Councilor for Revenue and Finance

Current Councilor

The post of Councilor for Revenue and Finance was last held by Councilor Aloisius Treadwell prior to the dissolution of the Myrken Wood Judiciary Council in 214 by royal decree.

Responsibilities

Budgeting

The Councilor for Revenue and Finance is required to carry out monthly or bi-monthly reviews of government spending requirements in coordination with the Councilor for Trade, Commerce and Industry, and to raise or reallocate funds accordingly. Other members of the Council are expected to consult with the Councilor for Revenue and Finance before engaging in any projects which might require substantial expenditure of public funds.

Taxation

The Councilor is responsible for setting and adjusting tax rates and duties payable on buildings and property, and collecting the associated revenue either directly or through duly-appointed agents. Minor tax adjustments are at the discretion of the Councilor, and are generally performed in order to cover any unforeseen government expenditure, such as in reacting to crises, implementing emergency measures in the public interest, and so forth. Major revisions of tax rates--as in one month during which Councilor Treadwell saw fit to double Myrken's taxes--are only intended as a last resort and require approval by the rest of the Judiciary Council.

The Councilor's authority over taxation also extends to the marketplace and grants him the authority to impose taxes and duties upon luxury or imported goods. He is also expected to coordinate with the Councilor for Trade and Commerce in order to ensure that fair prices are charged for goods sold to the citizenry of Myrken Wood, and he may impose fines on vendors who engage in such reprehensible practices as price-gouging, participating in cartels with the aim of artificially inflating prices, and other such activities that are not in the public interest.

Property Registry

Related to the Councilor's responsibility over matters of property tax the sale, rental, or transfer of ownership of property is required to be registered with and notarized by the Office of the Councilor for Revenue and Finance, in order that the appropriate taxes, fees, and duties associated with that property may continue to be collected following a change of ownership. As such, the Councilor's office holds the most extensive and up-to-date records of who owns what in Myrken Wood.