Tax Collector

A profession perceived to be of highly motivated, honest, and noble acting people to represent a taxing authority in the collection and documentation of coin or valuables. Just as often perceived as "legal" thieves to commoners subject to said taxes, and heavily scrutinized by all on their integrity.

Career

Qualifications

Literacy and numeric aptitude. Loyalty to taxing body. Perceived honesty to the tax payers.

Career Progression

1) Business or government administrative clerk. 2) Supervisory administrative clerk. 3) Administrative clerk manager. 4) Supervisory tax collector.

Payment & Reimbursement

Tax collector are paid for the maintenance of their [perceived] honesty and integrity. They must maintain a lifestyle that does not connote wealth while serving as a collector, though many retire early to unknown whereabouts with secreted wealth.

Other Benefits

Public reputation of honesty, loyalty, and equality with the tax paying commoners. Opportunity, or perhaps temptation, to skim tax money, accept bribes, and accumulate significant "retirement" funds.  Knowledge of wealth building, tax avoidance, and retirement locations.

Perception

Purpose

To represent a local and hierarchical taxing authority to collect funds for the common purpose.  Intended to support police, public access parks, and roadway maintenance, often perverted for personal gain of the tax collectors and or the local landowner or monarchy.

Social Status

Appearance as a common struggling man and family, with the added notoriety and perception of being and honest individual.

History

A profession steeped in a history of corruption and thievery, distrust by both the common man and the intended recipient of the collected revenues.  Official documentation and seals have been created to establish a tax collector as an official representative of the tasing authority, but does not completely stop con artists and thieves from impersonating real members of the profession.

Operations

Tools

Documentation of collected taxes and receipts. Armed guards protect the revenue from robbers and from uncooperative/disruptive tax avoiders.

Materials

Pen, paper, and a wax seal kit to document receipts and collections.

Workplace

Government offices and occasionally in person visits to individuals and businesses for audits.

Dangers & Hazards

Carrying coin, occasionally other valuables, collected as tax payments requires the use of guards in the offices and on official visits. An overhanging threat of severe criminal prosecution should they be caught improperly executing their duties.

Alternative Names

Revenuer, Money Monger, Government Snake

Demand

The turnover is high. Reputation can be lost while serving for uncollected/unpaid taxes. Early retirement (flight with absconded funds) or criminal prosecution (for skimming and collecting bribes)