Councillors,
The Spellguard Order will require 30% of the budget this term, at least, with 35% being preferable. We have many operations under way for the improvement of Sanctuary's defenses.
It will cost significant amounts of gold to secure the Canal Ward further, which will be absolutely essential before trade can begin out of the port.
The Order also continues to develop new animatronic technology to improve the city's internal defenses. Parts are expensive, either to craft or to acquire from adventurers who make forays into the Machine. As last terms attack by the Chosen demonstrated, we cannot expect all enemies to come at us through the gates, and it is imperative that the animatrons be ready in the event of another such attack. My own research in regards to defense against the Chosen requires many expensive transmutational components, silver being among the most important elements of the more successful attempts.
And the Chosen are not the only threat to Sanctuary. The Unseelie, though easily enough for the gates to repel with the recently restored defense orbs, remain a threat to citizens who venture outside the walls. We intend to eliminate this threat soon, but the cost in terms of equipment damaged will be high. Necessarily, if the Order is to maintain its other operations, increased funding for the next term will need to be appropriated.
The continued augmentation of the Spellguard Associates as a defensive force and a supplement to the Order's research efforts will also require significant funding. We will need weapons, armor, uniforms, laboratory equipment, and more to develop them further as an organization.
Consider how much the Order has done in the defense of Sanctuary, and I think you will all see quite clearly that any portion of the budget allocated to the Spellguard will be gold well-spent.
-Agent Ramana