Major Reforms In Midway // CCN
The newly elected President Izel Atl Ixtli has began a major reform programme in the nation of Midway, with major new changes being announced in environmental, economic and educational policy amongst others. A flagship policy of Ixtli's campaign, the change of primary energy source from fossil fuels to wind, is already commissioned to happen with massive projects being constructed on both sides of the nation, in the vast sea territory controlled by the country. Enough energy to power the entire country twice over will be generated by a long-term - 20 year - plan that will totally phase out fossil fuels and allow the exportation of renewable energy to other Dovani nations. The cost will be immense, but the rewards major.
Another, cheaper, change is the change in regulations on businesses and unions. Unions will have power stripped away from them, requiring majority internal ballots for strike action and banning non-open shops. This is meant to 'decrease the unnecessary and burdensome burden on smaller businesses', according to the Conservative Union-controlled Finance Ministry. The country has also gotten rid of corporate tax for new, small-scale, entrepreneurial startups for their first year. The businesses effected by this change are predicted to grow far faster by economists, but once again it comes at massive expense to the country's coffers. This increase in expenditure has more than one economist very worried for Midway.
The massive role-outs in infrastructural, educational and economic plans and tax exemptions are all down in funding terms to the massive increase in inheritance tax. This proposal has caused a split between Ixtli's Unity party and the Conservative Union that has supported them in the Assembly. Instead, Ixtli must rely on the Socialists to institute the radical 'meritocracy tax' which taxes inheritance to a point unseen before in democratic nations across Terra. While it does have exemptions for inheritor of certain ages and health conditions, unless an inheritor has contributed towards the wealth they are inheriting, they will have to pay tax rates between 70% and 90%. This does increase public income, but also is deeply unpopular amongst the rich and middle class.