $500,000
Raccoon Resistance Act: $20 Million
Doctors and Hospitals Act: $149 Million
Generic Spending: $190.00 Billion
Total: $190.17 Billion (100.00%)

* Education
Base: $105.83 Billion
Development of Foreign Language Programs in Schools Act: $10 Million
Young Athletes Act: $5 Million
School is Cool Act: $5 Million
Opidate Overdose Prevention Act: $2 Million
Teaching Incentives Act: $76 Million
Go South Young Man Act: $735 Million
Generic Spending: $105.00 Billion
STEM in School Supply Enhancement Act: $1.08 Billion
Appreciate Our Teachers Act: $7.68 Billion
Total: $114.59 Billion (108.28%)

* Defense
Base: $0.50 Billion
Total: $0.50 Billion (100.00%)

* Welfare
Base: $30.76 Billion
Prison Reform Act: $170 Million
Inmate Resources: $165 Million
Obsolete Crimes Deletion: $30 Million
Generic Spending: $30.39 Billion
Total: $30.76 Billion (100.00%)

* Protection/Security
Base: $30.00 Billion
Total: $30.00 Billion (100.00%)

* Transportation
Base: $48.01 Billion
Naval Infrastructure Spending Act: $8 Billion
Everglades Protection: $10 Million
Fast Act Amendments: $3 Million
Fast Act Amendments Act: $3 Million
Generic Spending: $40.00 Billion
Total: $48.01 Billion (100.00%)

* General Government
Base: $11.16 Billion
Rough Bulldog Act: $8,000
Sales Tax Exemption: $7.45 Million
Southern Tax Relief Credit: $860 Million
Tax-Exempt HSAs Act: $19 Million
Asset Seizure: $311 Million
Southern Infrastructure Act Act: $10 Billion
Construction of Telescope: $500 Million
Asian Carp Suck Act: $1 Million
Gambling Immorality Tax Act: $57.35 Million
Southern Environmental Act: $2 Million
Promoting Patriotic Purchasing: $1 Million
Generic Spending: $9.96 Billion
Total: $21.72 Billion (195.62%)

* Discretionary
Base: $50.00 Billion
Disaster Relief Fund Act: $10 Billion (allocated to come out of discretionary budget for previous year, included for completeness)
Southern Infrastructure Act Act: $5 Billion (allocated to come out of discretionary budget for previous year, included for completeness)
Total: $50.00 Billion (100.00%)

Total Regional Spending: $590.41 Billion

Section 3: Taxes and Revenue
A: For the fiscal period beginning in March 2020, taxes and revenues collected shall be the following:

* Income Tax
Base: $114.75 Billion
Corporate (5% Tax): $22.28 Billion
Ho's Gotta Grind Act: $300 Million
Total: $137.33 Billion

* Social Security
Base: $76.93 Billion
Total: $76.93 Billion (0% tax)

* Additional/Ad Valorem
Base: $227.11 Billion
Excise/Marijuana: $3.76 Billion per year (20% Tax)
Prison Reform Act: $ 22.3 Million per year
Animal Welfare Act Tokens: $370,000
Celebrating Southern Region Act: $3.2 Million
Opiate Overdose Prevention Act: $841.4 Million per year
Abortion-related Taxes: $13.2 Million per year
Online Lottery Act: $314.7 Million per year
Gambling Taxes: $1.32 Billion per year
Southern Energy Act: $2.06 Billion
Total: $235.45 Billion

* Fees and Charges
Base: $96.95 Billion
Real ID Compliance: $20.3 Million
Gambling Act: $513.1 Million per year
Better Skools Act: $18.3 Million
Ban Ban Ban Act: $21.8 Million
One More Year Act: $8.1 Million
Total: $97.53 Billion

* Business and Other Revenue
Base: $58.71 Billion
Total: $58.71 Billion (0% Tax)

Total regional revenue: $605.94 Billion
Reserves: $22.00 Billion
Balance: +$15.53 Billion
Reserves + Balance: $37.53 Billion

Section 4: Implementation
This bill will take effect immediately upon becoming law

[West_Midlander]

Thank you, Mr. Comptroller General, for your good work done and with commendable rapidity.

I encourage the Delegates of this body to take up the version of the bill as amended by CG Clyde (to account for the newly calculated values) since the changes are made only in the interest of correctness (so the current calculations will be included in the final version of the bill).

Afterward, the Delegates may debate spending or taxation alterations (to what I have proposed) if they so choose.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Thank you, Mr. Comptroller General, for your good work done and with commendable rapidity.

I encourage the Delegates of this body to take up the version of the bill as amended by CG Clyde (to account for the newly calculated values) since the changes are made only in the interest of correctness (so the current calculations will be included in the final version of the bill).

Afterward, the Delegates may debate spending or taxation alterations (to what I have proposed) if they so choose.

I am treating this as essentially a sponsor's amending of the original bill on the floor.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Does anyone wish to debate this bill?

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Y'all gonna do anything Delegates?

[Senator-elect Spark]

No objection. I leave this to the new session.

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

No objection. I leave this to the new session.

The current chamber has obfuscated and kicked the can down the road rather than it's duty. Passing the buck to the next chamber. A sad outcome.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

No objection. I leave this to the new session.

The current chamber has obfuscated and kicked the can down the road rather than it's duty. Passing the buck to the next chamber. A sad outcome.

I doubt it is a good idea holding a vote on the budget in the middle of the election voting anyway.

[West_Midlander]

We have a brief lame-duck session lasting until Friday. If the Speaker and Delegate Spark do not wish to pursue a vote on the budget during the election, I understand that, but I encourage the Chamber to take a vote before new officeholders are sworn in because the budget is already delayed due to the office of CG having (previously) been vacant for a long while.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

We have a brief lame-duck session lasting until Friday. If the Speaker and Delegate Spark do not wish to pursue a vote on the budget during the election, I understand that, but I encourage the Chamber to take a vote before new officeholders are sworn in because the budget is already delayed due to the office of CG having (previously) been vacant for a long while.

If you wish we can move on this immediately after the voting ends.

[West_Midlander]

We have a brief lame-duck session lasting until Friday. If the Speaker and Delegate Spark do not wish to pursue a vote on the budget during the election, I understand that, but I encourage the Chamber to take a vote before new officeholders are sworn in because the budget is already delayed due to the office of CG having (previously) been vacant for a long while.

If you wish we can move on this immediately after the voting ends.

Sounds good. Many thanks, Mr. Speaker.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

We have a brief lame-duck session lasting until Friday. If the Speaker and Delegate Spark do not wish to pursue a vote on the budget during the election, I understand that, but I encourage the Chamber to take a vote before new officeholders are sworn in because the budget is already delayed due to the office of CG having (previously) been vacant for a long while.

If you wish we can move on this immediately after the voting ends.

Sounds good. Many thanks, Mr. Speaker.

You're welcome and no problemo Mr. Governor.
I motion for a final vote on this.
The required 24 hour wait will mean the vote will not begin until after polls close.

[Senator-elect Spark]

I agree that this is a priority that must be addressed before the start of the new session. Once the voting concludes, I plan to vote on this measure.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Final vote. 48 hours.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Aye

[reagente]

Aye

[Senator-elect Spark]

Aye

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

aye