Bill Proposal: Citizenship Voting/Landholding Act
I have been observing different groups within CDS playing "the land game" to try to influence elections - and to try to keep land off of the market so they can control who comes in and who doesn't CDS. This is reaching a fevered pitch this last term. I feel that it has an overall erosive effect on democracy and good governance, since it becomes more about power than ideas and good governance.
In fact some of the games people are playing surrounding the new SIM and its timing are directly due to the election that's coming up as well. I was looking over the pattern of landholding, who was doing what ... and am proposing this idea for discussion. Perhaps it's time for the various factions to lay down the "gaming the system" things, and concentrate on the best paths forward.
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Preamble: Of the last few years there have been a number of parties attempting to "game" the vote by buying and selling land in a manner to try to keep some people out and allow others in depending upon their political affiliations. This era has seen all political stripes adopt this practice making CDS more about power and "vote packing" than ideas and governance. Due to the erosive effects upon democracy of this, the following bill is proposed:
1. The landowner in waiting
If someone wants to become a CDS citizen and land is not available, they may pay a minimal tier corresponding to a single prim 256m^2 lot per month. This gives them the right to own a plot of that size when a suitable plot is available. The Chancellor's office will give right of first refusal to any and all landowners in waiting before the general public. All rights and responsibilities of citizenship will be bequeathed (including voting) to the landowner in waiting. If the landowner in waiting refuses land purchase 3 times, provided the lots are the same price of a 1024m^2 or less single prim lot at government purchase rates, the landowner is waiting status will be removed, and have a 1 month waiting period before applying for being a landowner in waiting.
2. Group ownership of land
A group may own up to 1024m^2 of land. If the group is to own more than that amount, the citizens in its membership shall "donate" their holding rights towards the group (reducing the amount that citizen can hold privately and the group can then hold that amount of land in addition to the 1024m^2 plot). Any land in excess of this, at the time of the bill's passage will have 30 days in order to sell it or it will be reclaimed until the total sum of the group is below the ownership threshold.
Any group that owns land must present an accounting of the landholdings of all citizen members, the amount given to the group, and the amount the group owns. No group land counts towards any citizenship requirement (meaning the citizen group member must maintain a minimal plot on their own).
A group can acquire no more than 1 plot per month (deeding, transfer or sale). A group cannot sell or transfer its land to anyone, it can only abandon the land aside from the 30 day period from the beginning of the bill.
3. Small plot ownership preservation act
Any citizen may only own a maximum of 2 512m^2 or smaller plots. The maximum landholding requirements are unaffected. Any in excess of this will be reclaimed by the Chancellor's office. A single town parcel and an associated single prim lot in Neufreistadt counts as one plot for these purposes. Any other single prim multiplier land where one is a residential plot and the other is a designated prim lot will count as a single lot for these purposes.
4. Tier/Land ownership disparity
When land is purchased, but the tierbox not set to the same name as the land owner, the land is considered in arrears for purposes of land reclamation, except once 7 days in arrears in this manner the land shall be reclaimed.