Citizen Sponsorships

Apseldia does collect taxes, but their taxes are fairly low, especially on the wealthiest citizens.
Wealthy citizens are actually expected to pay extra taxes voluntarily.  As laughable as that sounds, wealthy people who are especially tightfisted can find themselves lambasted musically by the Apseldian Bardic College and no one wants that. 
When the Apseldian Council votes for something expensive, they might auction off sponsorship for it in lieu of raising taxes.  If a wealthy Apseldian sponsors say a public theater festival he can be guaranteed that ever play will begin and end with his public praises.  If a wealthy person sponsors the construction of a warship, he gets to name that warship and be the guest of honor at the ship christening ceremony.
Rich people get to boast about their ship, their public square, their festival.  While the sponsored project is underway, of course the sponsor is constantly sticking his nose in things micromanaging the process.  No sponsor wants the fruits of their donations to turn out to be subpar.
Effectively these public financing schemes allow for rich Apseldians to engage in acts of philanthropy in a dramatic fashion.  Almost every government building, monument or property as some rich sponsor's name stamped on it.