2013 Rally Attendance Tax

[Skater]

That's a bold suggestion, for certain. You have to give it that.

Terrible, but bold.

We attend 3-4 rallies a year, including hosting our own, and simply cannot make them all. Jobs, other hobbies, family, money, etc. I know everyone would agree.

WDCU needs to have some fun with this idea, like we did with the tuxedo thing a couple years back.

[noreen&sal]

I just had a brilliant idea. How about a cash for clunkers program so we can all get Brand new units. and TVs. It will stimulate the economy. Man, I gotta run for congress or the executive commitee or something. But first I will cut more firewood. Sal

[dwightdi]

So that the IBT proportionally represent the club's memberships and provide a more cost effective structure for the club: Any Region that falls below 600 members shall be dissolved and merged into surrounding Regions. To properly balance the political voting power on the Board, the International Treasurer and Secretary shall no longer be voting members of the board.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by noreen&sal

I just had a brilliant idea. How about a cash for clunkers program so we can all get Brand new units. and TVs. It will stimulate the economy. Man, I gotta run for congress or the executive commitee or something. But first I will cut more firewood. Sal

The Vintage Airstream Club won't like that! Or maybe they will, if they get the clunkers afterwards.

[damonbeals]

It's a motion by a few members, I don't think anyone on the IBT will vote for it.

Please remember it's just a motion, doesn't mean it has any support within the IBT or any chance of passing. And it doesn't mean this is how the IBT is thinking. Any member of the club can put forth a motion.

Yes they will have to spend time, reading and voting on it, but I don't see it having any chance of passing.

Damon
#4827

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by damonbeals

Yes they will have to spend time, reading and voting on it, but I don't see it having any chance of passing.

Of course not. But as AirForum members as well as WBCCI members, how can we pass up the opportunity to heap scorn and ridicule upon the concept once we've been told of it?

[damonbeals]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Of course not. But as AirForum members as well as WBCCI members, how can we pass up the opportunity to heap scorn and ridicule upon the concept once we've been told of it?

You have to admit, they are really really really thinking outside of the box!!



Damon
#4827

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by damonbeals

You have to admit, they are really really really thinking outside of the box!!

Sometimes, thinking outside the box is good. Sometimes, not so much. Attendance tax as a means of increasing club revenues falls more on the "not so much" side. Some of dwightdi's ideas, more on the good side. Too bad they haven't been submitted as motions and seconded.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by damonbeals

You have to admit, they are really really really thinking outside of the box!!



Damon
#4827

Yes but when they come up with a really bad idea like this if they don't hear any complaints they might not realize how bad it is.

Just think if this passes next year they pass something that requires each unit to have at least 20 functions a year and everyone has to at least pay for going to at least 25% of them.

[Gene]

Would this apply to nonmembers attending buddy rallies? It is a dollar per trailer or MH, or per person? They could have made it less obnoxious by requiring a piece of the rally fee so no one would notice.

When leaders can't solve problems, or refuse to think about them, they come up with silly suggestions that don't solve the real problems. I've been reading for years about leadership failure. I've also read about how the system is set up to promote the same type people over and over so nothing will change.

The WBCCI threads have been pretty quiet lately. I think most are bored with it. When things get quiet, it means very few people are left who want to change the organization and they just leave. Thanks to a few people's proposal making it a slight bit interesting for the moment.

The slow motion train wreck continues.

Gene

[Janet H]

Why not charge by the foot? Say... .05 per foot?

A 16 footer would pay .80
A 25 footer would pay 1.25
etc ???

Sheesh....

If funds are needed it's better to be forthright about raising them via dues, sponsorships, etc or identify ways to save.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

When leaders can't solve problems, or refuse to think about them, they come up with silly suggestions that don't solve the real problems.

I do have to wonder sometimes, is WBCCI a non-profit organization, or is it really a pyramid scheme like Amway? Any organization where all the perks are at the upper levels, and all of the burdens at the lower levels, is broken.

[DBdotdot]

Count another one lost. For the past year, I have heard nothing but sour representations of the upper levels of the WBCCI. I cannot believe Wally would be okay with creating a club which feels so alien to normalcy that it would scare away a new Airstreamer such as myself. I have zero interests in joining this club, not because of the welcoming members and possible camaraderie to be had at the rallies, but because each time I wrote that $80 + $1 check my sphincter would tighten a little bit.
Sorry WBCCI, but it won't be until I become a retired politician with a bag of self interests that I'll be joining the club.

[wam52]

Hopefully there is a message sent that there are better ways to combat deficit budgets than selective taxation. Assuming there is a real need to increase revenue, a general dues increase for all would be appropriate. However I'm not convinced we have looked at all the ways to improve the utilization of the dollars collected in the present fee structure. Just one members opinion!

[crazeevw]

To be honest, I personally feel that the current rate of $65.00 a year is too high for WBCCI membership. I would really get no benefits out of membership, due to my current Airstream situation. Yes, I will be attending next months rally at Sarasota for a day or so, but doubtful my Airstream will be road-worthy (think lack of $ as primary reason)
Then I read other's blogs about attending WBCCI events and how they are really centered on mostly retirees and beyond in age.
To me a Rally isn't about attending a bunch of meetings, submitting motions and taking attendance. A Rally should be about the fun of it all (think, pot-lucks, happy hour, campfires, stuff you do CAMPING!). One blog I just finished wrote about 90 minutes that it took to REGISTER! Nah, I'll just go enjoy my Airstream all by myself. WBCCI will probably be defunct by the time I retire if they keep up this b/s.....
Just my .02.... Derek

[glsBigSky]

Charging by the foot would require too much math.

