Hi Rich,
I read your post about improving conditions for businesses attempting to build on/around the ecosystem, and I must say, it’s an interesting topic to discuss. However, I have a few thoughts to share with you.
Firstly, while it’s essential to establish best practices and provide guidance for those outside of Parity/W3F who are aiming to build a functional economy between fiat and crypto jurisdictions, I don’t think Kusama governance, Parity or W3F should be in the business of providing “clear guidance” on project teams’ tax situations. Tax regimes vary widely around the world, and it’s not reasonable for any individual or body to navigate taxation all over the world. Therefore, projects seeking Treasury funding should do their homework and price in VAT or some other tax, and do so openly and explicitly, letting the voting community decide if they like the value proposition.
Secondly, I believe charging fees or setting clear margins on treasury proposals is essential. Still, teams should get approval for the margin on the budget to avoid being pushed into the dangerous position of cashflowing work at cost. As you noted, the volatility of the networks has resulted in a number of ecosystem teams, including yourselves, paying to deliver projects. This shouldn’t be a contentious issue, and all proposers should agree that fees should be included. After all, if you don’t charge enough fees, it might be difficult to cover the cost of the project.
Lastly, I think it’s crucial to ensure that proposers provide enough details about their proposals to avoid any ambiguity. The Kusama community rejected your proposal because the outcomes were not clear and there were dormant companies involved. These are valid concerns, and it’s essential to address them. Proposers should ensure that their proposals are related to blockchain enough and that the outcomes are well-defined to make it easier for the community to make an informed decision.
In conclusion, it’s great to see you advocating for better conditions for businesses aiming to build on/around the ecosystem. However, it’s essential to have open and explicit communication, establish best practices, and provide guidance where necessary. Proposers should also ensure that their proposals are well-defined and related to blockchain enough to avoid any ambiguity.