CAP Membership Dues Changes FY 2011

[RADIOMAN015]

See:
https://www.capnhq.gov/news/FY2011MembershipDuesOct2010.pdf

Looks like 17 out of 52 wings increased their dues.  Wonder how many of those wings looked at what they could do to decrease their costs (mail & copy costs are a examples of expenditure areas that need to be reduced, as well as reviewing all regulations and the "costs" to the membership of compliance, which of course would require a National review, which never is going to happen ).   

Of course us members (many who are struggling financially) can't vote on whether we want a dues increase

That's the way it is, folks (remember we are a para military organization, and don't forget that   ) salute and press on :angel:
RM

[cap235629]

Why are you in CAP? All you do is find fault with EVERYTHING. If you spent half as much time worrying about the mission, you would be the National Commander by now......

[Thrashed]

Yea, this is America.  Do you think you have a right to an opinion on an online forum! 

Lighten up Francis. 

[arajca]

Keep in mind that some wings dues went up because the REGION's dues went up, not because the wing decided to increase their dues - COWG is one example.

[MSG Mac]

I would love for a Wing or Region Commanders comments on what generated the membership fee increase. Why it costs more to belong to a Wing with a thousand members than it does to belong to one that has less than 100 members. According to the Federal Government the cost of living hasn't increased in the last two years. In my unit we have five families with multiple members. When they all have to renew at the same time it causes a financial hardship. We should be thinking of new initiatives in membership processing.

1. Paid Life Memberships: Actually enacted by the Spring 1991 NEC.($1000) Never put into the regs. Informal reply I got from National "well , it may cause a problem if we have to remove a member for cause"

2. Family memberships: Family (3 or more) members joining at the same time come in at a flat rate. Only one new member package sent, with an option to buy or share materials with primary member. Or CD sent with all materials, rather than hard copies of manuals.

[MSG Mac]

Keep in mind that some wings dues went up because the REGION's dues went up, not because the wing decided to increase their dues - COWG is one example.

Oh! Does it come out of a different pocket??

[arajca]

When a region increases its dues, all the subordinate wings' dues automatically increase since National doesn't bill region dues separately.

See:
https://www.capnhq.gov/news/FY2011MembershipDuesOct2010.pdf

Looks like 17 out of 52 wings increased their dues.  Wonder how many of those wings looked at what they could do to decrease their costs (mail & copy costs are a examples of expenditure areas that need to be reduced, as well as reviewing all regulations and the "costs" to the membership of compliance, which of course would require a National review, which never is going to happen ).   

Need to place blame where it belongs. The RMR dues increase affected five wings. Criticizing the wing cc for something he likely had little say on and was NOT his decision to make is counter productive.

Not saying I agree with the increase, just where RM was placing the entire blame.

[Custer]

Paid Life Memberships: Actually enacted by the Spring 1991 NEC.($1000) Never put into the regs. Informal reply I got from National "well , it may cause a problem if we have to remove a member for cause"

I would have gone for this, and by now I would be ahead.

Makes me wonder - this is the second time I've heard of something passed by the NEC that didn't make it into the regulations.

Someone at national has the ability to effectively overturn NEC decisions by only putting into effect what they agree with?

[MSG Mac]

If only 1000 members elected to take the Paid Life membership option that would be $1,000,000 constantly earning interest. When the member dies or decides he's no longer interested, his portion is still generating interest into perpetuity. How does CAP not realize the potential here that every other national organization sees.

[fyrfitrmedic]

If only 1000 members elected to take the Paid Life membership option that would be $1,000,000 constantly earning interest. When the member dies or decides he's no longer interested, his portion is still generating interest into perpetuity. How does CAP not realize the potential here that every other national organization sees.

I'd have done this in a heartbeat if it was made available, so I guess we'd only need 999 more 

[FW]

Paid life memberships would be a true boon to our Financial picture.  The member would get a nice tax deduction, card and certificate.  CAP would get a great infusion of cash.  There are no losers. 
Paid life members could not be "terminated for cause" however, their status could be changed to "Patron Member" for cause.  This win - win situatin should not be ignored.  I was hoping the CAP Foundation would have made an agreement with CAP allowing this type of membership catagory but, ...  :angel:

[BillB]

If the NEC approved it, why doesn't NHQ recognize it? Or does it take a vote by the full National Board?

[MSG Mac]

If the NEC approved it, why doesn't NHQ recognize it? Or does it take a vote by the full National Board?

For whatever reason,  it's time to reexamine Paid Life memberships and implement it. If for no other reason then it actually results in an endowment that generates money and interest, keeps our membership numbers higher, and cannot lose money-unless we use the funds to sponser a race car.   

[Al Sayre]

Unlikely that paid life memberships will happen.  At the NB meetings they did away with the 3 yr memberships because the accounting software can't handle it...

[Майор Хаткевич]

Unlikely that paid life memberships will happen.  At the NB meetings they did away with the 3 yr memberships because the accounting software can't handle it...

...How...hard can it be?

[Stonewall]

Why are you in CAP? All you do is find fault with EVERYTHING. If you spent half as much time worrying about the mission, you would be the National Commander by now......

He's probably a public affairs officer to boot. 

[JC004]

...
-unless we use the funds to sponser a race car.

oooooooo.  He said it.   

[Eclipse]

Unlikely that paid life memberships will happen.  At the NB meetings they did away with the 3 yr memberships because the accounting software can't handle it...

...How...hard can it be?

This may well be a tax issue not a "software issue" - the AMA has a similar problem.  We could / can only accept 3-year renewals because the dues have to be accounted for going forward, not in the current year.  Their lifetime memberships are similar - 25 in and paid and the rest is free.  If you want to "buy in" to a life membership, its a one-time flat fee, which makes you a different "class" of life member and the money goes into the current year.  We call them "charters".

The comment about what to do with a "lifer" when they are terminated for cause is also an issue - a surmountable one, but an issue nonetheless.

[FW]

The 3 year renewals are a problem for our new software.  However, automatic renewals are not.  So, there will be a change in how things are done when the new system is in place (so I've been told).

Many organizations have paid life memberships.  It is easy to set up through the "Foundation".  Removal for cause is not a problem if the "donation" is given through this independent organization. 

[a2capt]

They dropped the 3 year renewals, because accounting software can't .. dare I say it, account for money?

Come on. I wonder what other hack they're going to go with next. The CMS chosen for the umpteen billion domains, with honked up 23823AS@3%CAPR39-1.PDF file names. Accounting software that can't keep track of assets vs. liabilities past the current FY? What next. Makes you wonder what else it can't do.

Don't people research this stuff before signing on the dotted line?


It's a lot easier to get a base sticker/pass with a long range expiration date, and for things like CAP driver licenses to be issued when wing doesn't want to put the time past your membership date.