Today’s contributor is Sierpinski Squirrel, Founding Partner and Chief Financial Officer of A. Corn and Partners, Accountants and Hibernation Planners. Sierpinski Squirrel is the author of Tools for Trade: Ten Strategies for Expanding The Park’s Economy and Squirreling it Away: The Nuts and Bolts of Personal Finance.
Every year, as the new Archons take office, talk turns to the question of whether or not a tax should be levied on the income of Park residents. To date, however, no administration has been able to move on this issue. The strong opposition in The Park to taxing individuals (as opposed to businesses) has, thus far, prevented any serious discussion of the issue. Meanwhile, Park administrators search ceaselessly for sources of revenue to cover the high costs of our services. I believe it’s high time that we entered into a full and frank discussion of the pros and cons of taxing individuals. But, before we can do so, we must all understand how The Park’s economy works. That is the subject of this series of articles.
WE CAN’T LIVE ON LOVE ALONE
Money makes The Park go around. It’s as simple as that. And, there’s no denying it.
All societies require money to exist and we are no exception. Indeed, one might argue that societies such as ours — societies that have a strong sense of mutual obligation and a high regard for all life forms — require even more of it. Whereas, in the Human world, it is often seen as acceptable to allow people to become the victims of their own misfortune, we in The Park do not share that view. This is evident in our open immigration policy, in our abundant refugee services, and in our commitment to the provision of medical care for all.
But, while we feel it is incumbent upon us to provide for the less fortunate (and, indeed, for all Park citizens), we also have an obligation to balance our budget and to put something aside in case we fall on hard times.
As you can see, running The Park is a lot like running one’s own den or nest or dam. But, while most Park citizens derive their income from one source, Park administrators must look to a wide variety of sources for funds. No one source is sufficient to provide for our needs.
I, therefore, feel is it imperative that future Park governments look everywhere for potential sources of revenue, and that includes looking to the individuals who make up our population and who benefit from our way of life.
