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712 - The Fifth Imperial Council Meeting III
🕑 Added 2024-09-03 09:56:26 +0000 UTCThe reporting proceeded swiftly, with many agencies delivering concise updates. As most of these agencies operated on a day-to-day basis, they had few long-term projects to discuss. Some had already achieved their major objectives, allowing them to keep their reports brief. In under five minutes, many agency heads summarized their current progress before yielding the floor to the next speaker, maintaining the meeting's steady pace.
There was no shame in delivering brief reports, as it was far more detrimental to drag out presentations with unnecessary details. The agencies with fewer ongoing projects understood that efficiency was key, especially in the presence of the emperor.
Everyone in the room was acutely aware that attempting to prolong a report without substance would not only fail to impress but could lead to swift repercussions.
The emperor’s keen insight into such matters meant that any attempt to waste time would likely result in immediate replacement.
After about six hours of continuous reporting, Gaia finally called for a break, allowing everyone to refresh and return in top condition for the upcoming reports. Only the juggernaut agencies remained: the Imperial Treasury Agency, Imperial Justice Agency, Imperial Works Agency, Imperial Police Agency, and a few others. Along with them, the ministers of exterior, interior, and war were still to deliver their updates.
The Tourist, head of the Imperial Intelligence Agency—Nyx’s most trusted subordinate, as trustful as an AI can be—was present as usual but, true to form, would not be delivering a report.
After an hour-long break, the meeting resumed, starting with the head of the Imperial Treasury Agency. The atmosphere in the chamber shifted slightly, as the reports from the larger agencies were expected to be carrying a powerful punch, reflecting their critical role in maintaining the empire’s core functions.
The head of the Imperial Treasury Agency wasted no time as he rose to deliver his report, diving straight into the core of the matter. "The fiscal budget for the next year has been drafted and is pending final approval from His Imperial Majesty. As always, the detailed breakdown will be available in the Akashic Record after this meeting, but I’ll provide a concise overview now.
"Our projected total expenditure for the upcoming year stands at eighty trillion Earth New Dollars. Of that, fifty trillion is allocated to public defense. As per tradition, the imperial family will bear seventy percent of this burden, a commitment they’ve consistently upheld."
As the head of the Imperial Treasury Agency announced the figures, there was a collective intake of breath from the audience watching across the empire. While it was no surprise that the budget had always been in the trillions since the empire's founding, the sheer scale of the military expenditure always drew attention.
It was well understood that the imperial family, specifically the emperor, personally covered seventy percent of this vast defense budget. In exchange for shouldering such a massive portion, the imperial family held complete control over the military. This arrangement left no room for dissent, as the public only contributed a small fraction of the defense budget, essentially paying for their own protection—a system that had been enshrined in the constitution from the empire’s inception.
The staggering amount the emperor had already invested—over a hundred trillion of his personal wealth—into the military was mind-boggling to many, even if the people had grown accustomed to the empire’s massive budgets. However, the shock was somewhat tempered when they were informed that this vast sum wasn't simply handed over to the military but instead funneled into research, development, and production carried out by the emperor's personal companies. The resulting advanced technology and equipment were then transferred to the military, ensuring the empire had the best tools available, especially after the incorporation of the Proximians, which had doubled the military's needs.
Yet, this was not a one-sided arrangement that only benefited the empire. The imperial family was rewarded for their financial contributions with the right to claim ownership of up to forty percent of any star system or resources the empire discovered. This ownership gave them control over a significant portion of the empire’s future wealth, a balance that allowed them to recoup their investments when the time came for expansion. However, since the empire had yet to begin its expansion into new star systems, the emperor’s massive expenditures remained an initial investment in what was hoped to be an incredibly lucrative future.
When people first learned of the emperor's right to claim up to forty percent of future star systems and resources, there was a wave of dissatisfaction. Many questioned why the imperial family should own such a significant portion of something that hadn't even been discovered yet. However, the discontent quickly dissipated once they considered the alternative.
They realized they had two choices: either let the emperor fund the military and expansion efforts, in exchange for future ownership rights over resources no one yet possessed, or face the burden of funding it themselves through increased taxes. Faced with the prospect of higher taxes, the decision became clear. Complaining about something they didn’t own, which was years away from being relevant, seemed counterproductive when the alternative meant immediate financial strain on the citizens. Thus, the majority accepted the arrangement, preferring to leave the financial burden on the emperor rather than their own pockets.
He continued, “Due to our spending remaining consistent despite the ongoing economic growth, we anticipate entering our third year of budgetary surplus. As in previous years, this surplus will be deposited into the imperial treasury.
These funds will be reserved for use in emergencies or when the empire requires an immediate increase in expenditure.”
One of the significant advantages of having government expenses overseen by an AI with access to an entire quantum supercluster is the elimination of unnecessary expenditures. The AI system resolved many of the inefficiencies that plagued large institutions in the past. As a result, the empire is enjoying its third consecutive year of budgetary surplus while having already cleared all the debt incurred during the empire's foundation.
This efficiency is further supported by the elimination of the outdated practice where agencies were compelled to spend their entire budget to avoid potential reductions in the following year. Such practices often led to wasteful spending. With the new system, agencies are able to use their funds more effectively, contributing to the empire’s overall fiscal health.
“While there have been numerous requests to lower taxes due to the ongoing surplus, we are not inclined to do so. Our current tax rates are already the lowest they have been in human history. Just as we did not increase taxes during periods of budgetary deficit, we believe in maintaining a stable tax rate during times of surplus as well.”
He continued for the next fifteen minutes, summarizing the budget allocations for various agencies and outlining their plans to ensure the economy continues its upward trajectory. After concluding his summary, he took his seat, signaling that it was time for the next agency to present their report.
{Next agency on the docket is the Imperial Blessings Agency. Councilor Ross, the floor is yours,} Gaia announced.
