MA: Regional Budget (In the works)

[The Artist Formerly Known As and Now Again Known As Ogis]

I believe the Medicaid program has been replaced by the Atlasian National Healthcare Act, so I don't think we need to be allocating funds to that.

That would be wonderful if it were true. Can anyone else verify this? (As you can see I'm not as tunned in with older federal laws as I am with the Mideast)

At your service
Section 3, Clause b states

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[afleitch]

I believe the Medicaid program has been replaced by the Atlasian National Healthcare Act, so I don't think we need to be allocating funds to that.

That would be wonderful if it were true. Can anyone else verify this? (As you can see I'm not as tunned in with older federal laws as I am with the Mideast)

At your service
Section 3, Clause b states

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Indeed, I think that Federal healthcare reform in the past year or so has saved us a fair bit of money; worth looking into Prescription Drug Benefit too.

[California8429]

Well that's great. So really we'd only have tax credits for the businesses who provide it for their employees (or self employed people) and could save some tens of billions.

I'd assume we wouldn't need prescription drug funds either as that is currently inclunded in RL section D and atlasia's health care took over all of that correct?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Well that's great. So really we'd only have tax credits for the businesses who provide it for their employees (or self employed people) and could save some tens of billions.

I'd assume we wouldn't need prescription drug funds either as that is currently inclunded in RL section D and atlasia's health care took over all of that correct?

yes, prescription drugs are specifically mentioned as included. the region should continue funding for public health and the like, but as far as providing insurance, that has been shifted to the national government.

[Badger]

Well that's great. So really we'd only have tax credits for the businesses who provide it for their employees (or self employed people) and could save some tens of billions.

I'd assume we wouldn't need prescription drug funds either as that is currently inclunded in RL section D and atlasia's health care took over all of that correct?

These are all very important questions that I need to work out. My advice: For the moment do NOT assume medical costs have been transferred from the regions by health care reform. I'll come up with an answer before long (I hope), and if the regions are in fact freed of such costs, then you can enjoy a windfall that just might allow you all to (nearly) balance the budget while not (drastically) raising taxes or (overly) slashing spending on education, law enforcement and the like.

[California8429]

Here's my most updated version. I took a lot out from tax cuts, and made sure everything is equal in spending to RL pretty much (minus HC) which was already mainly Medicare and Medicaid money. I've also slightly increased taxes, mostly in excise and a little for the rich in income tax (which is still pretty much in line or lower than RL averages).

*(No change) does NOT denote changing in spending levels from RL to this budget. It's really there for the next budget so we can copy this first budget, change the numbers, and then off to the side put the positive/negative change since the preceeding budget.

Total Budget: $310.61 billion
Spending ($229.41 billion)

Energy ($5.85  billion)
$3 Billion ...... Loans to be granted to energy companies that have a responsible environmental track record, are seriously attempting to develop clean energy alternatives, push for energy efficiency and/or have an approved plan to do so.
$1 Billion  ...... Fund for alternative energy
$1 Billion  ...... Updating the Mideast's current energy infrastructure
$0.5 Billion  ...... Refitting all government buildings to run on clean energy
$0.25 Billion  ...... Refitting all government vehicles (cars, planes, etc.) to run on clean energy)

Natural resources and environment ($5.21 billion)
$2.61 billion ...... Water resources (No Change)
$0.57 billion ...... Conservation and land management (No Change)
$0.42 billion ...... Recreational & Park resources (No Change)
$1.11 billion ...... Pollution control and abatement (No Change)
$0.5 billion ....... Other natural resources (No Change)

Agriculture ($4.04 billion)
$2.95 billion ..... Farm income stabilization & crop insurance (No Change)
$1.09 billion ...... Agricultural research and services (No Change)

Commerce and Housing Loan Programs ($1.95 billion)
$0.34 billion ..... Housing Loan Programs (No Change)
$0.02 billion ..... Deposit insurance (No Change)
$1.36 billion ...... Universal service fund (No Change)
$0.23 billion ...... Other advancement of commerce (No Change)

Transportation ($23.25 billion)
$9.00 billion ..... Highways and highway safety (No Change)
$4.00 billion ...... Mass transit (No Change)
$0.25 billion ...... Railroads (No Change)
$2.05 billion ..... Air Transportation (No Change)
$1.05 billion ...... Water transportation (No Change)
$0.45 billion ...... Other transportation (No Change)
$6.45 billion ..... Non-Highway Roads (No Change)
Community and regional development ($4.39 billion)
$2.50 billion ...... Community development (No Change)
$0.96 billion ...... Area and regional development (No Change)
$0.93 billion ...... Disaster relief and insurance (No Change)

Education ($68.00 billion)
$40.00 billion ..... Elementary, Secondary & Vocational education (No Change)
$20.00 billion ..... Higher education (No Change)
$8.00 billion ...... Research and general education (No Change)

