NE4: March-June Northeast Budget FY2014 (Law)

[sentinel]

For reference, this is sirnick's last budget (sans a change in the dates.) I just wanted to get it in the queue so we could get some discussion going on this.

The budget procedure's a bit new to me, but sirnick and Cincinnatus have given me a lot of help. We estimated that after the additional expenditures (stimulus and what not) we had an additional ~2.2 billion left over. I'll have to contact Adam about estimates for revenue this trimester.

$2.2bil from the last budget is left over, in fact, we discussed that there is likely some left over from the first budget we passed when I was Governor as well.

Adam is the best bet for the new projected revenues, until then I'm not sure if debating too much of the budget will be worthwhile other than Deus' more technical questions.

Deus, what energy infrastructure excited expenditures were you talking about? Ones allocated via legislation last session or ones that are a permanent line item on the budget?

Also, I don't know where the agricultural subsidies even were in the budget. Perhaps tax expenditures, well have to ask Griffin.

[sentinel]

I was referring to the $2 billion allocated to "updating the Northeast's energy infrastructure." My thought was that, since this was a budget that was previously passed, the infrastructure would've already been updated, and there would be no need to update it again, or at least not this soon.

Infrastructure continuously needs updating and repair. Its not "one shot and done" kind of deal. Plus, I highly doubt the money allocated covered all updating and repair.

[sentinel]

I agree w/ Napoleon and Bore. To add on, its fun, IMO, to be Governor and create a budget

[sentinel]

I don't mean to overburden the Governor, but we should also try to determine how much is currently in the Disaster Relief Fund.

Also, I have a few more questions:

What does "tax expenditures" refer to?

What specifically is entailed in "direct aid and incentives to municipalities?"

1) Disaster Relief Fund - Dallasfan65 and I discussed this with Cincinnatus. I think Dallasfan65 has a number on that now since we went over it in detail.

2) Tax Expenditures - Its been a line item in the budget for a while, I mentioned to you a while ago that you should ask the GM.

3) I believe there is a bill referring to direct aid to municipalities, likely to had been passed under Scott if I'm guessing correctly.

[sentinel]

@Deus -  You can't just cross stuff out. You need to investigate if there are laws requiring a minimum spending level on those items. Then you'd need to repeal them.

[sentinel]

To be fair, I was about 5 seconds from doing that, too. Then, I did a quick search and found that there's a budget structure bill from 2010-11 that specified their inclusion. I didn't see any specific legislation that mandated the spending, but I could have missed something.

That bill is why I replied

[sentinel]

I this the bill you're referring to? Would it be possible to just include those things with funding levels of $0?

You could, but these are things worth funding. Your question regarding general tax expenditures was a better question for the GM -- did you ever ask?

[sentinel]

Deus never introduced the amendment regarding the tanning tax.

[sentinel]

Deus never introduced the amendment regarding the tanning tax.

When I said, "I am also introducing an amendment..." I mean that i was introducing it right then, not that I was planning to introduce it in the future.

You didn't give me the language, which I need to put the final bill together.

Am I allowed to just strike out the tax?

Also, since this is the "March-June" budget would the regional government shut down if we didn't pass the budget by the end of March?

I don't know if there's a precedent for that. In real life, most likely.

Propose the language, Deus.

[sentinel]

AMENDMENT. Includes Deus and Dallasfan's suggestions since no one else did it

[quote]

March-June Northeast Budget FY2014

IN THE NORTHEAST ASSEMBLY

A RESOLUTION

Establishing the budget for the Northeast Government lasting from March 2014 until June 2014

Resolved by the Northeast Assembly convened,

Expenditures

$57 billion - School aid
$29.00 billion ..... Elementary, Secondary & Vocational education
$28.00 billion ….. Northeastern Higher Education Act

$36.783 billion - Economic development
$15.00 billion ...... Community development
$15.00 billion ...... Area and regional development
$6.783 billion ...... Anti-Homelessness Act

$65.5 billion - Transportation
$15.00 billion ..... Highways and highway safety
$15.00 billion ...... Mass transit
$25 billion ...... Railroads
$1.50 billion ..... Air Transportation
$1.00 billion ...... Water transportation
$1.00 billion ...... Other transportation
$7.00 billion ..... Non-Highway Roads

$25 billion - Public safety

$26.025 billion - Health services
$0.025 billion  …..Healthy Northeast Is A Strong Northeast Act
$4.00 billion ...... STEM Cell Research Act
$3.00 billion ...... Substance abuse and mental health services
$2.00 billion ....... Disease control, public health and bioterrorism
$12.00 billion ..... Health research and training
$3.00 billion ...... Food safety and occupational health and safety
$2.00 billion ..... Other health care services

$15 billion - Tax expenditures

$2 billion - Environment & energy
$2.00 Billion  ...... Updating the Northeast's current energy infrastructure


$3 billion - Direct aid & incentives to municipalities

$2 billion - Government administration

===============================

TOTAL EXPENDITURES - $ update billion

===============================

Disaster Relief Fund

20% of all budget surpluses shall automatically be allocated to a Disaster Relief Fund which may be spent during emergencies at the discretion of the Governor via executive order.

PROPOSED TAXES

Income tax
0.0%    $0 - $24,999 ($0.000 B)
0.0%    $25,000 - $49,9999 ($0.000 B)
0.50%    $50,000 - $99,999 ($4.502 B)
2.00%    $100,000 - $249,999 ($7.769)
5.0%   $250,000 - $999,999 ($10.416 B)
7.5%   $1,000,000 + ($5.560 B)

Rates remain the same for married couples filing jointly, but brackets are doubled.

Sales tax
1.0% ($15.477 B)

Property tax
$35 per mil on assessed value of unimproved land ($133.508 B)

Excise Taxes
Gas: 68 cents per gallon ($55.466 B)
Diesel: $1 per gallon ($14.407 B)
New automobile purchase tax (by curb weight): $500 per thousand kilograms ($0.23959 B)
Tanning: 0 cents per minute [tax already exists per Northeast Healthy Skin Act] ($0 B)

Endowment Tax – 1% tax on the endowment of private universities to finance the Northeastern Higher Education Act – ($2.00 B)

===============================

TOTAL REVENUES - $About 249B needs updating

===============================

PROJECTED SURPLUS - ~10B needs updating

=================================
Rider: The Northeast Healthy Skin Act is hereby repealed upon passage of this budget.

[sentinel]

Aye on cloture

[sentinel]

Aye