DPU Election Statement and Platform - July 2006

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Claude Desmoulins
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DPU Election Statement and Platform - July 2006

Post by Claude Desmoulins »

[b:12s5tw8n]The Democratic Pragmatist Union[/b:12s5tw8n]

CORE PRINCIPLES

We of the DPU believe politics is first and foremost an exercise in
collective problem solving. The DPU is committed to seeking compromise and finding common ground to solve the city's problems. The DPU supports:

* Freedom of speech and expression,
* Prudence in financial management and expansion,
*Persistence of the City,
*The city government having an important role in the provision of
civic improvements and services,
*The growth of economic opportunity in the city

A RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

In its January 2006 platform, the DPU called for:

*clearly set terms of office and election dates for the various
branches of government

[i:12s5tw8n]NL 4-4 The Election scheduling Act sets terms of office and
election dates.[/i:12s5tw8n]

*clarify and codify existing precedent regarding issues such as
government members leaving Second Life temporarily or permanently during their terms of office, and the powers of various government entities.

[i:12s5tw8n]Numerous constitutional and legal changes were made so that core documents reflect actual practice. SC affirmation procedures were clarified. Progress was made on the procedure for filling vacant seats. Several acts have clarified the powers of and limits on Guild alteration of public builds.[/i:12s5tw8n]

*ensure that all essential city functions (land management,
website oversight, elections management, etc.) are accessible to at
least two real persons, to prevent a breakdown in government function due to the departure or incapacitation of a member of government.

[i:12s5tw8n] NL 4-18 The City Building Redundancy Act provides for the
retention of multiple copies of city builds.
[/i:12s5tw8n]

*New City-Private partnerships.

[i:12s5tw8n]NL 4-16 The Public Prim Allotment Act provides for chartered
institutions serving public purposes to share public prim resources.
The registration and Incorporation Act and Neualtenburger Bank Act (NL 4-14 and 4-15) create a vital framework for continued commercial growth.[/i:12s5tw8n]

*The city should hold in reserve sufficient funds to pay
Neualtenburg's obligations to Linden Lab for one month. These funds should not be available for other purposes.

[i:12s5tw8n]NL 4-6 The Financial Reserve Act mandates the maintenance of a reserve fund.[/i:12s5tw8n]

*Addition of a second sim should be planned, ...

[i:12s5tw8n]NL 4-9 The Expansion Planning Act established a process for
adding a second sim. A proposal has been selected and ratified[/i:12s5tw8n]

A PLAN FOR PROGRESS

The DPU calls for:

[b:12s5tw8n]Completion of the Colonia Nova expansion:[/b:12s5tw8n]

We have now answered the questions of what and where when it comes to expansion. Given the high occupancy rate of the existing sim (all valley land is sold) we should now move on to when and how. We should seek financing for the purchase and construction of Colonia Nova, while marketing the sim and taking land pre-orders to offset as much of the startup cost as possible. Colonia Nova should be purchased, built, and occupied by the end of 2006.

[b:12s5tw8n] Changes to the constitution to transform our government into a federal system:[/b:12s5tw8n]

The current governance structures, while adequate to a single sim
community, don't scale well. We believe it is better to create a
scalable multi sim federal structure now than to wait until growth
outstrips the current structures ability to handle it. We propose
significant structural and consitutional changes to enable future
growth into a multi -sim federal republic, including:

Once we reach five sims, the RA will be joined by a senate, creating a bicameral legislature. The Senate will consist of one seat per sim. The senator will be directly elected by the residents of the sim the seat represents. Factions will have no formal role in senate
elections. If an avatar owns land in more than one sim they must
choose a sim of primary residence in which they vote for senate

Election to the senate will require a 50%+1 majority of all cast
votes. If no candidate receives this majority, the top two candidates
will participate in a runoff.

The Guild, which has never been sure whether it's an artisan group, a chamber of commerce, or something else, should be recast as an administrative arm coupled with devolution of authority to the sim level. It may also be appropriate to change its name.

For a truly federal system to work, significant authority must remain at the local level. Therefore, enforcement of and alteration of themes and covenants should be the prerogative of a local commission elected in each sim. This local commission should create a mechanism for the election or appointment of a local administrator (analogous to the proposed Praetor in Colonia Nova). Sims should be owned by the federal government, but a percentage of land fees for a given sim will provide the local commission with a budget for improvements.

These local administrators would elect, with the advice and consent of the RA and/or Senate, the federal administrators, analogous to the current GM and his/her subordinates.

[b:12s5tw8n]City Rebuilding:[/b:12s5tw8n]

We support plans to rebuild and substantially redesign the current
city to encourage events and economic activity. These plans should
focus on commercial and common space, while maintaining some
residential element inside the walls.

[b:12s5tw8n]Event Support:[/b:12s5tw8n]

The city should provide some financial support for
cultural and civic events. City support of events should be overseen
by a paid events coordinator.

[b:12s5tw8n]Electoral Reform:[/b:12s5tw8n]

In the event of an RA vacancy, the new RA member should be
chosen sequentially from the ranked list of the faction holding the
seat. If the list is exhausted, faction members should rank those
members of the given faction who were not ranked in the general
election in a special faction level election. Seats should move from
one faction to another during a term only in the event of a faction's
dissolution.

[b:12s5tw8n]Mainland subsidiaries:[/b:12s5tw8n]

A way to bring mainlanders into the CDS fold without forcing
abandonment of builds and recognized places of business.
Expand and enhance revenue by careful expansion to the mainland using parcels approved on an individual basis. This will be done only when mutually (politically and financially) beneficial to the city and the mainland owner.

[b:12s5tw8n]Economic Expansion:[/b:12s5tw8n]

* Aggressive promotion of business by a reconstituted and staffed
Chamber of Commerce.

* Energetic marketing to tourists, using the tourist office and
other avenues about the benefits of citizenship.

* Creation of bond issuing mechanism and marketing/issueance of
bonds to help finance expansion.

* Regular meetings of the finance committee to help advise GM on
enhancement of revenue growth.

* Transition to a wage based economy with civil service jobs filled
by competent citizens

* Establishment of diplomatic relations with other resident run
gov'ts in order to foster trade/cooperation and goodwill towards
player run gov't.

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