Training, labor and unemployment ($9.37 billion)
$4.34 billion ...... Training and employment (No Change)
$0.2 billion ....... Labor law, statistics, and other administration (No Change)
$4.83 billion ..... Unemployment compensation (No Change)

Health Spending ($12.00 billion)
$1.15 billion ...... Substance abuse and mental health services (No Change)
$0.70 billion ....... Disease control, public health and bioterrorism (No Change)
$8.45 billion ..... Health research and training (No Change)
$1.50 billion ...... Food safety and occupational health and safety (No Change)
$0.20 billion ..... Other health care services (No Change)
$1.00 billion ...... Health care fraud (No Change)

Civilian Retirement ($41.50 billion)
$1.0 billion ...... Civilian retirement and disability insurance (No Change)
$29.50 billion ..... Mideast employee retirement and disability (No Change)
$11.00 billion ...... Mideast employees' and retired employees' health benefits (No Change)

Aid to Low-Income Families ($25.00 billion)
$6.01 billion ..... Housing assistance (No Change)
$4.33 billion ..... Food stamps (No Change)
$2.3 billion ...... Other nutrition programs (WIC, school lunches) (No Change)
$3.33 billion ..... Family support payments (TANF) (No Change)
$7.01 billion ..... Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (No Change)
$0.85 billion ..... Child tax credit (No Change)
$0.99 billion ....... Child care funds (No Change)
$0.18 billion ...... Other aid to low-income families (No Change)

General Family Support ($5.39 billion)
$1.32 billion ...... Foster care and adoption assistance (No Change)
$0.33 billion ...... Child support and family support programs (No Change)
$3.74 billion ..... Social and family services (No Change)

Administration of justice ($20.45 billion)
$11.35 billion ..... Regional law enforcement and security (No Change)
$5.21 billion ..... Regional litigation and judicial activities (No Change)
$2.89 billion ...... Regional prison system (No Change)
$1.00 billion ...... Criminal justice assistance (No Change)

General government administration ($3.01 billion)
$0.31 billion ...... Legislative functions (No Change)
$0.10 billion ...... Executive office programs (No Change)
$2.05 billion ....... Fiscal operations (No Change)
$0.55 billion ...... Other general government (No Change)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tax Expenditures and Tax Cuts ($81.20 billion)

Corporate Tax Breaks ($11.03 billion)
$7.00 billion ...... R&D Tax Breaks (No Change)
$1.01 billion ...... Energy, Mining and Timber Tax Breaks (No Change)
$2.03 billion ...... Tax Free Bonds (No Change)
$0.99 billion ..... Other Corporate Tax Breaks (No Change)

Personal Business & Investment Benefits ($5.09 billion)
$3.80 billion ..... Tax-Free Bonds (No Change)
$0.56 billion ...... Enterprise & Empowerment Zones and New Markets credit (No Change)
$0.33 billion ....... Other personal investment tax breaks (No Change)

Pension & Retirement Deductions ($26.08 billion)
$10.05 billion ..... Employer-paid Pensions (No Change)
$7.05 billion ..... 401Ks & Keogh plans (No Change)
$1.50 billion ...... IRAs (No Change)
$6.62 billion ..... Group and personal life insurance benefits (No Change)
$0.86 billion ...... Other retirement benefits (No Change)

Health Insurance Tax Benefits ($12.64 billion)
$9.80 billion .... Employer-paid Health Insurance (No Change)
$1.03 billion ...... Self-employed medical insurance premiums (No Change)
$1.70 billion ...... Medical Savings/Health Savings Accounts (No Change)
$1.11 billion ...... Deductibility of medical expenses (No Change)

Housing tax benefits ($12.67 billion)
$5.50 billion ..... Mortgage Interest (No Change)
$3.01 billion ..... Deductibility of property taxes on homes (No Change)
$3.51 billion ..... Exclusion of net imputed rental income on owner-occupied homes (No Change)
$0.91 billion ...... Housing bonds & low-income housing investments (No Change)

Other individual deductions and exemptions ($14.43 billion)
$3.62 billion ..... Charitable contributions (No Change)
$1.91 billion ..... Local taxes (w/o home property) (No Change)
$0.56 billion ...... Workmen's compensation (No Change)
$3.33 billion ..... Education deductions and credits (No Change)
$1.31 billion ..... Child credit (No Change)
$1.38 billion ...... Child care credits and deductions (No Change)
$0.46 billion ......... Deduction for the blind and elderly (No Change)
$0.41 billion ...... Employee parking and transit expenses (No Change)
$0.35 billion ...... Adoption and foster care tax credits (No Change)
$0.80 billion ...... Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)- revenue loss component (No Change)
$0.30 billion ...... Other fringe benefits (No Change)
----------

