Mideast Assembly Thread

[California8429]

Hey guys, decided to move here.

Pacific region is mostly none moving and the Mideast here seems pretty fast and up to date.

[California8429]

And if the bill is written like this ?

Labor Protection Act

Article I:  Any corporation found in violation of national or regional labor laws shall undergo a forfeiture of tax benefits and subsidies for a period lasting between one quarter to two tax years.

Article II: Any employee who is able to successfully prove a legitimate labor rights violation in a court of law may be awarded up to one hundred thousand dollars as compensation for a violation of a national or regional labor law.[/size]

Could we agree on something like that ?

Article I I'm fine with, but II isn't good. All you'd have is a bunch of employees trying to find tiny kinks in their companies to get a load of cash. Business won't trust the workers anymore and productivity will go way down. my two cents

[California8429]

When do we swear in?

[California8429]

Technically, Inks, as Dean, I'm supposed to do this, but it all works out in the end.

On that point, I nominate Inks to be the next Speaker.

second that

[California8429]

I'll be working on an infrastructure bill this week, and I'd like to introduce toll roads and bridges to help pay for the construction projects as well as reduce the deficit in the future.

how about HOV lanes that must be paid for single person usage

[California8429]

Really, Ben?

The skills learned in debate and speech (research, logic, public speaking, etc) are invaluable in the adult world.  Students should learn these skills early, so they can use them in adulthood.

but three years in return for denying kids the opportunity to escape failing schools? Maybe a semester or one year I would consider voting for it, but three years. It's not like students don't debate in other classes as well

[California8429]

Following Ben's bill I would like to introduce this bill

  A RESOLUTION CONCERNING
    INVASIVE SPECIES-NEED FOR A STUDY IN THE Mideast Region
  WHEREAS:  For the purpose of conducting research into the dangers of invasive species in the Mideast Region.
  WHEREAS: Invasive or “alien” species have been proven to have an adverse effect in ecosystems in many cases including deaths of native species and damage to the regional economy
 WHEREAS: Species which are at present problems or may become problems include Snakehead Fish, Grass Carp, Nutria, Imported Fire Ants, Japanese Beetles, and various snakes.
BE IT RESOLVED: The Mideast Assembly shall hereby commission a study into the dangers 100 posed by various species which are invasive and alien to the Mideast region.  This study will be to look into which species pose the most danger and what the Mideast Region may do about it.

cost for this?

[California8429]

Following Ben's bill I would like to introduce this bill

  A RESOLUTION CONCERNING
    INVASIVE SPECIES-NEED FOR A STUDY IN THE Mideast Region
  WHEREAS:  For the purpose of conducting research into the dangers of invasive species in the Mideast Region.
  WHEREAS: Invasive or “alien” species have been proven to have an adverse effect in ecosystems in many cases including deaths of native species and damage to the regional economy
 WHEREAS: Species which are at present problems or may become problems include Snakehead Fish, Grass Carp, Nutria, Imported Fire Ants, Japanese Beetles, and various snakes.
BE IT RESOLVED: The Mideast Assembly shall hereby commission a study into the dangers 100 posed by various species which are invasive and alien to the Mideast region.  This study will be to look into which species pose the most danger and what the Mideast Region may do about it.

cost for this?

Likely very low, it is not a huge expenditiure.  Meanwhile some invasive species cost a huge amount of money in terms of lost production.  For instance the Kudzu plant costs $500 million dollars in lost agriculture in the nation anually, this being a rough estimate.

fighting off species is not easy to do at all and will likely cost a lot for the actual process to kick out these invasive species

[California8429]

Wouldn't a reasonable compromise be to require debate and speech be included as an element in already mandatory English classes, as we have it in Sweden, where debate and speech is a part of Swedish class?

I could completely agree to that.

Good idea. 3 years is massively excessive.

i would go for that too

[California8429]

what materials for debate in poor schools will cause a 2% gas tax increase?

[California8429]

Schools have already means to pay for their materials. There arent' scholls so poor that they can't buy some additional materials, come on.

Debate and speech are first and foremost a personal skill, tought by... human beings and practised by other human beings.

Articles II and III should be dropped.

[California8429]

AYE

[California8429]

AYE

[California8429]

I have a bill to introduce, though if anyone would like to make suggestions that would be kind

A RESOLUTION CONCERNING
    ALGAE PROMOTION AS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY Mideast Region
  WHEREAS:  Algae has the capability to replace all use of our dependence on foreign oil using only up to 1% of all farm land in atlasia
 WHEREAS: Algae can be used effectively as ethanol and can be harvested in one day
 WHEREAS: One acre of algae can produce the equivelant of up to 10,000 gallons of oil a year
 WHEREAS: Algae farming is expensive and some estimates show $32,000 needed to build one acre farm and $12,000 a year maintance
BE IT RESOLVED: The Mideast Assembly shall hereby grant a $5,000 tax credit for any farmer building two acres of algae farm for the next fiscal year. The $5,000 tax credit will be offset by a decrease in foreign energy imports. A 1% tax will be placed on the sale of one gallon of algae oil (ethanol).

[California8429]

I don't know if the government would be able to afford any sort of tax credit at present time.

but consider the mideast moving toward 100% energy independent region. we'd eventually be exporting energy instead of importing it from the Persian Gulf and Canada

[California8429]

Purple State, could we get a score from the GM's office on this?

A score...on algae farms? I'll see what I can do.