Lets see, a 2012 25 FB is really 25' 11". The 27 FB or RB is 28' while the 28 is 27' 11". The 23 is 23' but the 20 is 20' 10". Makes my head spin. :banging:

A new campaign could be "a dollar an event will keep the members away".

Gary

[wkerfoot]

The rallies which we have attended by Southern California units, El Camino Real, Central California Coast and South Coast, are just what you think a good rally is. Even the Region and Special Event rallies we have attended are the same, you don't have to attend any meeting or discussion you don't want to attend. I don't know about other units.

Bill

Originally Posted by crazeevw

To be honest, I personally feel that the current rate of $65.00 a year is too high for WBCCI membership. I would really get no benefits out of membership, due to my current Airstream situation. Yes, I will be attending next months rally at Sarasota for a day or so, but doubtful my Airstream will be road-worthy (think lack of $ as primary reason)
Then I read other's blogs about attending WBCCI events and how they are really centered on mostly retirees and beyond in age.
To me a Rally isn't about attending a bunch of meetings, submitting motions and taking attendance. A Rally should be about the fun of it all (think, pot-lucks, happy hour, campfires, stuff you do CAMPING!). One blog I just finished wrote about 90 minutes that it took to REGISTER! Nah, I'll just go enjoy my Airstream all by myself. WBCCI will probably be defunct by the time I retire if they keep up this b/s.....
Just my .02.... Derek

[noreen&sal]

Originally Posted by crazeevw

To be honest, I personally feel that the current rate of $65.00 a year is too high for WBCCI membership. I would really get no benefits out of membership, due to my current Airstream situation. Yes, I will be attending next months rally at Sarasota for a day or so, but doubtful my Airstream will be road-worthy (think lack of $ as primary reason)
Then I read other's blogs about attending WBCCI events and how they are really centered on mostly retirees and beyond in age.
To me a Rally isn't about attending a bunch of meetings, submitting motions and taking attendance. A Rally should be about the fun of it all (think, pot-lucks, happy hour, campfires, stuff you do CAMPING!). One blog I just finished wrote about 90 minutes that it took to REGISTER! Nah, I'll just go enjoy my Airstream all by myself. WBCCI will probably be defunct by the time I retire if they keep up this b/s.....
Just my .02.... Derek

You forgot about the silly uniforms and lighting candles, etc. A perfect example of how it should be is The Can Opener going on right now with no officers and no dues and no taxes levied. And no meetings. Gee, how is it possible. Sal

[yeziad]

I planned on joining the club but after finding out the membership dues, I wrote in to tell them it was too expensive. It's the principal of the matter. If everyone were to email the club and say they weren't going to join because the fees were too high, perhaps things would change. Members, quit complaining because you have allowed this!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by daizey

I planned on joining the club but after finding out the membership dues, I wrote in to tell them it was too expensive. It's the principal of the matter. If everyone were to email the club and say they weren't going to join because the fees were too high, perhaps things would change. Members, quit complaining because you have allowed this!

I resemble that remark!

Actually, since I only joined a year ago, the dues were already $65 a year, and I paid it without complaint. Being new to Airstreaming at the time, I felt that access to live people, with names and faces, would be just as handy, in it's own way, as is Forums access to electronic people with handles and avatars, if I have a problem beyond my limited ability to solve.

That's not to say I'd pay higher dues without complaint! Compared to other RV clubs such as Good Sam, what I actually get for my WBCCI dues is trivial. With Good Sam, the amount I saved on my RV insurance for one year was enough to pay for a lifetime membership. Any other perks I get (like Camping World discounts, etc.) are just gravy.

The only actual "perks" I get in exchange for my WBCCI dues are:
1 - Blue Beret Magazine, possibly the lowest-quality RV magazine produced today in terms of physical quality as well as editorial content;
2 - Invitations to events the cost of which aren't covered in my dues. AND for which I may have to sign up for a year in advance;
3 - The opportunity to vote on ridiculous motions such as the Rally Attendance Tax, and get bogged down in parlaimentary procedures that focus on minutae and lose sight of the bigger picture.

So far, I've not attended a single WBCCI rally or caravan, because I have yet to find one that fits my work schedule (not counting dropping in on the Mardi Gras rally for one night after work, since it's here in town and easy to get to). And with my impending retirement getting postponed for at least a year and a half due to financial considerations, I might not be able to attend a WBCCI rally or caravan until at least 2015. Assuming the club hasn't self-destructed by then.

But, in spite of all that, I may remain with the club after all. The Unit I belong to is a great bunch of people, and fun to get together with. When I compare WBCCI membership to membership in a professional organization such as the Construction Specifications Institute (which I also belong to), the dues aren't bad, and the events aren't all that expensive to attend compared to some of the conferences I've gone to.

If only the WBCCI bylaws weren't so Byzantine that it takes an act of Congress to accomplish any meaningful change…