Income Tax Rate:
0%    $0 - $13,000
1%    $13,001 - $40,000
1.5%    $40,001 - $100,000
2%    $100,001 - $180,000
2.5%    $180,001 - $300,000
3.20%    $300,001 - $750,000
4%    $750,001 - $2,750,000
5%    $2,750,001- $9,999,999
6.5%   $10,000,000+

Corporate Tax Rate:
0%    $0 - $50,000
0.5%    $50,001 - $75,000
1%    $75,001 - $125,000
1.5%    $125,001 - $350,000
2%    $350,001 - $1,000,000
2.5%    $1,000,001 - $10,000,000
3.25%    $10,000,001 - $20,000,000
4%    $20,000,001-$70,000,000
5%   $70,000,001+

Sales Tax Rate: 5.7% (Groceries, prescription drugs exempt)

Excise Taxes:

Gas: 1.5 cents/gallon (2 cents/gallon for diesel).

Cigarettes: $1.60 per pack.
Other Tobacco Products: 55% Manufactures Price
Distilled Spirits: $2.70 per gallon
Wine: $0.30 per gallon
Beer: $0.20 per gallon

[California8429]

Since no one is commenting do you just want me to propose this budget? Note that if there's minor tweeking it will take a lot less time for me to do it now then having to go through a full amendment.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Sounds good to me.

[Marokai Backbeat]

As things stand, not a ton has changed from the last time Badger guesstimated revenue numbers. The income tax changes are good, and help, but most of the changes are either very small, or the all new bracket that doesn't really make much of a difference simply because of how much someone has to earn to actually hit it.

But either way.. :

Revenue:	Amount
Income Taxes:	$34.6 B
Social Insurance Taxes:	$24.4 B
"Ad Valorum" Taxes:	$108.5 B
Fees:	$43.3 B
Business and Other:	$66.3 B
TOTAL:	$277.1 B

*(I included the increase in license fees under Ad Valorum and Business taxes, for the most part. I truthfully had no idea where they really belonged.)

This is roughly a 35 billion increase in projected revenue from the last time Badger came up with numbers. Most of this increase comes from the Ad Valorum taxes, specifically, the incredible increase in cigarette taxes. It makes sense, of course, since those taxes do raise quite a bit of revenue! But it's possible in the long term you will reduce your revenue pool from cigarettes with that hefty additional tax because less and less people will continue smoking in the Mideast.

But that's a long term problem you probably don't need to worry about right away. A decent chunk of money, also, was raised from your changes in business income taxes.

The total of your budget is $310 billion, give or take. (Remember, tax cuts are just as much of a drag on the deficit as spending is!) Considering this, you're about $33 billion short. That's not an insurmountable number by any means. I would suggest an additional regional tax on marijuana (lol, as long as you keep it legal, anyway) and would strongly advise a bump in the taxes on gasoline by a handful of cents (it really wouldn't hurt, I promise) as well as a .25% increase in the $100,001 - $180,000 and $180,001 - $300,000 income tax brackets.

[California8429]

How about this for revenue
----

Income Tax Rate:
0%    $0 - $13,000
1%    $13,001 - $40,000
1.5%    $40,001 - $100,000
2.2%    $100,001 - $180,000
2.7%    $180,001 - $300,000
3.25%    $300,001 - $750,000
4%    $750,001 - $2,750,000
5%    $2,750,001- $9,999,999
6.5%   $10,000,000+

Corporate Tax Rate:
0%    $0 - $50,000
0.5%    $50,001 - $75,000
1%    $75,001 - $125,000
1.5%    $125,001 - $350,000
2%    $350,001 - $1,000,000
2.5%    $1,000,001 - $10,000,000
3.25%    $10,000,001 - $20,000,000
4%    $20,000,001-$70,000,000
5%   $70,000,001+

Sales Tax Rate: 5.7% (Groceries, prescription drugs exempt)

Excise Taxes:
Gas: 7 cents/gallon (10 cents/gallon for diesel).
Cigarettes: $1.60 per pack.
Other Tobacco Products: 55% Manufactures Price
Distilled Spirits: $2.70 per gallon
Wine: $0.30 per gallon
Beer: $0.20 per gallon
Marijuana: $3.00/gram if owner possesses less than 28 grams
$4.50/gram if owner possesses 28 grams or more

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The Mideast has social insurance taxes?

[Yelnoc]

I'm baaack!!!!

What do you guys need?

[California8429]

I'm baaack!!!!

What do you guys need?

You can help MB with the slight tweak in tax numbers. After that we should be ready to finally pass this.

[California8429]

The Mideast has social insurance taxes?

I'm not sure what you're looking at?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The Mideast has social insurance taxes?

I'm not sure what you're looking at?

