Policies

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Policies can be selected that affect the city and its districts from a predetermined list. Policies have both positive and negative effects. For example, a smoking ban will make citizens healthier, but it can make them unhappy. Policies can be set for the entire city, or for different districts in the city to make them look, play, and feel different.

Set policies for a district by clicking it when the policies panel is open, or by clicking the “Policies” button in its info panel.

Policies panel[edit | edit source]

Policies in the "Services", "Taxation" or "City Planning" categories can be found in the policies panel on their respective tab.

Services[edit | edit source]

Policy Unlocked DLC Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Water Usage.png Water Usage
Worthy Village - Moderately reduced water consumption (Reduced by 15%). ₡5/week/building
Algae-based Water Filtering.png Algae-based Water Filtering
Busy Town DLC icon sunset harbor.png Increases filtering in water intakes and purification level in drain pipes by 45%.
Requires an Algae Farm.
Reduces algae farm production by 50%.
Increases water facility upkeep by 15%.
Automated Sorting.png Automated Sorting
Big Town DLC icon industries.png Increases mail capacity by 10% ₡300/city post service building
Book fair.png Book Fair
Busy Town DLC icon campus.png Increased happiness and entertainment within the Public Libraries radius. Public Libraries upkeep increased by 100%.
Extra Insulation.png Extra Insulation
Boom Town DLC icon snowfall.png Buildings require less energy for heating thanks to the extra insulation layer in their walls and roof. Reduction in tax income due to higher construction/maintenance costs.
Fishing License.png Fishing License
Tiny Town DLC icon sunset harbor.png Increases all residential tax income by 5%. Reduces citizen happiness.
Increases crime by 5%.
For-profit education.png For-Profit Education
Big Town DLC icon campus.png All education building upkeep reduced by 50%. Reduces citizen happiness.
Free Public Transport.png Free Public Transport *
Busy Town - Increased use of public transportation. No income from buses, trams, metro vehicles, local trains, or monorail vehicles.
Free WiFi.png Free WiFi
Boom Town DLC icon industries.png Reduce mail accumulation by 15% ₡2/building
Harsh prison sentences.png Harsh Prison Sentences
Big Town DLC icon after dark.png The prison sentences are twice as long as usual and the harsh verdicts keep the worst felons off the streets for longer, causing a reduction in crime rate. Double the usual prison sentences; uses prison space longer.
High ticket prices.png High Ticket Prices
Boom Town DLC icon mass transit.png Raises public transport ticket prices by 25% to get more profit. This may result in fewer passengers.
Education Boost.png Education Boost
Big Town - Prioritize education over working for young adults. Education budget increased by 25%.
Educational blimps.png Educational Blimps
Big Town DLC icon mass transit.png Switch advertisements on blimps to be educational posters to boost education slightly. No cost.
Helicopter priority.png Helicopter Priority
Busy Town DLC icon natural disasters.png Emergency services will use helicopters instead of ground vehicles. No cost.
No Electricity for Heat.png No Electricity for Heat
Boom Town DLC icon snowfall.png Buildings can only use heat produced by heating services. Reduces electricity consumption. Increases the demand on city heating services.
Only Electricity for Heat.png Only Electricity for Heat
Boom Town DLC icon snowfall.png Buildings are forbidden to use heating services; they can only use electricity. Raises electricity consumption significantly during cold spells.
Parks and Recreation.png Parks and Recreation
Tiny Town - Moderately increased land value around parks and plazas. Increases the Parks and Plazas budget by 20%.
Park maintenance boost.png Park Maintenance Boost
Tiny Town DLC icon parklife.png Increases Park Maintenance vehicles' shift length by 50%. ₡80/Park Maintenance Building
Pet Ban.png Pet Ban
Tiny Town - Slightly reduced garbage accumulation. Slightly decreased happiness.
Power Usage.png Power Usage
Worthy Village - Moderately reduced electricity consumption (Reduced by 11%). ₡5/week/building
Prefer ferries.png Prefer Ferries
Boom Town DLC icon mass transit.png Citizens prefer ferries for moving in the city. ₡2/ferry in use.
Prefer parks.png Prefer Parks
Tiny Town DLC icon parklife.png Parks, Plazas and Park Areas draw 10% more visitors. ₡100/Park, Plaza or Park Area in the policy area.
Recreational Use.png Recreational Use
Boom Town - Slightly increased tax income. Moderately increased tourism. Slightly reduced crime rate. +15% Police budget
Recycle plastic.png Recycle Plastic
Boom Town DLC icon green cities.png Recycling Centers work with +20% efficiency. ₡100/Recycling Center/week
Recycling.png Recycling
Boom Town - Slightly reduced garbage accumulation. Slightly reduced tax income.
Schools out.png School's Out
Tiny Town DLC icon after dark.png The citizens will prefer working over education and only a small portion of the eligible citizens will go to study in the university. Results in fewer highly educated citizens.
Smoke Detector Distribution.png Smoke Detector Distribution
Worthy Village - Significantly reduced risk of fire. ₡5/week/building
Smoking Ban.png Smoking Ban
Tiny Town - Slightly increased health. Slightly decreased happiness.
Tourist Travel Card.png Tourist Travel Card
Big Town DLC icon sunset harbor.png The city will receive 8% more tourists. Increases intercity bus network upkeep by 15%.

