Paying Taxes
Annually, and sometimes more often for the more affluent, individuals and corporations on Earth pay taxes to their government.
Especially in the United States, where the Spaceport is located, these taxes are seen as a requirement for continued function. Those who do not pay their taxes will be at the mercy of the IRS, a dreaded organization that will come and forcibly collect those taxes and take additional resources from the individual as a penalty.
History
Paying taxes seems to go back in history, possibly all the way back to the Harperion exposure of Earth.
While Harperions despize interference in lesser cultures, the group that landed on Earth inadvertently had much wider reaching effects on their culture.
The island on which the Harperions built their settlement, Henderson Island was limited in resources. They were forced to travel far and find ways to gather resources from other cultures. One way that they did this was to demand tribute be left at the feet of statues they seeded around the planet. Whenever they were seen, they eliminated the witnesses as much as possible. However, the legend grew up that if one wanted to have luck, or at least not be beaten to death by a giant bird, one should leave a portion of crops or other goods at the feet of the bird statue on a regular basis.
Thus the tradition of taxation became a part of the human experience.
You can see this influence still today in the emblem of the IRS which clearly shows a Harperion demanding tribute.
Execution
Paperwork must be filed with the IRS on a regular basis. Depending on a complex set of formulas that require specialized individuals to calculate the appropriate tribute, individuals and corporations pay their dues to the IRS. Occasionally other state and local governing organizations join in and request a portion of the profits.
Participants
- tax accountants - compile paperwork and perform calculations
- IRS agents - review paperwork and confirm that correct tribute has been rendered
Observance
While cycles vary, the main cycle appears to be annual with the tribute due before the middle of April.
This article is a stub.
I'll be adding more content to this article in the future.
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