Council members' share in Realm tax

[Indirik]

Well, this was how it used to be, so it does kind of make sense if you look at it as not the Ruler's taxes, but the realm's taxes.

That's because it used to be the realm's taxes. It was collected and distributed to everyone. Under the new system, it is clearly the ruler's personal income. I have no problem with that income being used to support the council. I think the system really needs it. But it should be the ruler that decides what the tax share is. You'll have some tension between the ruler and each of the council members then, especially if the ruler does not pay them all equally.

[GoldPanda]

So... under the new system, what does the Banker even do anymore? I know that "power doesn't just come from buttons". Generals don't get many buttons either, but a good/bad General can make or break a realm. It seems to me that Bankers are becoming not only non-essential, but unnecessary. I'm starting to think that the new food trading system is too easy-to-use and transparent. There is no need for a central trading coordinator anymore. And if the wealth tax is gone as well, what's left? Can Bankers still call early tax and embezzle gold?

How about letting the Banker set the four government council member's share of the Ruler's tax income, but give the Ruler a veto power? The Ruler can have three check-boxes that say whether they want to give the other council member that share, or keep that share for himself. In other words, let the Banker cut the pie and hand out the slices, but give the Ruler the power to eat any and all slices. After all, it's his pie, err, gold.

[JPierreD]

Can Bankers still call early tax and embezzle gold?

Yes, they can.

How about letting the Banker set the four government council member's share of the Ruler's tax income, but give the Ruler a veto power? The Ruler can have three check-boxes that say whether they want to give the other council member that share, or keep that share for himself. In other words, let the Banker cut the pie and hand out the slices, but give the Ruler the power to eat any and all slices. After all, it's his pie, err, gold.

I like the idea of empowering Bankers, but I feel this is not the best way. But, in any case, if we do not find any 'natural' job for Bankers we will have to rethink the existence of the position.

[egamma]

I play the banker of D'hara. I can:
1. see the tax settings--every tax rate, lords share, and duke share.
2. see the food situation. I know how long the food supply of each region will last with their current supplies, production, demand, stored, and the total surplus/deficit for the realm. I can use this information to let an individual region lord know that he needs to buy more food.
3. realm-wide marketwatch--see every trade offer in the realm.
4. Shadow Government is available, although I must confess I haven't checked to see if it works.
5.  of course, the bankers bulletin.
6. and finally, messaging fellow bankers.

It's not a button-pushing position--it's more of a clerical position, where you read reports and send letters.

[Indirik]

How about letting the Banker set the four government council member's share of the Ruler's tax income, but give the Ruler a veto power?

That doesn't sound very useful, or very fun for the banker. It's an obvious "We can't find anything useful for you to do, so we made some busywork for you."

Rather than try to just make busywork for the banker, I'd much rather just have the position be "underpowered" for a while until we can come up with some concrete and useful things for them to do. And if some realms/people consider the position to be superfluous until then, then they can just leave it empty, or give it to someone as an honorary title.

[Tom]

There are changes to the entire government structure on the line somewhere after the Doctrine conversion