*Only applies to bus, tram, metro, monorail, and local train fares. For district policies, only passengers leaving from that district will get a free ride. Intercity trains, cargo trains, ships, planes and taxis will still continue to provide revenue, regardless.

Taxation[edit | edit source]

Policy Unlocked DLC Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Tax Raise for Low Density Residential.png Tax Raise for Low Density Residential
Big Town - Increases the tax rate by 2% for low density residential. Decrease in Happiness
Tax Raise for High Density Residential.png Tax Raise for High Density Residential
Big Town - Increases the tax rate by 2% for high density residential. Decrease in Happiness
Tax Raise for Low Density Commercial.png Tax Raise for Low Density Commercial
Big Town - Increases the tax rate by 2% for low density commercial. Decrease in Happiness
Tax Raise for High Density Commercial.png Tax Raise for High Density Commercial
Big Town - Increases the tax rate by 2% for high density commercial. Decrease in Happiness
Tax Raise for Offices.png Tax Raise for Offices
Big Town - Increases the tax rate by 2% for offices. Decrease in happiness
Tax Relief for Low Density Residential.png Tax Relief for Low Density Residential
Big Town - Lowers the tax rate by 2% for low density residential. Decreased tax income from low density residential buildings in affected area.
Tax Relief for High Density Residential.png Tax Relief for High Density Residential
Big Town - Lowers the tax rate by 2% for high density residential. Decreased tax income from high density residential buildings in affected area.
Tax Relief for Low Density Commercial.png Tax Relief for Low Density Commercial
Big Town - Lowers the tax rate by 2% for low density commercial. Decreased tax income from low density commercial buildings in affected area.
Tax Relief for High Density Commercial.png Tax Relief for High Density Commercial
Big Town - Lowers the tax rate by 2% for high density commercial. Decreased tax income from high density commercial buildings in affected area.
Tax Relief for Offices.png Tax Relief for Offices
Big Town - Lowers the tax rate by 2% for offices. Decreased tax income from offices in affected area.
Let Go of Leisure.png Let Go of Leisure
Big Town DLC icon after dark.png Leisure specialized areas get a hefty boost in their entertainment and attractiveness values. No tax income from leisure specialized buildings in affected area.

City Planning[edit | edit source]

