The charter · Financial independence
04 · A town that pays its way
Financial independence. Complete it for a $7,500 grant.
Grants get us started. A dependable tax base keeps us here. Run a daily surplus for three days with a thousand residents. Resist the temptation to solve every problem with another expensive building.
Objectives
| Objective | Target | How |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,000 | Zone homes beside connected streets. Supply power and water, then leave room for shops and jobs. |
| Daily surplus ($) | 10 | Grow occupied housing, review tax rates in the budget, and trim unused infrastructure. |
| Employed workforce (%) | 60 | Balance homes with commercial, mixed-use and industrial workplaces. |
What it unlocks
Completing it unlocks Train track, Railway bridge, Train station, Dock, Toll booth, Avenue, Hotel, Hydro dam, Cinema, Bowling alley and Swimming pool.
How to approach it
Grants have carried the town so far; this chapter asks it to pay its own way. A daily surplus means the taxes from occupied homes, shops and industry beat the upkeep of everything you have built. The usual causes of a deficit are facilities sized for a future city, roads and networks laid far ahead of the homes they serve, and tax rates set low to chase happiness.
Employment is the other half. Sixty per cent of the workforce in work means enough shops, mixed-use lots and industry for the homes you have zoned. Adding workplaces helps both objectives at once: they pay tax themselves, and residents with jobs close to home are happier. The money guide covers taxes, department funding and what debt does.