No subject

understand, the kingdom or auctions have been supplementing the Blackstar
for a very
long time.
This is very true and Master Blackfox sponsored many of these auctions as
evidenced by the recent Auctions Started by Sigen in his name. However the
auction solution is only a temporary one. And up until this year (if memory
serves) we had not had a blackfox auction in several years. the fact that we
haven't had or needed an auction for the blackstar is a tribute to past
Kingdom chroniclers and their ingenuity.

Somehow, the Kingdom has not gone broke from this.

The only reason the kingdom has not "gone broke" as you put it are because
of events like Northern Regional tribute and Gulf wars which have helped to
increase the kingdom coffers. If it were not for these two events funds for
the kingdom would be drastically reduced.

  In the last five
years, I've noted that the Kingdom is requiring an increasing percentage of
profits
from groups hosting Kingdom events.

This is true the Kingdom is increasing the percentage given to the kingdom
from the net profits of Kingdom events like coronation. However the kingdom
has no other source of income other than kingdom events that the kingdom can
rely on ( except perhaps gulf wars and Northern Regional tribute).
Remember the Kingdom only gets a percentage of the net profits from the
event. If the event only breaks even the kingdom gets nothing.

  In addition, now the groups will be paying for
one of their two event announcements per year.

Correction here, Michael stated that each group would be given two free
pages a year.  Some groups do not hold more than on event a year.

  In the "big picture" of how much the
kingdom is bringing annually (considering both income and outgo from Gulf
War, events,
misc expenses, etc), is the Blackstar really causing a significant drain on
kingdom
resources?
The income  for the kingdom varies greatly from year to year. There is no
set amount , that you could actually bank on the kingdom getting in income
each year. Ask mirrim about this, she has tried to estimate the income for
this kingdom as best she can on the yearly budget when she was Kingdom
treasurer.

  Is it hurting the Kingdom to supplement the Blackstar?
The answer to this is Yes it does hurt the finances of the kingdom and if
income levels stayed the same and the kingdom had to say pay for one issue
out of four ( which is not unusual in other kingdoms)we would have a very
serious situation within a year or so.

  Do we HAVE to
make the Blackstar self-supporting?

In my opinion yes, it only helps the blackstar and would be one less thing
to worry about on an ongoing basis. Other wise we would have auctions and
donation drives every year. Even with the best intentions, auctions and
donation drives year after year after year would only result in delaying a
long term solution.

Dona Isobel, the muckraker

Richard Fairbourne, the sod maker