Baron Fritz
Citizen since 12-7-2004; Knight since 11-30-2005; Baron since 12-26-2009
Posts: 136
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Post by Baron Fritz on Apr 17, 2010 11:42:45 GMT -6
My fellow Citizens,
Talossa needs money, a cash reserve that can be used for a multitude of things. My favorite is a frame ready "Certificate of Citizenship". There are others. And why should the King have to pay out of his own pocket to sustain our web site? What if we would need an attorney? And rumors here from Mad King Ben makes that a real possibility. Aside from the CLP introducing the party registration fee there has been no other source of income!
What about an annual Voluntary Tax of any amount? A nominal fee for citizenship papers? Selling passports? We must do something to build a strong and viable treasury that could be used to expand and promote the Kingdom and pay our bills.
I am asking each political party to work on this.
Fritz Buchholtz, Burgermeister
ps. If I am going to flee with the funds to Bermuda we must have more money, lots more.
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Flip Molinar
Talossan since 1-1-2008
Proud Talossan
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Flip Molinar on Apr 17, 2010 11:56:01 GMT -6
I'll be up Wednesday to discuss our options and Talossafest, if you'll have me.
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Hooligan
Squirrel King of Arms; Cunstaval to Maricopa
Posts: 7,325
Talossan Since: 7-12-2005
Motto: PRIMA CAPIAM POCULA
Baron Since: 11-20-2005
Count Since: 9-8-2012
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Post by Hooligan on Apr 18, 2010 10:11:26 GMT -6
I agree that the nation needs to do a better job of getting Sir Fritz to Bermuda.
In addition to the party registration fee, the nation received income from the TalossaWare Website, a Ministry of Stuff outlet that sold Talossa-themed merchandise (without violation of copyright) for a while -- this should perhaps be revived. The nation also should perhaps collect fees for the citizen ID cards that the Ministry of Stuff has provided, and as Sir Fritz said, perhaps other similar governmental services can be created.
The all-too-slow progress of the coins and stamps project of the Ministry of Finance sorely needs to be completed, as this was forseen as a regular source of income for the nation (persons purchase Talossan currency from the Royal Bank and Post, and can have it redeemed at full value at any time, but the non-Talossan funds used as payment are in the meantime held in the Royal Treasury in interest or dividend-bearing accounts).
The hand-in-hand postage project is perhaps an even more lucrative source of funds. We have even seen Talossan stamps used on postal mail -- it is high time to finish that project and get the nation vending these stamps to increase revenue.
A voluntary tax, of course, is actually a fee, and I am all for the creation of government services that bring fees to the treasury. The issue, of course, continues to be that the Cabinet Ministers are not active, so the projects do not get advanced. When I was Prime Minister, we took great strides, with TalossaWare, inaugurating the coinage and postage project, and citizen ID cards, but these projects have all gone neglected for some time now.
I hope the next set of Cabinet Ministers are active and able to steer the grand plans of this great nation to completion.
Remember, everyone, Bermuda ain't cheap!
Hool
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 18:00:20 GMT -6
If I knew where to send it, I'd be paying a voluntary national tax regularly right now.
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Post by Iustì Carlüs Canun on Apr 18, 2010 19:20:34 GMT -6
If I knew where to send it, I'd be paying a voluntary national tax regularly right now. I'd imagine it'd go the same place Party Registration Fees go.
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Sir X. Pol Briga
Talossan since 11-10-2005 Knight since 12-26-2009
59 is an important number - keep it prime in the thoughts of Talossa
Posts: 1,227
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Post by Sir X. Pol Briga on Apr 19, 2010 10:08:35 GMT -6
Two test runs of postage has been completed and received by a number of persons in the realm. The first, color laser printer on standard mailing labels looked ok but tended to rub off in transit unless a layer of clear tape was placed over the stamp. Another method of generating return address labels with Talossan postage worked well with the production being handled by Vistaprint.com, with the advantage that they would be customized for each citizen, and that the production run would be short. With specials for new customers, aproximately 250 label "stamps" (including return address information) at a value of 30 bents each could be generated for under $10 including shipping and handling, and the Inland Revenue department could place a value on official recognition of said postage, which if I recall would each be worth half of a half pint of MGD at Sir Fritz's, or about $0.625 USD each in true exchange terms. That would make the package worth about US$156 at defined rates.
