(Year 232, Summer) Our capital city, San Myshuno, has literally been among the bigger challenges of the ongoing Regional Reform Y233. The goal is to avoid both the very large regions, like the current Region 12 Mazaloom which includes San Myshuno, as well as the tiny ones, like Region 8 Ticktop. The People Chamber already decided that a region needs 200,000 residents to qualify for one extra seat at the Chamber, and that no region shall have more than a total of five seats.
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| Splitting the city? This is San Myshuno's old Myshuno district. |
Therefore, Ticktop's 4,000 residents must merge with a bigger neighbor, and if San Myshuno forms a new region it will get only 5 seats. But as those seats will only serve 1,000,000 the remaining 420,000 citizens of San Myshuno will not get the extra two seats - unless the city split. Technically no region should count much more than 1,000,000 residents because bigger units are harder to administrate.
It all boils down to one remaining question: Shall San Mysuno split in order to form two regions, or shall the city stay one region but miss out on a couple seats at the People Chamber?
Several political fractions have rooted for a split of the big city which today covers 3 districts; Meadows, Myshuno and Magnolia. Historically the city was formed by Meadows dukedom (Meadows, Fashion District and Uptown) south of the Myshuno River, and Myshuno barony (Spice Market and Arts Quarter) north. Eventually Myshuno also covered Magnolia Promenade which is located far north of the city, but is traditionally referred to as the city's 6th hood.
Political fractions support the idea of a split city for different reasons. MIDDLE party's "Speak for the Trees" fraction suggests that there might be twice as many parks and ECO-friendly initiatives with 2 regions. RIGHT party's "Simoleons for Everyone" fraction thinks a split solution might trigger more business activity, and LEFT party's "Foundation of less Mischief" fraction thinks that one huge region will make it harder to fight criminals.
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| People Chamber has debated the biggest issue of the Regional Reform Y233. |
The final voting that took place this week, turned out to be a very close race. Votings of the People Chamber will normally be done with a "yay" routine as a common process taking place in the main chamber, but when it gets close, or the case itself requires more depth, a group of 1 seat per party can claim that each department vote isolated before the five Ministers will meet to present each their department's vote. This method secures a thorough debate including each department's concerns. In this case, all community fields would be dramatically affected.
Law & Justice dept. voted a clear NO to the split. Only their member representing Copperdale wanted a split city. Trades & Taxes dept. also voted NO, with only their Newcrest representative voting YES to a split. Culture & Entertainment dept. voted YES, arguing that two regions will deliver more culture than just one. However, Minister Jang had to use her double vote. Likewise, Health & Welfare dept. depended on Minister Starks' double vote, when they voted YES to the split. Finally, Science & Education dept. voted NO to the split, with only their Evergreen Harbor representative voting YES.
So, the 1 region alternative got 3 votes, and the 2 regions (split) alternative got 2 votes.
This means that the San Myshuno problem has been settled, resulting in the city including Magnolia Promenade, will form the new Region 5. Rest of the old Region 12 (Newcrest, Brindleton Bay, and Gloomville with Evergreen Harbor) stays Region 12. The number 5 has not been used since the Medieval era, so this recycle won't cause any confusion administratively.
After the San Myshuno vote, only the Ticktop problem remains. With only 4,000 residents it is not seen as a big case, but it needs to be formally decided what neighbor Region 8 Ticktop shall join; Region 2 Rossie or Region 4 Crafthole. This will probably be a smaller task, which brings hope that the reform can be completed this Fall already!
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