Chapter 61 Treasury and Salary

"Lord Sesta, not all the elders can get used to a plain life like you. The key is that they just give and don't gain anything, and there will definitely be imbalances in their hearts, so it's hard to resist the temptation." Sedorum Said a word next to it.

"Then don't be a veteran, it's best to go into business!" Sesta replied.

"Okay, I called you here to discuss and solve the problem, not for you to quarrel." Davers said softly, and the room immediately returned to silence.

His eyes swept across the faces of everyone, seeing Mersis's nervous expression, he knew what he was worried about, smiled in his heart, and kept his eyes on Antaoris. After entering the king's office, Antao Reese remained silent.

Of course, Vespa is also a quiet one. As one of the rotating presidents of the Lucanians, except for the issue of safeguarding the interests of the Lucanians, he will strive hard. At other times, he is almost indifferent in the Senate. Without a word, he was criticized as a "puppet" in private, believing that his ability was far inferior to that of Hemen, and that he was able to sit in this position completely because of his son Bagule's light. After Weisba heard about it, he was still the same, without any change.

As the elder who just became the rotating chairman, Antaoris has been relatively low-key in the past few months, but Davos did not want him to be silent, so he asked directly: "Antaoris, what do you think about this? What do you think?"

Antaoris was stunned for a moment, then straightened his body, his quiet temperament changed immediately, and said in a solemn voice: "Your Majesty, the elder is the best person in a country, and his position is also noble, this should be The pride of the elders, but now the people look at us elders like criminals, full of doubts, 'Who will be the second Polyxis? Who will be the second Laodician?' We are gradually losing The trust of the people, the foundation that gives the highest power to the Senate of the Kingdom, is collapsing. This is a very terrible thing! Therefore, we must prohibit the elders from accepting any gifts and gifts, regain the people's trust in us, and make us worthy again. On that honor!—"

"But, Lord Antaoris," Cornelus interrupted.

But before he could go on, Antaoris hurriedly said, "Dear Lord Cornerus, please listen to me!"

Corner Ruston looked a little embarrassed.

"However, the most honorable elder does not mean the poorest. When the poor stand in front of the rich, they have no confidence in their words, and the elders who live in poverty are the same when facing rich citizens. In this way, not only will our elders be lowered The prestige of the people also makes the citizens look down on us and have other ideas, which is not conducive to the governance of the people and the kingdom.

While giving honor to the elders, the kingdom should also give them corresponding wealth.

Because it is their efforts that have created the prosperous kingdom today, and the elders should enjoy the wealth they deserve! Therefore, I propose to pay the elders, and it is high enough! "

After Antaoris said something impassioned, everyone was moved.

Davos remained calm, and before he spoke, Mersis shouted first: "No! No! The treasury's money is used to pay other officials, and there is not much left! To pay the elders, it's not at all. No!  …

"Don't be in a hurry, Mersis." Davos nodded to him, and then said to everyone in a leisurely manner: "Antaoris said it well, and I also thought so in my heart. Make laws and prohibit The elders accepted gifts, accepted the supervision of the ombudsman, local councilors, and tribunes. At the same time, they began to pay the elders, and the salary was enough to allow the elders to live like real elders... What do you think? "

"His Majesty wants to send us money, how could I disagree." Sedorum said jokingly. In fact, whether he is paid or not, can not help giving gifts has little impact on him and Vespa. Their other identity is the leader of the tribe. Although the young and middle-aged men in the tribe have basically gone out, they have a large tribe. Land, many slaves, a large number of cattle and sheep, no shortage of money at all. Therefore, the objects of Davos' consultation are mainly other people.

Faced with Davos' proposal, Cornelus was still his usual attitude: "Your Majesty, I agree with your proposal. However, how much is the salary appropriate? Where does the money come from?"

"It seems that everyone has reached a consensus on the proposal of 'forbidding the elders to accept gifts and implementing salary'." Davos said, his eyes swept over Lysias and Marigi, both of whom were also nodding.

"Next, let's talk about the specific salary?" Davos's eyes fell on the nervous Mersis again: "Mercis, tell me, the next step of the city administrator. What is the salary of senior officials?"

