[registrars] Questions re: Budget Committee

[Rick Wesson]

Hi bob,


On Tue, 16 Dec 2003, Ross Wm. Rader wrote:

> Every year we elect budget reps and every year we see our budget
> contributions increase.
>
> I'd like to hear from the respective candidates what they intend to do
> to make sure that 2004 is different from years past. I'm especially
> interested in hearing from those of you that have served in this
> capacity before.

this was my major gripe last year. The big thing is that we were NOT
allowed to participate in the budgets development. We were only allowed to
approve a budget that was not even well enough documented that it could be
discussed line for line.

Often a budget is a negoaition process and involves implementing a mission
statement. Last budget was developed by stuart who did a great job of
divide and concor. the various funding constituencies (ASOs) were never
allowed to have a joint budget conference. We only met in one brief session
with the board to accept the budget. It was at this quiet little moment
when I couldn't take the complacency of the group and spoke my mind. and I
felt a lot better for it.

Some of the issues I enumerated were as follows:

   o the budget must be developed from operating requirements not just an
     increase from last year.
   o squeezing registrars by increasing regularity pressure and increasing
     fees will eliminate the smaller registrars, thus decreasing
     competitiveness and diversity.
   o price is in-elastic in the domain market, margins erode to zero.

   o travel is not accounted for
   o the level of detail does not support the amounts requested all
     requests for supporting documentation were denied.
   o not allowed to participate in budget development process.

   o method used to calculate a registrars contributation is designed only
     to obfuscate the charge as a TAX


Well thats just what I can remember, I sure would enjoy the chance to
pound some of those nails again.


thanks,

-rick