The Imperial Dominion of the South's Legislature

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Here's the relevant link on the surplus. It'll be good to have it in here for reference later if we need it:

Regional News

Regional Budgets Released
Southeast: This region has revenue of $632 billion and expenses of $630 billion, resulting in a surplus of $2 billion. The surplus is mostly a result of increased taxation, in addition to crisis funds from the federal government. The Southeast has also had success curbing lavish expenditures that had been typical of the region before the creation of the Southeast Legislature. It is recommended that surplus revenue be used predominantly to help the continued troubled industries in the Southeast through a combination of tax cuts/credits and subsidies.

Previous budget report of the Mideast.

And I'll agree with you that income minus deductions is a fair deal.

The era of lavish parties is over in the Southeast? Such a shame. I guess the time are a changing for real. I do remember those wild evenings at the Governor's Plantation back in the day. I know PiT does too.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Hi Dirty Southerners!

I'm your famed former governor and senator from the great Dirty Southern city of charleston and I come with a question. In 2012, Kiawah island is hosting the PHA Championship and the island is pushing for an express way to elieviate traffic on Bohicket Road. I'm first inquiring whether the regional legislature will act. Otherwise I'm going to stuff a federal bill with pork to get the job done. This is my top priority right now. Deal with it.

Much love and thankfulness,

Former Dirty Southern Governor and Senator Duke

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Who wants to sponsor it? I can't write it now since I'm on my iPhone, but I can do it later. Anyone will do, and whoever does I promise to help get reelected.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Tell me what the "PHA Championship" is and where "Kiawa Island" is and I might sponsor it. 

And how would building an expressway on the continent help alleviate traffic on an island?

Sorry. I was typing that on my iPhone so I had a bunch of misspelled words. My apologies.

It's the PGA Championship, a major golf tournament coming to Kiawah Island in 2012. This express way is designed to help the flow of traffic to and from the island which is, currently, exclusively funneled down Bohicket Road, a single lane road through a bunch of trees. The road is very unsafe for the volume of traffic it sees every day (much of which is from the resorts 1500 employees and 2000 residents + 2000 residents of Seabrook Island and the surrounding communities). The expressway would alleviate traffic on that unsafe road as well as keep the PGA Tournament on the Island. This event would add a much needed boost to the Southeast region. The PGA of America has requested we, as a region, come up with a way to successfully move 20,000 people a day out to the island, and this proposal has been on the table since 1996 at the request of the residents of the fast growing area. I figured it was time we moved on it. Bohicket Road does not need to be the sole artery out to those sea islands.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Duke Greenway, preferably.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Duke Greenway, preferably.

That actually sounds better.

Well, the actual name of the proposal in real life is Sea Island Greenway.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I spoke with KS about the money needed. The real life figure for this project is around $140 million, half coming from the federal government and half from the state. I'm not sure how we do that in this game, but to answer your question, we'd need around $140 million give or take.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I suppose the other $70M can come out of the highway bill I passed a month ago. The SE got a good amount of funds out of it that I'm sure we can designate to this project. We should have something like $5 billion allocated this year to play around with.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Probably. Im not sure ultimately how the funds were located. The bill provided $15B for funds for the 5 regions in 2011, so I think we have at least $3B to mess with assuming it hasn't been used for something else. I guess it depends whether you want the Feds controlling it all or the region having a say.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

     It doesn't have so much to do with the federal government controlling it as it has to do with the fact that I don't want to ask for more taxpayer money for the project when the funds to do so are already there in the region's treasury.

I got it. Use the funds we have then.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

The Fix Our Roads! Act I authored in the Senate allocated $15B this year nationwide, and if it was divided up equally, we have $3B from that bill alone. I don't know about any other funds.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Ugh. I forgot that bill didn't allocate to the regions. If my ticket had won the presidency, that was going to be one of my first things to do.

Let me see what I can do. Maybe I can amend it or something.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I don't see why not.

I introduced a bill that will hopefully get us the funds as soon as it's passed.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Well, the funds are already set aside. I suppose the initial bill passed leaves where the money is spent to the feds versus allowing the regions to decide. I hope we can change that and let the regions decide.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

     Actually, couldn't the Secretary of Internal Affairs make a statement dispensing the money to the regions?

You're right. That may be the way around having to go through passing a new bill. Maybe I'll send whoever that is a PM asking him.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I just PM'd him. I'll let y'all know what he says. I may just withdraw my bill if he can take care of it.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

We are now awaiting word from the President on where to go from here. I'll let you know as soon as I hear back.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

There's an actual route online.

I'll find it when I get home tonight.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Looks like the President has designated $750M to the DS for now. He hasn't allocated the full $15 billion for 2010 yet. Anyway, unless I continue with the bill to override, that's what we have for now. We did get the most of all the regions.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

The current proposal being discussed in these parts.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

We might as well use ours then. I'm not in this legislature, so far be it from me to tell you all how to operate. I just pull the strings behind the scene.

I support either plan. I hope we get started soon. It is much needed!

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Thanks for all the works y'all did on that bill. You are truly the DS's finest!

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I wholeheartedly endorse KS21's plan to return the South to its roots.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I took his place.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I'm trying to think of something else to put my name on. Any ideas?