Agnes
+25 BONUS
I could feel Ava’s smirk burning into the side of my face as I plugged in my flash drive and set up the PowerPoint. She was seated directly across from me, arms folded, a glint of sinug satisfaction in her eyes.
She probably thought I was going to crash and burn. Well, she could think whatever she wanted, but she was wrong. Just like she’d been wrong during the Mate Trial.
Taking a deep breath, I clicked to the first slide of my presentation and turned to face the room. A few department heads shuffled in their seats, and Mr. Reynolds adjusted his glasses, already looking thoroughly unconvinced even though the presentation hadn’t begun yet.
“Good afternoon,” I began. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to present my proposal.”
Elijah sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. His gaze met mine briefly, offering no clues. I pushed down the flutter of nerves in my stomach and clicked to the next slide.
“As we all know, the current proposal suggests raising tariffs on imported basic necessities to increase revenue,” I continued. “However, I believe there is a much better approach. One that would increase revenue without harming the working class.”
1 clicked to the next slide. “I propose we implement selective tariff increases on luxury products,” I said.
A ripple of dissatisfaction made its way through the room. Ava’s smirk widened, and Mr. Reynolds started to speak. But everyone fell quiet when Elijah held up his hand to stop them.
“Continue, Agnes,” Elijah said.
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and went on. “The items affected by tariffs would include designer purses, colognes, high–end electronics, and more,” I said, pointing to the list on the screen. “These are items that are not basic necessities. Raising tariffs on these goods will not significantly impact the majority of our pack members, who are not purchasing them regularly.”
Mr. Reynolds cleared his throat. “If I may…”
Elijah lifted his eyebrows at me, as if silently asking me if I approved of Mr. Reynolds speaking, but I nodded. ” Yes, Mr. Reynolds?”
The man cleared his throat. “Luxury items don’t make up a substantial portion of imports. The revenue generated might be negligible.”
I met his gaze. “Actually, while luxury items represent a smaller volume, their higher price points mean that even a slight increase in tariffs can yield significant revenue. Plus, the demand for these items is relatively inelastic among those who can afford them. Raising prices would not deter most consumers of these items, as they have the funds to afford the price hikes.”
Mr. Reynolds looked like he’d gone pale, but Elijah just nodded along with me. “Well–put, Agnes. Go on.”
I clicked to the next slide, showing a graph of essential goods prices over time. “On the other hand, raising tariffs on basic necessities like baby food and diapers disproportionately affects lower–income families. These products often face rising prices because foreign companies hold monopolies and can easily pass on the cost to consumers.”
Ava shifted in her seat, her expression darkening. Good, I thought to myself. I hoped she’d start squirming, realizing that she was and had always been–wrong about me.
“Silvermoon has the capacity to produce these essential goods locally,” I continued. “But the materials needed-
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0042
like cotton for diapers–are expensive to import due to high tariffs.”
“So what’s your solution?” Elijah asked.
“I suggest we selectively lower tariffs on essential raw materials and offer subsidies to local businesses that are willing to produce these goods. For example, reducing tariffs on imported cotton and providing financial incentives for companies to manufacture diapers here.”
Mr. Reynolds scoffed lightly. “Subsidies? That could strain our budget even further.”
I nodded. “In the short term, yes. But in the long run, it would create jobs, stimulate local industry, and reduce our reliance on imports. We could even become exporters ourselves down the line, which would boost the economy significantly. Anyone with the most basic education should be able to understand that, Mr. Reynolds.”
Today’s Bonus Offer
GET IT NOW
Ch