What if Talossans bought this package for $100? $10 would go to production and distribution costs. $40 would go to Inland Revenue. $50 would go to establishments that would accept up to 4 Talossan 30 bent postage labels in exchange by a named person (as the address label will have return address) for up to one pint of beer during any given visit to a site designated as an Embassy of the Kingdom of Talossa (likely only at the start to be Sir Fritz's in Fredonia, but perhaps I could get this extended to somewhere in Colorado or other Talossans could convince their local watering hole that a cheap pint per day will probably lead to more expensive pints being procured)
Of course these ducats would be required and affixed on all official Talossan business, where people would ponder the true value of distributing them, with the consideration that each such transaction would be the equivalent to half of a small beer. The postage currency would not be truly fungible as it would be linked to a named person, but that would be similar to how airline miles or other recognition programs work.
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Post by Iustì Carlüs Canun on Apr 19, 2010 11:18:24 GMT -6
about $0.625 USD each in true exchange terms. Uh... I'm pretty sure a louis is $1.50, so they'd be seventy-five cents each. (Correct me if I'm wrong, Fritz.)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2010 7:56:07 GMT -6
I fear we're putting the horse before the carriage here. Citizens should have a opportunity to donate money to the Kingdom. I would like to be doing that regularly myself. However, I am nervous about doing this. I have yet to be told definitively how to do this by anyone in authority. I have emailed the Burgermeister directly about this question. I have posted a public comment in this thread asking the same thing. I asked the previous administration's Minister of Finance. I have not yet received a confident, definitive answer from anyone. With all due respect to S:r Canun, I'm not comfortable with "I'd imagine...". Before we talk of how to spend money, I'd much prefer to talk about improving the way the flow of money is understood in the Kingdom. What of the Royal Bank & Post? What is it exactly? Its website is ... well ... lacking. Its relationship to the Royal Treasury is a mystery to me -- are they the same pool of money? If not, which ones pays for what? And the main point here: how & where do I contribute? Give me a finance system I can understand and communicate with, and I will donate to it. CORRECTION: I believed I had emailed Baron Fritz, as I indicate above, but in looking through my email and PM archives I can find no record of it. I must have been dreaming!
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Dame Litz Cjantscheir, UrN
Puisne Justice; Chancellor of the Royal Talossan Bar; Cunstaval to Florencia
Dame & Former Seneschal
Posts: 1,157
Talossan Since: 4-5-2010
Dame Since: 9-8-2012
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Post by Dame Litz Cjantscheir, UrN on Apr 28, 2010 8:58:31 GMT -6
Firstly, I would just like to quote Jim Rohn in saying, “Money is usually attracted, not pursued!”
Therefore if the Kingdom wishes to "attract" money we need to have have feasible and long term projects in place that will attract a steady flow of income, rather than when we need money trying to peruse it if and when we need it.
So, how about we set-up a page on KoT.net (with a link in the sidebar) in which people are presented with links to all the different projects, which they can buy, sponsor or donate to, this way people will be able to donate to Talossan Projects, knowing that they are Official Talossan Projects and don't have to dredge through the Witt to find links.
Also this page could contain a "Donate" like the PayPal one I believe is used by TalossaAid and could link to various sponsorship pages, say someone wants to run a one off sponsored project, such as "Learning Talossan in 14 days" or "A Poem Contest/Poem-a-thon" (which could have a entry fee). These projects, will keep fund raising fresh and interesting rather than them getting via the old methods which people can lose interest in quickly (such a selling goods).
Lastly, I like the ideas which have been mentioned above and would love to see the incoming Cabinet act upon most of these and make them all a reality and I hope they generate lots of funds for Talossa.
Just a few ideas,
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Baron Fritz
Citizen since 12-7-2004; Knight since 11-30-2005; Baron since 12-26-2009
Posts: 136
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Post by Baron Fritz on Apr 28, 2010 16:20:38 GMT -6
Feel free to e-mail me Danihel. (smiling) Any donations to the Kingdom can be sent to the samer address as Party Registration fee's. (talk to the secretary) Truth be told though, none ever has. Lots of suggestions but no one ever seems to act on them.
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Post by Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on Apr 28, 2010 16:59:45 GMT -6
Lots of suggestions but no one ever seems to act on them. That is changing. Alexander Davis Seneschal del Regipäts Talossan
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2010 10:54:14 GMT -6
Currency + postage in one. I like it.
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Post by Dréu Gavárþic'h on Apr 29, 2010 13:35:18 GMT -6
The Ministry of Stuff (the great ministry of which I am in charge) plans to deal with all the concerns you have, Sir Fritz. My number one objective is raising money this Cosa, in which capacity I will be working closely with you and the MiniFin.
Dréu
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Baron Fritz
Citizen since 12-7-2004; Knight since 11-30-2005; Baron since 12-26-2009
Posts: 136
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Post by Baron Fritz on Apr 29, 2010 15:06:32 GMT -6
Thanks to our new Seneshal, to Dan, to Dreu and everyone else. I also urge the King to join in this effort. (we owe him money) Thanks again.
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