Policy Unlocked DLC Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Airplane Tours.png Airplane Tours
Big Town DLC icon sunset harbor.png Increases building plane count, entertainment and city attractiveness. Increases building noise pollution by 50%.
Anti-Slip Studs.png Anti-Slip Studs
Busy Town DLC icon snowfall.png Increases the health of elderly citizens by making them less likely to slip on icy streets. ₡4/senior citizen
Automated Toll.png Automated Toll
Big Town - Vehicles do not need to stop at toll booths, only slow down. Increases vehicle flow. Reduces Toll Booth income by 30%
Big Business Benefactor.png Big Business Benefactor
Small City - High density commercial buildings double their sales. ₡4/week/high density commercial building
Bike Ban On Sidewalks.png Bike Ban On Sidewalks
Busy Town DLC icon after dark.png This policy bans cycling on sidewalks. Bikes can only use dedicated bike lanes and bike pathways.
Boost connections.png Boost Connections
Busy Town DLC icon parklife.png Outside connection traffic capacity is increased by 20%. Applies to boats, planes, trains and private cars. ₡10,000/week
Combustion engine ban.png Combustion Engine Ban
Busy Town DLC icon green cities.png Reduced traffic noise in policy area. Combustion Engine vehicles cannot travel through policy area. (They may travel there if it is their destination or point of origin.)
Dolphin-Safe Fishing.png Dolphin-Safe Fishing
Big Town DLC icon sunset harbor.png Minimal dolphin fatalities when tuna fishing.
Increases citizen happiness by 20%.
Decreases fish yield by 25%.
Encourage Biking.png Encourage Biking
Tiny Town DLC icon after dark.png When this policy is active, most citizens will prefer bicycles over motor vehicles.
Electric cars.png Electric Cars
Busy Town DLC icon green cities.png Reduced traffic noise in policy area.
Everyone living in the policy area must switch to an electric car if they own any cars.
₡2/Vehicle/week
Fast recovery.png Fast Recovery
Busy Town DLC icon natural disasters.png Emergency Response Unit does not search for survivors; only makes lot ready for re-building. City recovers faster. Increased loss of citizens from disaster.
Filter industrial waste.png Filter Industrial Waste
Busy Town DLC icon green cities.png Industrial buildings filter their waste, reducing the ground pollution they create. ₡2/Industrial Building/week
Heavy Traffic Ban.png Heavy Traffic Ban
Busy Town - Cargo Trucks cannot travel through a designated district; highways are not affected. This can be placed on an entire city, but has no effect on traffic. Can block deliveries.
High Tech Housing.png High Tech Housing
Small City - Slightly increased land value. ₡4/week/residential building
Highrise Ban.png Highrise Ban
Small City - Prohibits construction of tall buildings. Restricts the buildings from reaching their highest level.
Industrial Space Planning.png Industrial Space Planning
Small City - Doubles goods from industrial buildings. ₡6/week/industrial building
Industry 40.png Industry 4.0
Big Town - All industrial workplaces are for well educated and highly educated citizens.
Increased production output by 50%.
No industrial workplaces for uneducated or educated citizens.
Reduces workplaces by 30% / zoned industry.
Lightning rods.png Lightning Rods
Big Town DLC icon natural disasters.png Tallest buildings install lightning rods to lower the likelihood of them catching fire during a thunderstorm. ₡1.60/week/building
NIMBY.png NIMBY
Busy Town DLC icon after dark.png No loud noise in the night! Leisure specialized areas will close for the night. Reduces noise pollution caused by leisure. Reduced income from leisure specialized buildings at night.
No re-building.pngNo Re-Building
Busy Town DLC icon natural disasters.png Forbid re-building on lots with destroyed buildings. Lots have to be manually bulldozed to allow re-building.
Old Town.png Old Town
Tiny Town DLC icon after dark.png Only residents and businesses can use the area for motor vehicles. Other motor vehicles banned.
Small Business Enthusiast.png Small Business Enthusiast
Small City - Low density commercial buildings double their sales. ₡2/week/low density commercial building
Studded Tires.png Studded Tires
Busy Town DLC icon snowfall.png Cars are required to have studded tires during the winter. This makes cars resistant to small amounts of snow, keeping the traffic smoother even if there's some snow on the roads. Increases road maintenance cost by 25%.
Sustainable Fishing.png Sustainable Fishing
Big Town DLC icon sunset harbor.png Increases citizen happiness by 15%.
Increases commercial income from goods by 5%.
Decreases fish yields by 10%.
Increases fishing harbor upkeep by 15%.
Vip.png VIP
Big Town DLC icon natural disasters.png All shelters in policy area are reserved only for citizens living in the policy area. Citizens not from the area cannot take refuge in these shelters.
Workers Union.png Workers' Union
Busy Town DLC icon industries.png Slightly increase adult citizen's happiness Reduce residential tax income by 2%

Other[edit | edit source]

Airports[edit | edit source]

Policies in the "Airports" category do not appear in the policies panel. They appear under the “Policies” tab on the airport’s info panel. The info panel can be accessed by clicking on the Airport Area.

Policy Unlocked Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Car Rentals.png Car Rentals
Boom Town Adds ₡2 income/passenger/week Tourists are much more likely to use cars which may increase traffic.
Great Maintenance.png Great Maintenance
Boom Town Adds a land value bonus to the whole airport. Cost ₡5/100 airport cells/week
Hotel Discounts.png Hotel Discounts
Boom Town Adds a bonus of 200 points to the airport's attractiveness rating. Cost ₡20/passenger/week

Campus[edit | edit source]

Campus has 2 policies in the policies panel, see the Services table above for Book Fair and For-profit Education.

Some policies in the "Campus" category do not appear in the policies panel. They appear under the “Policies” tab on the campus’ info panel. The info panel can be accessed by clicking on the Campus Area.

Policy Unlocked Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Student Healthcare.png Student Healthcare
Big Town Increased student health. Campus upkeep cost increased by ₡5/student
Free Lunch.png Free Lunch
Big Town Increased student happiness. Campus upkeep cost increased by ₡1/student
Visiting Scholars.png Visiting Scholars
Big City Affects all Faculties within the Campus Area.
Increases Faculty bonus by 25%
Affects all Faculties within the Campus Area.
Faculty upkeep cost increased by 25%
Universal Education.png Universal Education
Capital City Students don't pay any tuition fees.
Increases Campus attractiveness by 20%
Increases student happiness.
No income from Campus tuition fees.

Campus Varsity Sports[edit | edit source]

Unlocked at Big Town milestone.

Campus policies in the "Varsity Sports" category do not appear in the policies panel. They appear under the “Policies” tab on the campus’ info panel. The info panel can be accessed by clicking on the Campus Area.

