Property Taxes
just as in our world property tax is different for every person. Property in COE will all hold different values depending where they are and also what other building that are around them. Land will go up and down over time depending on how a city grows. Land value will depend on how many building surround them and what type of building surround them.below is a chart showing just a example of that...
Every government structure added to the city will have a invisible range around them that improves the value of the land around it.This circle size will depend on the type of building and what it provides. The circle is only shown on the city management table.
COE is a component based building system where every foundation and wall you add to a building have a small tax cost embed in it. The type of material used also effects the tax value. Adding up this collective cost added with your land value will give you your over all property tax. The city planning choices a count or duke make can effect your tax rate.
Besides basic home building there are government building that provide a benefit to those around it.Take for example a small well.The well provides a buff that reduces the thirst loss that happens over time.The well also provides water when used to restore thirst.Having that benefit so close comes at a cost of extra tax.
Infrastructure tax
is a bit different. The walls, roads and bridges make up most of the infrastructure tax each component also having it own cost but the cost is split among the people in the county you live in. The city manager pays the tax with all the money collected. That payment keeps structures from decaying.
Tax Collection
when you first acquire your land you sign a contract that that explains when taxes will be collected. The player/npc will place payment in the collection box inside the city management building.Each time tax is due you will receive a tax notice with a detailed list of what you owe.Players living outside city walls may pay less taxes on infrastructure and property tax but will also have farther to travel, buff loss and lose city wall for protection so every placement in the city has a pro and a con attached to it.
Failure to pay
having failed to pay on your contract due date for lack of money or forgetfulness the city will send out a collector to visit you in person to collect debt owed. failure to pay will provide you with some choices...
Raise the money
Pay your owed money within a extended time will get you back into good graces.... but with a 10% added compliance fee
Talk to your count/duke/mayor
they can give you a waver if you have good standing with them.. but dont expect this to happen more then a few times as your lack of money must be made up in other places for them to pay the tax owed.
Contract Barter
agree to provide a service to make up for the debt owed.example of this might be to use your trade to give the count/duke/king swords for their army.(better hope you deliver)
2nd Payment Failure
collector of coin will visit you but will most likly bring along a guard for harassment and you/home will be searched for compensation.
* Final Payment Failure*
final payment failure will go straight to the town manager. Town manager will then pull use your land deed as payment as you will be given a few days to move before the land will be put back on the land management table for someone to buy for their own.
---------------------City and Town Management---------------------
becoming a city elder/count/duke/baron/king is not a job for the faint of heart.With great power comes great responsibility.Management of a city starts at the city management table where they can look at the city layout begin planing. The faster the city grows will open up more options for a city planner. The city planner can see the over all city cost to keep up with current infrastructure and is allowed to place different city management like tables in government buildings turning a basic building into something more. the bigger the city wall or building the more cost it will takes to keep it from decaying over time. The city planner will have full control over the following....
1.Tax controls
2.Laws
3.Troop Recruitment & Training
4.Troop Armament
5.City building supplies
6.Food supplies
7.City Layout
8.Infrastructure & property tax collection
take for example building a wall to protect the city.this task is no easy challenge... first they must decide placement. The second task would be supplies. The supplies can be gathered 4 different ways.
1.Donation (blacksmith that wants to help might give you iron braces for the dooor)
2.Tax compensation ( lumber jack cant pay his tax so he donates a agreed amount of wood for compensation for the tax )
3.Trading (inside/outside) of town
4.Lastly is using tax money
the last one being the main way of getting the job done. The city planner would withdrawal tax money to buy supplies from local crafters (contract sales) or use it to trade with neighboring cities.(hope that wagon don't get robbed)
using this system makes the city planner responsible for what happens with the tax money.... He might send a guard off for training with it... buy swords for them or take on more men to help defend.. build a stable to house the city horses. The choice of how to expand and how much is very important. The factors that get thrown your way might also throw a hole in your plans. The city gets attacked and you lose a few men and need supply's to fix the walls and buy more horses. the king might demand a bigger cut of what you make then you had planed.The possibilities are endless!
City Management Failure
having careless city manager will have a visual effect also.. players might be responsible for their homes but a careless city planning can lead to a host of problems. one might come with spending to much money in the wrong places. This might leave short on money to pay the city infrastructure cost. This will have a visual cost as well a structure cost.walls will start to get weaker (must use supplys to get them back into good standing)... roads will start to fade away. each city manager will have the choice to pick and choice what infrastructure they wish to upkeep. failure to keep the granary stocked with food might will cause your city to lose its hunger buff. People will take notice and will forced upkeep their own hunger needs.( I smell a fire heading your way )
Fail to provide the city with what it wants might just cause a uprising. a king that ask to much of a duke might leave him failing in his city or failing to grow the city like the city demands....
Tax without growth
like the example above keeping high taxes on your people with nothing to show for it might not always be your fault. Having to explain your case to the mob of people outside your door asking questions about why everything is going to hell might be a fun job and might go 1 of 3 ways....
the people blame the king and take your word for it and you reason out a deal with a king to lower the tax for good or for a agreed amount of time.
The people take back their city by force starting a uprising.
A active city manager who cut deals early on might have more understanding then a city manager who's enjoys his power.
to be continued....