(Above): Then-representative Recardo (District 354-EJP) grills Minister of Law Sheldon Micnon during his testimony on Police Accountability during a Law and Order Committee hearing.
Shuri Recardo, born on December 13th 1972 (51) was born in Jagein, a city of 200,000 people in southcentral Doatia. Being of African and Gungi ancestry, her mother Stephanie Recardo was born on Gungi land and grew up in a Gungi community until going to high education at Jagein University, eventually becoming a Public Defender. Shuri’s father Clarence Calhoun (later Recardo) was native to Jagein, and was a Jagein public school teacher. Growing up middle class, Shuri got good grades in school. The economic crisis in the mid-70’s had a minimal effect on her parents, as they both remained employed. In 1980 at age 35, Shuri’s mom got a job as Senior Public Defender in Doa City, which resulted in the family moving to the capitol city. Shuri’s dad quickly became a junior Professor at Doa City Central University (DCCU), where he currently serves as Dean of Students.
In 1987, at 15, Shuri expressed in interest in politics after having recently been elected President of her school’s student council. She soon after started an internship at EJP Party Headquarters, after her mom called a friend who was an officer in the party. Starting as a low-level organizer, Shuri quickly rose in ranks, eventually becoming a Senior Organizer in ’89 at 17 (a role usually filled by college students). She also graduated high school her 3rd year (at 17), and was admitted to a Doa City expedited program, which allowed her to earn her Bachelor’s degree at 19 (1991).
Immediately after college graduation, she was hired as Director of Youth Engagement of the EJP (1991-1995). She’s credited with helping maintain the historic EJP-PLP Coalition during a time of low voter turnout and a worsening recession, after leading an aggressive and successful youth turnout initiative.
In ’95 (at 23) she was elected as an officer of the party (1995-2000; a group of 11 vice presidents and a president, who make executive decisions for the EJP), Vice President of Voter Engagement. She oversaw an aggressive and expensive investment in the EJP’s grassroots fundraising foundation, and sponsored a resolution, which eventually passed, which mandated representatives host more events in their districts.
In ’97, she met her husband Marcus Solomon (15 years older than her; CEO of Solomon Energy Solutions LLC, a renewable energy magnate), who she got engaged and married to that same year. They bought their current home, just outside Jagein, in ’98.
They remain married and have shared 3 children, Dominic Calhoun Solomon-Recardo (27, reporter for Doatian Journal), Kristine “Kris” Solomon-Recardo (26, public defender in Jagein), and Michelle Stephanie Solomon-Recardo (24, District 404-EJP)
In 2000, she threw her hat in the ring to select a new Vice President of Policy, after the recent one resigned to run for office. She was overwhelmingly supported by party members and vacated her previous position to fill her new one, as mandated by the party’s charter. She gradually expanded the EJP’s agenda from the exclusively environmental and economic policies to social and global ones as well. She’s the architect of the modern day EJP platform.
Her radical transformation angered the more conservative members of the EJP, who left to join the PLP in a party rebellion in 2010. She was blamed for the rebellion, which significantly weakened the EJP’s position in the EJP-PLP coalition, as well as resulted in a worsening debt problem for the party, and a major dip in polls.
She lost a vote of no confidence and was removed from the EJP Executive Committee. In 2012, running as a member of the EJP for an open Chamber seat (District 354, which includes parts of Jagein and surrounding communities, including some Gungi-majority precincts). She utilized her skills as a fundraiser and helped elect dozens of EJP members across Doatia. In the next government, she was elected Vice President of Endorsement and Member Reelection (restoring her seat on the EJP Executive Committee, while simultaneously keeping her seat in the Chamber)
In the position, she had an influential role in deciding which EJP candidates received EJP funding and endorsement, as well as assisting incumbents in planning for and winning reelection. The grassroots fundraising foundation investment she spearheaded helped not only avert a debt crisis for the party, but also led to the creation of the “Recardo Fund”, the nickname for the “Incumbent Swing-District Reelection Support Fund” (ISRS). The fund, designed to support the most loyal-to-leadership members of the EJP, was directly manipulated by her during her tenure as VP of Endorsement and Member Reelection, resulting in Recardo loyalists not only securing reelection, but moving up in the party, while her internal opposition were either demoted, neglected, or left the party.
Holding the position until 2016 (age 44), when she was elected Chair of the Party (President of the Executive Committee). She kept her seat in the Chamber, an unprecedented move (No leader of any party held a seat in the People’s Chamber during their leadership tenure until Recardo, followed subsequently by Rebecca Loaz of the CP and Dontae Rose of the DN. Cori Bernadino surrendered her Chamber seat when selected as PLP leader, which was the custom, although not legally required).
She was elected Chancellor earlier this month when her party gained a majority in a Special Election. Prior, she served as Chancellor-elect following the abrupt removal (via vote of no confidence) of former Chancellor Bernadino.
She resigned her seat in the Chamber when she was elected Chancellor (legally mandated). Shuri and Marcus own an estate outside of Jagein, a winter home on Mushiki Island, and a Summer Home on Gungi Island. Their combined net worth is $732 Million Doa, making them the wealthiest Chancellor and First Gentlemen in history. Most of the wealth is from their shares and profits of Solomon Energy Solutions, LLC, which is a Multi-Billion Dollar company.
Its estimated that Chancellor Recardo and her husband both own stocks worth roughly $579 Million Doa (and control roughly 30% of the company; split evenly between them. They pay a 15% tax on the total worth each year, roughly $87 Million, split evenly between them, in accordance with their prenuptial agreement). The stock taxes are normally paid by selling the required stocks after involuntary annual audit by the Doatian Tax Service (DTS). They can then be gifted stocks by the company or simply purchase additional stocks if they so choose, specifically at discounted rates or when rates drop. Their homes are collectively worth an estimated $121 Million Doa, of which they pay property taxes, and a mansion tax on their estate (10% worth tax. Estimated value of home this year is $62 Million Doa. Mansion tax payment is roughly $6.2 Million Doa this year). The remaining $30-something million in split between company bonuses, salaries, and liquidated assets, unevenly split between them (not able to gain access to personal bank account details).
The Chancellor earns a salary of $225,000 Doa and receives no salary, benefit, bonus, or allowance from Solomon Energy Solutions, LLC.
Marcus Solomon-Recardo earns an annual salary of $65 Million Doa, plus roughly $45 Million Doa in estimated annual allowances (don’t count as income, private plane, cars, housing allowance, home allowance, spousal allowance, travel allowance, business allowance, and office allowance. Not taxable). He also received benefits (healthcare, vacation, sick leave, etc; not counted as income. Not taxable) worth roughly $15 Million Doa. He also receives annual bonuses estimated at $125 Million Doa.
Their estimated taxable income this year is $190 Million Doa
Their estimated tax burden this year:
Federal – $98 Million Doa (stock tax, mansion tax, income taxes, other taxes)
Region – $39 million Doa (taxed at a minimum rate of 18% total income, plus various other taxes)
Jagein – $9 Million Doa (local income tax, car taxes, property taxes, etc)
Social Security – $23 Million Doa (taxed at 13% of income)
Healthcare – $12.6 Million Doa (taxed at 7% of income)
Total: $181.6 million Doa (stock tax may be paid separately, through the selling of stocks. Profits from the sale of stocks may offset some of the total tax burden. Stock sales aren’t currently taxed)
The Chancellor and her husband have no outstanding tax debts. Debt against them is roughly 6% their total worth, and is mostly from their homes and college tuition for their kids.