Policy Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Draws 20% more visitors to arenas on campus. ₡200/week/arena located on campus
Fan Club Support.png Fan Club Support
Increases odds of winning home and away games by 7%. ₡180/week/arena located on campus
Sponsorship Deals.png Sponsorship Deals
Decreased upkeep cost of campus' varsity sports by 8%. Billboard change from varsity team's logo to sponsor's brand.

Concerts[edit | edit source]

Concerts policies do not appear in the policies panel. They appear in the panel that appears when clicking on the Festival Area constructed from the Unique Buildings "Concert" tab.

Policy Unlocked Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Ad campaign.png Ad Campaign (Concerts)
Tiny Town Advertise the Festival to attract more visitors. Increases all band popularity by +1 per month. ₡9,000/week
Premium studio.png Premium Studio
Tiny Town A Premium Studio will increase the chances of a successful concert. ₡3,000/week

Industry[edit | edit source]

Policies in the "Industry" category do not appear in the policies panel. They appear under the “Policies” tab on the Industry Area’s info panel. The info panel can be accessed by clicking on the Industry Area.

Policy Unlocked Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Advanced Automation.png Advanced Automation
Tiny Town Increase production output by 10% Increase buildings upkeep by 10%
Improved Logistics.png Improved Logistics
Tiny Town Increases the storage capacity of Extractors and Processing buildings by 20% Increase upkeep cost of industrial buildings by 10%
Improved Work Safety Supervision.png Improved Work Safety Supervision
Tiny Town Increase worker's health ₡1/affected worker

Parks[edit | edit source]

Policies in the "Parks" category do not appear in the policies panel. They appear under the “Policies” tab on the park’s info panel. The info panel can be accessed by clicking on the Park Area.

Policy Unlocked Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Animal ethics.png Animal Ethics
Tiny Town Boosts the entertainment effect of the Zoo buildings by 20%. ₡10/Zoo Building
Even more fun.png Even More Fun
Tiny Town Boosts the entertainment effect of the Amusement Park buildings by 20%. ₡10/Amusement Park building
Celebrate.png Celebrate
Tiny Town Fireworks daily after dark instead of every week.
Fine for fireworks.png Fine For Fireworks
Tiny Town The Park Area will not organize fireworks while this policy is active. No fireworks.
Main park.png Main Park
Tiny Town Mark the park as the main attraction in the city to make it more attractive to tourists. If you have several parks with this policy active, they are equally attractive to visitors.
Night tours.png Night Tours
Tiny Town Draws 30% more visitors during night-time. ₡50/week
Recycle garbage.png Recycle Garbage
Tiny Town Decrease garbage accumulation by 20% for the Nature Reserve buildings. ₡10/Nature Reserve Building
Tiny Town Draws 20% more visitors. ₡200/week

Pedestrian Areas[edit | edit source]

"Pedestrian Area" policies do not appear in the policies panel. They appear under the “Policies” tab on the pedestrian area’s info panel. The info panel can be accessed by clicking on the name of the Pedestrian Area.

Policy Unlocked Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Deliver Everything.png Deliver Everything
? All buildings within this Pedestrian Area get cargo deliveries and garbage service via service points, even if they are not placed on pedestrian roads. Increased load on Service Points.
Slow Driving.png Slow Driving
? All roads in the Pedestrian Area that are not pedestrian streets get a very low speed limit. Decreases noise pollution. Slow traffic movement. Does not apply to highways.
Street Music.png Street Music
? Increases happiness in commercial zones. Slightly increases noise pollution in commercial zones.
Sugar Ban.png Sugar Ban
? Increases the average lifespan of citizens in the Pedestrian Area by 20%. Increases crime rate by 20% due to smuggling illegal candy bars.

Stadium[edit | edit source]

Unlocked at Tiny Town milestone.

Policies in the "Stadium" category do not appear in the policies panel, but appears when clicking on one of the stadiums constructed from the Unique Buildings "Football" tab or the stadiums from the "Varsity Sports" tab in the "Education and Campus Areas" menu. Does not apply to the level 6 Unique Building "Stadium".

Policy Effect Upkeep/Drawback
Come one come all.png Come One, Come All
Public transport is free on match days.[1]
Increased amount of visitors raises the odds of winning matches.
No ticket revenue from public transport on match days.
Match security.png Match Security
Hires security personnel to keep crime low around the stadium. ₡500/week/stadium
Subsidized youth.png Subsidized Youth
Spending money on training young players increases the odds of your team winning. ₡9,000/week/stadium

Trivia[edit | edit source]

• Chirpers will complain about (almost) every new policy you make, no matter how beneficial they are.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Forum: MatchDay Football Stadium Policy "Come One Come All" Runs roughly 19 weeks, CO Emmi (Colossal Order), 2019-07-03