EDIT: Is that $5,000 for every 2 acres? Or just for the first 2 acres?

5,000 for the first 2 acres NOT every 2 acres

[California8429]

I didn't know algae could be used so effectivly as a means to create fuel. This is something I'll definatley have to find out more about.

If Algea could indeed be used to create ethanol that could replace traditional oil, that would be an replacement that would pay off eventually, not just from an economic perspective, but from an enviormental perspective as well.

It is of course a problem that our budget is very tight right now, so I would suggest a potential cut in some other area to go with this. Personally I might suggest taking funding from farm subsides.

Purple State, could you possibly calculate how much the Region gives in farm subsides, and how much of it could possibly be cut, when you're on it?   

How about cuts in ethanol subsidies to pay for algae? Corn Ethanol at its full potential, using all farmland in the US, wouldn't even replace 20% of our dependence on oil. Algae is a great breakthrough in the future, yet expensive which is why we should be focused in investing our money there instead of in corn or soy ethanol which can't even come close to the production of algae   

[California8429]

Purple State, could we get a score from the GM's office on this?

A score...on algae farms? I'll see what I can do.

EDIT: Is that $5,000 for every 2 acres? Or just for the first 2 acres?

5,000 for the first 2 acres NOT every 2 acres

Alright, I'll aim for Sunday for a report on this.

Thanks. I believe that while our agricultural industry may not be the largest, we have the opportunity to lead Atlasia on a path to not just energy independence, but alternative energy indepdnence that is realistic and not just promises

[California8429]

Due to the cost estimates and low impact of the algae bill...would you all be interested and creating more subsides or tax credits to get these farms started as we move to the first energy independent region in Atlasia?

I'm thinking we can cut ethanol subsides to help pay for the costs? Any other ideas to help pay for creater tax credits for a larger impact on the industry to get this energy industry moving?

If nothing else I think we should invest in technology to be able to harness all the power algae can create which would lower costs if the every day Atlasian can actually fill up a algae ethanol or diseal gas tank in their car

[California8429]

Due to the cost estimates and low impact of the algae bill...would you all be interested and creating more subsides or tax credits to get these farms started as we move to the first energy independent region in Atlasia?

I'm thinking we can cut ethanol subsides to help pay for the costs? Any other ideas to help pay for creater tax credits for a larger impact on the industry to get this energy industry moving?

If nothing else I think we should invest in technology to be able to harness all the power algae can create which would lower costs if the every day Atlasian can actually fill up a algae ethanol or diseal gas tank in their car

It's not just greater subsidies, but also gradually increasing subsidies. Someone that makes a 500 acre farm shouldn't necessarily get the same subsidy as someone who makes a 1,000 acre farm. Unless you prefer somewhat smaller farms, but that is the Assembly's choice.

The bill can be effective as long as it gets the subsidy right. That's the trickiest part.

yeah. I was thinking for of 1,000 per acre credit up to 500 acres? plus research to be able to effectivly use algae which would bring down costs and we would eventaully not to to invest so much in teh industry

[California8429]

$5k tax credit for 2 acres of algae??

Some citation on the science involved here might help.

Yea I tink at that rate we'd be paying them taxes.

I'm getting algae into our energy talks. Gas prices for the region are on the rise and fossil fuels are going to run out, algae can produce a lot of diseal and ethanol so let's start the research and innovation to use algae to power our region

[California8429]

$5k tax credit for 2 acres of algae??

Some citation on the science involved here might help.

Yea I tink at that rate we'd be paying them taxes.

It actually costs about $32,000 for one acre of the stuff just for installation.

Data on this is relatively sparse, but there are some citations for cost around. Check my report for some info and the internet for the rest (ya'll can do your own research ).

Oh I appriciate your report, Mr. GM. I was instead hinting Assemblyman A-Bob may want to provide some documentation re: the energy production potential of algae farms.

Sure
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/biofuel/4213775
http://www.oilgae.com/
and of course, where I also got cost facts
http://www.americanenergyindependence.com/algaefarms.aspx

[California8429]

AYE

[California8429]

A-Bob this version of the bill is as have been pointed out not very fiscally responsible, in that it lacks proper details on how this thing will be funded. Although I'm convinced this would eventually lead to economic gains for our region, for example by exporting algae fuel and a decrease (or even better elimination) of importation of foregin oil.

We do still however need to keep in mind our current budget, which is as it is now a bit unbalanced. To add another unfunded tax credit would not be wise. I'd like to see a modified version of this bill that clearly states how this would be funded. That's a bill I'd be happy to sign. This bill has a good base, but lacks a little in excicution. Would you be willing to agree to this compromise?

HW, although I obviously agree with you on this bill currently lacks fiscal soundness, I still think this is a good idea with a few small modifications. It's true that scientific reaserch IRL might not be quite there yet, but this is Atlasia, and the extra funding we gave to enviorment-friendly science a while ago might have resulted in a scientific report that supports the that the use of algae to create ethanol does indeed work perfectly well. (Besides, when you know the GM, everything is possible ) I think it's important that we don't loose this oppertunity for a bi-partisan act that will help our economic and enviormental future.

Does the Governor have specific recommendations as The Governor pretty much does have final say on the bill via veto

[California8429]

Inks, would I be able add amendments the already passed bill or should I just compelty start over with this?

Governor, I wouldn't mind an increased tax on tobaccoo products as well as cuts in other ethanol (with products that cannot come close to matching algae's production) subsides we are currently funding