S.19.2-1: Budget Clarification Amendment (Debating)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Budget Clarification Amendment

The following change shall be made to the Constitution, Article III, Section 10:

10. The governor is obligated to present a bi-yearly budget by March 1 and September 1 of each year. The structure and procedure for the budget process are to be determined by law. The budget of all government activities is to be voted on by the legislature after a normal debate period. The Budget shall remain in effect until one year from its date of passage, or March 21st of the calendar year after that of its passage, whichever is earlier. The governor is obligated to ensure that the budget does not provide for any deficits except in times of emergency or war, a condition the legislature must successfully endorse by a two-thirds majority. All budgets must include a plan for revenue and taxation.

Sponsor: Wulfric (civilian slot)

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I am proud to be the first user of the civilian slot this term. This important amendment eliminates the requirement for a second budget each year, and clarifies how long the budget remains in effect. This streamlines and clarifies the process. I encourage the chamber and the people to adopt it.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I am proud to be the first user of the civilian slot this term. This important amendment eliminates the requirement for a second budget each year, and clarifies how long the budget remains in effect. This streamlines and clarifies the process. I encourage the chamber and the people to adopt it.

I am in support.

[Southern Delegate matthew27]

Sounds like an good idea and would allow the delegates the ability to change it yearly to our liking. This amendment has my backing.

[tmthforu94]

I support this. I initially had thought two budget a year would be a good idea but realize it is impractical as it creates a huge amount of work for the GM team especially.

[PragmaticPopulist]

I support this legislation. It would make the process of approving a budget easier and less burdensome.

[Leinad]

What are the current rules for the other regions?

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Doesn't the budget limit what is possible for the Government to do in game?
My point is we have many elections per year would this limit any newly elected governments ability to do anything regarding government spending outside of an existing 12 month budget?
This isn't me objecting to the proposal btw. Just wanting to get my bearings with regards to the mechanics etc.

Or is the assumption that there shouldn't be a need to pass a new budget because the government is still from the same ruling party/coalition? Therefore wasting time on passing a budget that was already agreed upon. If it's this then i'm 100% behind the amendment.

What are the current rules for the other regions?

This is a good question.
Being a newbie It would be handy to know.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Doesn't the budget limit what is possible for the Government to do in game?
My point is we have many elections per year would this limit any newly elected governments ability to do anything regarding government spending outside of an existing 12 month budget?
This isn't me objecting to the proposal btw. Just wanting to get my bearings with regards to the mechanics etc.

Or is the assumption that there shouldn't be a need to pass a new budget because the government is still from the same ruling party/coalition? Therefore wasting time on passing a budget that was already agreed upon. If it's this then i'm 100% behind the amendment.

What are the current rules for the other regions?

This is a good question.
Being a newbie It would be handy to know.

Under the "Regional Statutory Pay As You Go Act" passed last session, the legislature is free to change taxes and spending outside of the budget process, provided that the net effect is budget-neutral or actually saves money. If it actually wants to add money to the deficit (or reduce a surplus), the process is laid out in the law:

i) Must Pass with a 2/3 majority, including the vote of at least one delegate from a party other than that of the Speaker.

 ii) Shall not take effect until after the next budget is passed, unless the emergency slot is being used, or unless the Chamber separately authorizes an earlier effective date. A vote for an earlier effective date must be separate from the vote on final passage, and it must pass with a 2/3 majority, including the vote of at least one delegate from a party other than that of the Speaker.

The standard across regions and federally has been one budget a year. This is because the statistics the GM team uses to calculate the exact costs of each agency and sub-agency/program (bill cost estimates given through PAYGO are just estimates, they can change over time due to various factors), and thus inform some of the particulars of the budget, are generally calculated by year, because the RL US at least nominally does a yearly budget. Trying to convert things to comply with a two budgets per year model is a lot of headache, you can't just divide everything by two because the costs of many programs may have varied from month to month.

If we need to do supplemental appropriations for whatever reason, the emergency slot exists for a reason. But two full budgets per year is impractical, adds risk to the system because currently we struggle to pass even one budget a year (just look at the various CRs the Yankee and WB Administrations had to do, and our budget passed in April when it was supposed to happen in March), and probably doesn't have much merit anyways because Labor is probably never winning the Governorship 

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Thanks Wulfric.
I'm happy to for us to fix this to be more practical.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

If there's no further debate can someone motion for a vote on this?

[Leinad]

I motion for a final vote on this bill.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I second the motion.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Final vote.
[] aye
[] nay

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Final vote.
[ x ] aye
[] nay

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

aye

[Southern Delegate matthew27]

aye

[UlmerFudd]

Aye

[Leinad]

Aye

[reagente]

Aye

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

I think voting should have closed earlier but voting is now closed.

[ 6 ] Aye
[ 0 ] Nay
[ 0 ] Abstain
[ 1 ] absent

[Leinad]

Aye FTR