[Lnc-business] Budget motion - Growth related increases

[Joshua Katz]

I have a general sense that these are the right changes, and a certainty
that we need to make changes.  However, I have a few concerns to raise here.

First, this board spends an incredible amount of time and effort on the
annual budget.  Amending it deserves the same care.  Honestly, I don't
think we're doing our jobs as stewards of this party's money if we don't
spare an hour or two to discuss this in real time.  One of the places where
RONR waxes eloquent is in discussing the importance of the motion to amend,
which is easy at an actual meeting (or videoconference) and almost
impossible by email.  Is this not clearly also a case where there could
easily be a desire to divide the question?  This is more than $200,000 of
money that is not ours.  Are we really saying that, having taken
responsibility for this money, we can't spare two hours to discuss it, and
would prefer to rubber stamp a proposal without real discussion?

If we, for some reason, don't want to make use of the power to conduct
meetings in real-time which our delegates voted to give us, might I suggest
we at least schedule an informal teleconference where no business is
conducted, so that we can at least discuss it?  We do this for the budget,
why not for changing it?

I also want to point something out that perhaps we are not considering.
Last term, the LNC adopted goals.  This term, this has not yet happened.
As far as I can tell, this means those goals remain in effect.  There is no
binding rule requiring budgets to reflect those goals, but logically,
shouldn't they?  Doesn't it make sense that if you have a goal, you
allocate money with that goal in mind?  Nothing in those goals, as we
reminded ourselves repeatedly last term, speaks to membership or member
communications.  None of the proposed changes, meanwhile, are directed
towards more on-message candidates, or increased training.  Now, I
personally disagreed with a lot of the goals adopted, but I still think
this point is worth considering - perhaps even discussing.

Joshua A. Katz
Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)

On Thu, Sep 15, 2016 at 12:35 AM, Nicholas Sarwark <chair at lp.org> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> On behalf of the Treasurer (to avoid the need for cosponsors), I would
> propose the following budget motion:
>
> Amend the budget as follows -
> 32-Fundraising Costs increase by $60,000 to $201,364
> 33-Membership Fundraising Costs increase by $35,000 to $127,200
> 40-Adminstrative Costs increase by $50,000 to $310,050
> 45-Compensation increase by $60,000 to $448,800
> 85-Member Communication increase by $17,500 to $62,500
>
> Yours in liberty,
> Nick
>
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