MA: Mideast Budget 2012 (Debating)

[Lambsbread]

I'd suggest to make up for some of the budget shortfalls maybe bringing the beer tax up to at least even with the wine tax, not to say it will help entirely but it seems like at least something that may help a bit without being too burdensome.

This is understandable. I'd support such an amendment most likely.

As for the budget, Governor ZuWo sent it to me to look at before I was elected and I told him what we've got here is better than nothing and works for this point in time.

[Lambsbread]

I did while in the Senate and it went down hard

[Lambsbread]

What about adding a tax on pensions and getting a toll road system going to offset the transportation budget (which is also pretty high)?

Or maybe we could make cuts in the future?

[Lambsbread]

I suppot the beer tax amendment, if only to make sure wine and beer are treated equally.

[Lambsbread]

Aye

[Lambsbread]

Let's cut government as opposed to raising taxes on income or this proposed beer tax increase.

Normally I'd agree with you, but there must be some room for short term tax increases in order to keep revenue flowing.

[Lambsbread]

GM shua has informed me that the higher beer taxes generates an additional revenue of $150 million. That's not much more than a drop in the ocean. In fact, our debt is still at $32 billion even with this small tax hike.

Maybe we could cut a little bit from a certain area? I'd like to cut a bit from our education spending.

[Lambsbread]

How about energy and Government cuts?

[Lambsbread]

This isn't necessarily "raising taxes," it's cutting tax breaks we don't need to try and balance the budget. I'm in favour so far.

[Lambsbread]

Aye

Also, the bill that introduced that taxes lottery winnings ought to bring some money back into the system.

[Lambsbread]

Aye

[Lambsbread]

Would we support a pension tax?

Probably.

[Lambsbread]

I can live with that.

Mhm.

[Lambsbread]

The net revenue from the sale of lottery tickets alone (excluding taxes on winnings) is around $4.8 according to an estimate by GM shua. Once we have figured out how much money we collect by the tax on lottery winnings and the pension tax, our budget seems to be ready.

Cool!

[Lambsbread]

EDIT: $4.8 billion of course. $4.8 would be a bit disappointing.

That's what I was assuming/hoping it was