Drachenburg Chancellery Decree 6/19/308

[FireFan96]

FROM THE DESK OF HIS HIGH EMINENCE
THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF THE REGALIAN EMPIRE​

With a week now following my previous decree, and with new developments regarding the government and the State, I have consulted with various parties to determine the next steps necessary to move our Holy Empire forwards. It has also been reasoned that the government transitions have not fully concluded, due to various correspondences and discussions passing in the previous days. Therefore, it is necessary and proper to address several of these matters in regards to the government.

• On the Subject of Security, the office of the Lord Chancellor was granted a right shared by the predecessors of this office, though was not fully put to effect in its functions. I speak of the 71st Tenpenny Contingent, a Regiment stationed in the capital at the command of the Lord Chancellor and his designated Kommandant. This contingent's actions act on the Lord Chancellor's prerogative, and as such their actions represent the will of the Lord Chancellor and his prerogative. It functions outside of the regulations of the various charters, and yet is held accountable in the same way the Lord Chancellor is. It is therefore my intentions to have this contingent reflect the honor and integrity of the Regalian Military it is taken from, while maintaining the ability to exercise its duties without the hindrances placed on other organizations.
  • Therefore, let it be known that Otto Bergmann shall be granted the position of Kommandant of the Chancellor's Contingent, and shall hold all under his command accountable in their conduct. Any First Civil Status citizens who are interested in serving in this Regiment are requested to contact the Kommandant and/or the office of the Lord Chancellor.
• On the Subject of Finances, I have determined that with the unique challenges faced on the economic front, that further government delegation is necessary in order to allow the State to function effectively. To this end, I have appointed Sir Maximillin Black as Finance Reichsrat Minister, granting him the rights and responsibilities listed below:
  • The right to allocate government finances on behalf of the State
  • The right to set taxation levels for the State
  • The right to carry a weapon for ceremonial and self-defense scenarios
  • The right to maintain the State budget
• On the Subject of the Commons Reichsrat Ministry, after discussions with the Commons Minister, I have found it in the better interests of the State to dissolve the Commons Reichsrat Ministry. Those in the city who took interest in the former commons assemblies are suggested to speak to the various Noble Houses or Reichsrat offices with their proposals going forwards.
• On the Subject of the Velheim Defense Fund, I hereby appoint her Ladyship the Baroness Stralsunde to the position of fund manger, to spend on developments she deems appropriate.

​

As remarked in my declaration of intent, and from His Imperial Holiness's most recent communique from the Imperial Palace, the State Debt remains over Five Hundred Thousand Regals in the negative. Such has been the plight of the government since November 15th, 307 AC, when One Million Regals in war bonds began to be paid back to those who supported the Regalian Military in the previous campaign. As the Cycle of Dominion arrives tomorrow, so to the demands and desires to begin our campaigning season once more. However, one cannot field our armies without the necessary logistics. Nor can the central government effectively carry out its duties to the Empire without a stable budget. As shown above, the necessity has come to create the Finance Reichsrat Ministry once more to address this and other financial matters of the State.

It is therefore necessary to consider the State Debt at this time, now that bank transfers and coin can travel the Empire once more. The longer the Empire maintains a balance in the negative, the greater the interest rate affects our growth, causing Tens of Thousands of Regals to be spent solely on our debts, rather than the infrastructure and services that are necessary. This week, we are expected to lose Fifty Thousand Regals to interest. Fifty Thousand Regals which could have been allocated towards a Regiment's wages, or repairs to a city ravaged by the previous crisis, or to colonial endeavors to grow our borders. We must accept this reality for what it is, and recognize that we can do better. We must do better. Our forbears did not build this Empire up from humble beginnings only for a single debt to cripple the functions of governance. Actions must be taken, and they shall be done today.

On the Ninth of January this year, I in my position as the Minister of War stated to the collective empire that his High Eminence the previous Lord Chancellor had levied a 10% war tax on all states within the Regalian Archipelago, in preparations for armed conflicts against the Drixagh Rebellion. Fortunately diplomacy was able to spare the lives of countless soldiers, and the tax was removed soon after. However, several houses failed to deliver on their duties to the state. In the prior Lord Chancellor's Decree of February the 11th, the following houses were found neglecting their duties to the State:

• House Peirgarten of Lorhauser is in debt 13,724 Regals to the State. Following discussions with her Ladyship the Countess-Elector, this debt shall be paid off by the end of the week.
• House Harhold of Vlissinghelm is in debt 6,950 Regals to the State. Following discussions with his Lordship the Baron, this debt shall be paid off by the end of the week.
• The fallen House du Brierust was in debt 10,080 Regals to the State. The fallen House has ceased to be a legal entity, with the previous holdings of the House absorbed by the House Typhonus. As the house which was affected the greatest from the Rebellion which created the need for this tax, the Regalian State hereby pardons the House Typhonus for this inherited burden.

