I have to agree that's a major concern that they -don't- rule out raising Tier for mainlanders.
I own over half a mainland region now, with bits and pieces scattered in other regions across Corsica. I devoted a lot of time to getting this land taken out of abandonment. If tier goes up, much of it, perhaps all of it, is going to be abandoned again. I'd feel bad about it -- but I can only pay what I can pay.
I can see the point about the educational fiscal year versus the calendar year, and that'll suck. Then there's what my Dad would have called a "Yeahbut." Yeah, it'll cost more, but it wasn't a lower price, it was a -discount-, an exception to a rule that applies to everyone else. It wasn't kind to remove it right now, but it was fair.
I'd agree, though, that making the change right now is a bonehead play by LL. Many of the people in education who would love to be able to continue here, simply won't be able to. Owning a whole Sim doesn't appear scaleable. You own it all, or you don't own any of it. So there's no option I see for cutting back, especially by half. There's no option I see for asking for the additional money. The only option is to leave. Dumb, dumb, dumb.