"The next-level officer of the city administrator?" Once he talked about the business, Mersich regained his composure. He thought about it carefully, and said: "Deputy chief executive, intermediate construction officer, intermediate supervisor, intermediate agricultural officer, Intermediate judges...etc. These can be counted as officials of the same level, but there are more or less differences in salaries. For example, agricultural officials and construction officials have to work outside for a long time, so their salaries will be higher. Judges, The Inspector's job is relatively easy, and the salary is a little less... On average, it is about... about 40 silver drachmas." Mersis pointed and calculated, and finally spit out the number.

The Hades silver coin he mentioned, since the establishment of the kingdom, the pattern of the silver coin has been changed to have the head of Hades, the king of Hades, and the head of King Davos, on the other side. The people of Dionia also call this silver coin "Dave" Silver Coins". In addition, the kingdom also has copper coins, with the patterns on both sides of Persephone and the Great Council of the Senate or Hercules and the Great Council of the Senate, and stipulates that the exchange rate of copper coins and silver coins is 6: 1. This is almost the same as the exchange rate of opals to silver coins, so in Dionia, copper coins have replaced the original position of opals. With their high purity and exquisite patterns, these two currencies have become the only currencies in circulation in the Kingdom of Dionia, and they have also become one of the main currencies used by other countries in the Western Mediterranean.

"40 silver coins...about the price of one and a half cows." Davos was not surprised by this figure. He had already had a detailed understanding of it in advance. Everyone knows it. In fact, this salary is not low. A citizen with five acres of land will earn three times the amount of grain harvesting when he grows up, and this is only the intermediate level of the Kingdom of Dionia. Officer's salary for one month. Because of the rich resources of cattle and horses in the kingdom, the price is low, generally floating between 25 and 30 silver coins. If it is in Greece, a cow needs at least 50 silver coins.

Davos tapped his fingers on the table and said slowly: "I suggest that the remuneration of the elders should be set at one hundred Hades silver coins. In addition, if the elders have positions, their remuneration will be increased according to their positions. For example, a city administrator. , his total remuneration should be the veteran's salary of 100 silver coins plus the chief executive's salary... Well, since the deputy chief executive's salary is about 40 silver coins, then the chief executive should be about 50 silver coins, and so on Down, his monthly salary should be 150 silver coins.

Another example is Sesta, you are a veteran and the highest prosecutor. His position is the same as that of the city administrator, and his salary should be about 150 silver coins. Also, like Cornelus, you are the rotating chairman. The rotating chairman is different from ordinary elders, and also needs to undertake some extra work and should have additional salary..."

Everyone carefully digested Davos' proposal, and everyone's eyes stretched. No one would dislike too much money, not to mention that this salary can reflect the noble status of the elders in the kingdom. In this way, even if the "prohibition of gifts" bill is promulgated, I believe that the elders will not have much complaints.

Only Mersis shouted in dissatisfaction: "Too much! Too much! Even if the more than 100 elders of the Senate are calculated according to the salary of a senator of 100 silver coins, the treasury will pay more than two towers every month. Liant, I don't have that much money there!"

Before Davos could speak, Cornelus asked suspiciously: "I remember that the Finance Department earns hundreds of talents from lottery tickets in various ball games every year. Trade is prosperous, merchant ships gather in the ports of various cities, and the monthly commercial tax is almost 100 tarantos. Not to mention that the population of the kingdom is now as high as 1.8 million, the land tax is also a large number, and the annual redemption of slaves Fees, postage fees for the post office, escort fees for the fleet... are also a lot of money, how can the national treasury have no money?!"

"Lord Cornerus." Mersis sneered: "You only saw the treasury taking in the money, but you didn't see the treasury spending a lot of money. You must know that the middle-level officials of the kingdom are now There are more than 1,000 people, and the treasury has to pay them a dozen talents every month, not to mention the jailers, patrolmen, sentinels... and other low-level public jobs that also pay salaries. Personnel, all these are counted, then there are tens of thousands of people, and a total of more than 50 Taranto salaries are paid every month!

Also, the cost of building new roads, bridges, ports, temples, libraries and other public buildings, as well as the maintenance costs of maintaining old roads, city walls, temples and other public buildings, every time the military department calls soldiers and warships to carry out The cost of military training, the cost of building and maintaining military equipment, warships... These not only require money, but also a lot of money.