Furthermore, the House Viduggla of Norrland has signed a peace treaty with the previous Lord Chancellor in regards to reparation payments, stolen Funds from the Financial District of the North, as well as unpaid taxation as a result of their participation. In the previous days, I have approached his Lordship the Count Nordwald in regards to this debt of his house, and we have modified the arrangement as follows:

1. House Viduggla is to pay 30,000 Regals in funds taken from the Financial District of the North
2. House Viduggla is to pay 33,000 Regals in taxation debt.
3. House Viduggla is to pay 40,000 Regals in war reparations.
4. House Viduggla is to pay 10,000 Regals to House Typhonus in War Reparations.
   1. It should be noted as an aside that the previous amended point was made after consultation with his Lordship the Baron Hinterberg in regards to the receiving of lower reparation payments than what was agreed to under the Delmotte Chancellor. I hereby thank his Lordship and the House Typhonus in their understanding.
5. House Viduggla shall maintain a ban on the construction of shipyards, with any and all ship purchases going through the Regalian State for approval.
   1. The above ban maybe be overturned, with House Viduggla able to build their own shipyards once more, if a majority of the Noble Assembly votes in favor of this action.
6. Should House Viduggla adhere to the above stipulations, the Regalian State will grant his Lordship the ability to purchase two Regalian warships for personal use.

With the amended treaty now made public, we expect his Lordship's cooperation as agreed upon.

In addition to the above mentioned, the Regalian State is indebted to two houses for debts accrued in the past:

1. The Regalian State currently owes House Avalorn 77,640 Regals to compensate for the previous diplomatic missions taken on behalf of her Ladyship the Countess-Elector Solleria. It is my intention to settle this debt by the end of the week, and we thank her Ladyship for her patience.
2. The Regalian State currently owes House Delmotte 55,000 Regals to compensate for His Eminence the Prince Pays-Sud's personal actions in preventing economic collapse by paying off interest payments when our financial standing was more critical. After a correspondence with the Prince, his Eminence has agreed to forgive this debt in exchange for a temporary tax level freeze, maintaining the House Delmotte's tax obligation at 20%. We thank His Eminence and the House Delmotte for their service in maintaining the state's stability in trying times.

Finally, with all outstanding affairs noted, and after consultation with the Financial Reichsrat Minister, it has been agreed upon that a temporary 10% recovery tax be imposed on all Archipelago States, in order to return the State Balance to a positive amount in the shortest amount of time without unnecessary burden on a recovering Archipelago. With that said, the following exemptions are to be granted:

• House Lampero per their exception agreement with the Regalian State shall maintain their 20% taxation levels.
• House Harhold shall maintain their taxation level of 40% While we acknowledge that punitive taxation measure should not excuse a House from this recovery tax, we also recognize that a House which is forced into the status of a debtor is of no benefit to the State. As such we have made the rational decision to excuse his Lordship the Baron Vlissinghelm from this measure, though expect an alternative service to the State in return for this leniency. I do not expect the other houses or states to approve of this decision, but my concern it to remove our debt by any means necessary, and such requires the cooperation of all parties to do so in a short time frame.
• House Delmotte per the previous arrangement shall maintain their 20% taxation levels.

After many calculations and economic projections, it is believed that this recovery tax will lead to a positive State balance within four weeks, after which time the recovery tax shall be removed from all parties. During this recovery period, his Excellency the Finance Reichsrat Minister and myself shall consult with each other on ways to shorten this time through alternative measures. Any financial experts who may have suggestions are encouraged to contact either office for their proposals to be considered. With the cooperation of all parties, we will be able to propel the State back to its full potential.

​

Finally, I would like to address the recent publications in regards to the warrants on one Isidoro Playero and his alleged connections with a criminal group known for assaulting citizens of the Empire. I first wish to express my acknowledgement and recognition of His High Eminence the Grand Justicar's statement in regards to House Kreiburg's declaration of wardship on Mr. Playero. As Lord Chancellor of the Empire, I and the Regalian State will hold his Lordship to his declaration, and expect their full cooperation in ensuring that the obligations of Mr. Playero are adhered to.

However, it is also concerning that proceeding today's occurrences, several copies of assumed government documents were made public, documents that under standard protocols should have been destroyed or kept by the State following the dismissal of services. It is therefore ironic that such documents' publications were prefaced with the statement that they "were unanimously unmentioned during the trial for the sake of preserving national security." I shall comment no more on proceedings, and expect that both the Regalian Guards Charters and the relevant parties will maintain the sanctity of our Laws and Customs in any and all future actions, both related and unrelated.

To this end, and to promote the posting of other documents unrelated to the above, any future statements into this matter shall be barred from posting without the express permission of the Chancellery or Regalian Guard Commanders. Should anyone have further input to make, they should direct themselves to the proper authorities, and not undermine the integrity of the institutions that serve to handle these matters.

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As a final note, I hereby call for a Noble Assembly to take place on the evening of the 28th of June, to be presided over by myself. We ask that the delegated representatives take the following week to prepare their proposals for delivery.

The above rulings of this decree hereby take the full effect of State Law​

SIGNED AND STAMPED,
His High Eminence Dietrich I by the Grace of the Spirit
Lord Chancellor of the Regalian Empire
March-Elector of the Drachenwald Lordship​

OOC Notes

• The government changes will be reflected on the organization thread tomorrow.
• State tax is now set to 30% except for Harhold, Delmotte, and Lampero who remain at 20%
• The Noble Assembly will tentatively start at 8 EDT on June 28th. This is more to allow the rest of the noble com to participate in the government rather than me calling all the shots behind closed doors. I plan to hold these at least once a month or whenever the need arises. Please bring proposals to discuss.
• #PayYourTaxes
• Took an extra three days but it finally got done.