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Ultimate Capitalist Rebalance Mod

This mod subtly rebalances the game to be more realistically favorable to a free enterprise system. The mod also introduces two new tax policies and one new welfare policy.

There is an optional Clones and Drones DLC compatible companion add-on for this mod available here:
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=351778970

A mod which includes only the policies introduced by this mod and none of the rebalancing effects is available here:
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=363841836

Note: This mod is not a cheat. You will still have to balance your budget and lower taxes if you want to make capitalists happy. I created this mod purely out of a desire to have the game better reflect the economic realities affecting poverty and employment. I will be adding more policy tools to this mod over time.

Please check the Change Notes tab if you would like to see the complete change log of this mod.

FULL LIST OF MODIFICATIONS INTRODUCED BY THIS MOD:

Two new tax policies and one new welfare policy are added, the Land Value Tax, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Citizen's Dividend. The land value tax is designed to net roughly 30% of the revenue of a standard property tax while being less offensive to property owners since homes, buildings, and improvements are exempted from the tax.

Land Value Tax: This is a tax levied on the unimproved value of land. The valuation is often made by a government body, and the money is used to fund local government services (at least in part) such as the provision of street lighting and emergency services. Some see it as a fair tax which mostly affects landlords and others who own large amounts of land, others see it as an unfair tax on retired people with large estates. Since the tax is not levied on the building of or improvements to property such as homes, buildings, and other capital it has a smaller negative affect on capitalists, the middle class, and the retired than the standard Property Tax.

Earned Income Tax Credit: A system of tax credits designed to provide the working poor with a tax refund to boost lower income earnings. This can be offered in lieu of many traditional welfare programs to boost the welfare of lower income voters. The policy also reduces unemployment since proof of earned income is required to collect this transfer payment.

Citizen's Dividend: A system designed to provide every citizen with an equal lump sump transfer payment. This can be offered in lieu of many traditional welfare programs to boost the welfare of both lower and middle income voters. Since the benefit is not means tested this policy eliminates some of the welfare trap effects of most anti-poverty programs, so the poverty reducing effects are superior to the earned income tax credit. At the same time, since employment is not required to receive the benefit this can cause unemployment if raised too high.


The following policies boost employment in the private sector (reduce unemployment):
Small Business Grants
Enterprise Investment Scheme
Earned Income Tax Credit

I found it strange that the vanilla game logic adds positive employment effects when spending is increased on public sector programs such as state schools and state health services, but there was no corresponding employment increase for spending directed towards boosting the private sector. This fixes that issue by allowing you to stimulate employment in the private sector with the above policies.

Increasing the size of the following industries reduces trade union membership:
Private Schools
Private Healthcare
Private Prisons

Since policies which increase the size of the above industries direct resources away from the public sector and into the private sector where unions are generally less powerful these policies provide a subtle reduction in trade union membership. Such policies include school vouchers and tax credits and health care vouchers and tax credits.

The following policies reduce state employee membership:
Flat Income Tax
Citizen's Dividend

The flat income tax policy greatly simplifies the existing tax code, and therefore fewer tax collectors and tax lawyers are needed to enforce it. The citizen's dividend reduces the need for welfare administrators.

The following policies increase the happiness of Religious voters:
School Vouchers
School Tax Credits

Since the school vouchers and tax credits can be used by Religious voters to send their children to parochial schools these policies increase the happiness of the Religious. This is a nice way to boost the happiness of Religious citizens without explicitly supporting religion.

The following policy increases Energy Efficiency:
Technology Grants

I had to add at least one way to improve the environment by directing funds to the private sector. Remember, the carbon tax is your friend if you want to increase the health of the environment without pushing a bunch of policies that steer the economy in any specific direction.

The following policy decreases Drug Addiction:
Medical Vouchers

This is to compete with the corresponding ability of the State Health Service to do the same.

The following policy makes Capitalists unhappy:
Food Standards Agency

Having a food standards agency violates the caveat emptor principles of a free market.

This mod also allows spending on a National Monorail system to boost commuter membership. This is not so much a Capitalist rebalance as much as I just thought it made sense. The vanilla game logic allows rail subsidies to increase commuter membership, but not spending on a national monorail. If I'm going to spend taxpayer money on a monorail then I expect people to use it!