Dear CDS citizens and officers,
after spending several years as a "Green Card Bearer" and store keeper in one of Tor's houses at Neufreistadt, I eventually decided to become a full citizen through renting/buying a small house at the edge of the town in December 2019. Currently the only need to pay for this house is for maintaining my CDS citizenship. But this is just a sidenote.
After studying both the website and this forum, I must say that I'm still a bit lost about the structures, responsibilities and general movements in the CDS community. I was advised to attend RA meetings to get accustomed to that certain sprit which makes up CDS and why it is so special. Well, I did several times (even before becoming a citizen), and I must admit that I understood just a bit, if at all. But is this really the whole thing about CDS?
To make a long story short: I would highly appreciate something like a "New Citizen's Guide to CDS" which may answer briefly (!) the most important questions for newcomers. And please firstly replyed in one, two sentences in everyday English before referring to the sources by linking to laws and regulations. Because for me as a non-native speaker and non-lawyer, some of these texts are hard to grasp.
Some examples without the claim to be exhaustive:
1. I was told that there once was a Welcome Committee established to care about new citizens like me. Is it still alive or could it be revived by willing and knowledgable older citizens? I would regard such an institution as *very* useful for the whole community.
2. Political system and organs of government (a schematic drawing with some boxes and arrows says often more than pages after pages of paragraphs).
3. Non-government organisations and their aims at CDS: Name (group ID), aim, contact person, link to further sources (if applicable).
4. I would like to build a new house/replace an extisting house. Who is the person in charge I need to ask for permission? How is the procedure? Where can I find the laws and regulations in this respect? (I have found some regulations on the website indeed, but a brief answer would be better here).
5. I would like to run one or more stores. Is there something like a value-added tax and/or a business tax? If so, how is the percentage?
6. Is there an inworld place where I can get essential information and where group activities are annouced? (I know that there are GNs inworld, but sometimes I miss to read them when they were sent in my European night hours.)
7. Is there something like a CDS Chamber of Commerce to bundle the interests of creators and merchants who are CDS citizens and supporters?
8. How can I contribute to public projects (and I'm not talking about
Some of the older citizens might lean back and think now: "What does she actually want? We all have learnt to live in the CDS the hard way and paid our toll with our bum and by reading through elaborate forums and law texts."
But a person like me does actually not want to settle in a giant autority which just administers itself. Don't take me wrong: I appreciate democratic processes and to find the best solution by prolific and effective (!) discussions. But I also would like to be creative and to contribute actively to the community not just by arguing.
Please take my apologies in advance in case I came across too rude and not the courtly English way for you (many Germans are like that ^^). I just recorded my concerns for a change to the better, at least from my point of view.
Almut