As things stand, not a ton has changed from the last time Badger guesstimated revenue numbers. The income tax changes are good, and help, but most of the changes are either very small, or the all new bracket that doesn't really make much of a difference simply because of how much someone has to earn to actually hit it.

But either way.. :

Revenue:

Amount

Income Taxes:	$34.6 B
Social Insurance Taxes:	$24.4 B[/b]
"Ad Valorum" Taxes:	$108.5 B
Fees:	$43.3 B
Business and Other:	$66.3 B
TOTAL:	$277.1 B

*(I included the increase in license fees under Ad Valorum and Business taxes, for the most part. I truthfully had no idea where they really belonged.)

[Marokai Backbeat]

The Mideast has social insurance taxes?

Truthfully I took Badger's analysis and gave it the benefit of the doubt and then just built upon it. I just mirrored them to RL taxes in that respect and kept them that way since they weren't mentioned in your budget.

You could use the help, though. I wouldn't start getting picky.

As for the budget more broadly, I'll have an update on those amended numbers for you soon enough.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The Mideast has social insurance taxes?

Truthfully I took Badger's analysis and gave it the benefit of the doubt and then just built upon it. I just mirrored them to RL taxes in that respect and kept them that way since they weren't mentioned in your budget.

You could use the help, though. I wouldn't start getting picky.

As for the budget more broadly, I'll have an update on those amended numbers for you soon enough.

Okay. It's odd because it seemed like we discussed in detail with Badger every other revenue source except that one. I think I was going to ask him about it when he posted those but forgot because he didn't mention them again. It seems like if we're collecting social insurance taxes we ought to be spending it mostly on some sort of social insurance. But I'm not sure what programs that would apply to on the regional level.

[Yelnoc]

Sorry I'm late, the last few days have been busy for me.  Below is my running tally of updated Mideast revenues.  Since I can't think of any easy short cuts, I'm giving you exact numbers, based on population.  That takes a while; I spent the last hour doing population statistics.  If anyone wants to jump in with, say, excise taxes or corporate taxes, feel free.

                                % Total POP   # POP    Income
US Population:                    (100%)   308,745,538 
Mideast Population:               (23.64%)  72,979,151
Mideast Unemployment Rate:        (07.50%)   5,473,436
Mideast Working Adult Population: (67.00%)  48,896,031
Mideast Total Taxable Population: (59.50%)  43,422,595

Income Tax Rate:               
0%    $0 - $13,000                (12.50%)   5,427,824  $
1%    $13,001 - $40,000           (32.30%)  14,025,498  $
1.5%    $40,001 - $100,000        (38.37%)  16,661,250  $
2.2%    $100,001 - $180,000       (11.49%)   4,989,256  $
2.7%    $180,001 - $300,000       (03.84%)   1,667,428
3.25%    $300,001 - $750,000      (~0.80%)     347,381
4%    $750,001 - $2,750,000       (~0.40%)     173,690
5%    $2,750,001- $9,999,999      (~0.20%)      86,845
6.5%   $10,000,000+               (~0.10%)      43,423

Corporate Tax Rate:
0%    $0 - $50,000
0.5%    $50,001 - $75,000
1%    $75,001 - $125,000
1.5%    $125,001 - $350,000
2%    $350,001 - $1,000,000
2.5%    $1,000,001 - $10,000,000
3.25%    $10,000,001 - $20,000,000
4%    $20,000,001-$70,000,000
5%   $70,000,001+

Sales Tax Rate: 5.7% (Groceries, prescription drugs exempt)

Excise Taxes:
Gas: 7 cents/gallon (10 cents/gallon for diesel).
Cigarettes: $1.60 per pack.
Other Tobacco Products: 55% Manufactures Price
Distilled Spirits: $2.70 per gallon
Wine: $0.30 per gallon
Beer: $0.20 per gallon
Marijuana: $3.00/gram if owner possesses less than 28 grams
$4.50/gram if owner possesses 28 grams or more

[California8429]

Any chance the numbers will be finished before the next session?

[TJ in Oregon]

Does anyone have a clue what the current status of this is? Are we waiting for numbers from our vacant GM? Has everyone just entirely forgotten about this?

[afleitch]

Does anyone have a clue what the current status of this is? Are we waiting for numbers from our vacant GM? Has everyone just entirely forgotten about this?

I'm of the opinion it should be passed, with some amendments perhaps as it is. It's not important; not really needed for the game which is why I'm suprised it has gone on for so long.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

bumping because we put to much work into this to forget about it completely

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Where exactly are we at?  Is the last version on here all ready to go?

[California8429]

We were waiting on final numbers from the GM. That's all we had left, and then subsequently change tax rates or spending to ensure a balanced budget.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

It looks like you just need the numbers on the tax revenue aside from income tax.
SoIA and/or I can help you with that.