<VV> too bits on society dues increase.

Wed Jan 28 09:40:36 EST 2009

So, to you $15 is hogwash to you and I should just ante up? I can respect that.
You value what you get from CORSA, so do I.

But there still lies an underlining problem. A dues increase may solve some
shortcomings in the near future, but in the bigger scheme of things, the
financial difficulties still linger.

I take your reply as rather oversimplified, RonH. My lengthy rant, even with
all of its "shortcomings", was an attempt to convey that we are all
putting a finger in the dike when it comes to society obligations.

$15 to me is an oil change for my Corvair, or a set of plugs. Those types of
expenses keeps my Corvair on the road and VISIBLE to the public. Let us not
forget that the best marketing for the Corvair is keeping them in the public
eye. Its not CORSA that encourages membership, it is keeping the Corvair on the
road that is the ultimate goal.

I CAN realistically afford my Corvairs, and your comment that $15 breaks my
bank is largely unnecessary and irrelevant.

"...To most of us, its worth it", fine, a dues increase is OK, and I
can respect that.

To dismiss a $15 increase, or whatever it ends up being, if that means you piss off 10,
50, or 100 members, to a point where they do not renew their membership, or it appears expensive
to new or prospective members, also means a loss in revenue. If the result is fewer members down the road,
it means less of a member base. And two years from, CORSA will be dealing with even more shortfalls,
because hard costs will continue to increase no matter what they are. And yet another dues increase will
result from it.

So how much is too much? Seems like if $15 is nothing to "most", heck, just go for broke then and raise it to $30.
Raise the number it until it really hurts.

--- On Wed, 1/28/09, Ron <ronh at owt.com> wrote:

> From: Ron <ronh at owt.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> too bits on society dues increase.
> To: "cfm" <cfmann at yahoo.com>, "Virtual Vairs"
<virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 4:23 AM
> Anyone who can't afford a $15 increase in dues
> realistically can't afford a Corvair, that's the
> bottom line as a Corvair isn't a necessity in any way,
> it's an expensive (to own) toy and, to most of us,
> it's worth it.
> RonH
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "cfm"
> <cfmann at yahoo.com>
> To: "Virtual Vairs"
> <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 7:37 PM
> Subject: <VV> too bits on society dues increase.
> 
> 
> > So according to Tim Mahler's post:
> > "...2004 saw a 500 profit
> > 2005 the loss was just under $3,000
> > 2006 the loss was over $16,000
> > 2007 operating loss was around $10,000.
> > 2008 deficit will be over $20,000..."
> > 
> > Looks like a pretty serious trend to me. But let me
> back up a second.
> > I'm 35 years old, run my own company, have three
> kids and love my Corvair's dearly. If I ran my company
> like the above quoted, I would not be in business for
> myself, that is for sure. I have all the respect in the
> world for the achievements that all the society members have
> contributed over the years. I think the balance of power
> between local and national is pretty damn good too. I think
> that CORSA management is run very well.
> > But let me be frank; raising dues NOW? to cover
> deficits that started back in 2005???!!! If anything is
> defunct is the BoD. I look at those numbers and I see a
> society that is its death march.
> > Specifically, YOUNG members are the future of the
> club. And these new people are ones that cannot afford OTHER
> CLUBS or other OLD CARS in the first place. So some of you
> are saying, "well, lets be like other clubs."
> > I have to pay more?? NO WAY. Screw that. I'm
> barely getting by now, gas food, insurance, mortgage,
> school, etc etc. All I need then is a Clark's catalog
> and I'll go it alone. And when my Corvair blows up
> I'll just goto craigslist or ebay. Who in the hell needs
> CORSA anyway.
> > Reason? Well we sit around and praise the Communique
> like its a temple or something. Its award winning! Big deal
> how old is that? Then you turn around and see the bill to
> make it happen. And then you, "ah, well, yeah I guess
> I'll have to pay more to have that."
> > Others say, "All I get from national is the
> Communique and I don't think its worth $50 a year."
> As a point of contrast, I see most chapters, working on a
> shoe string budget and printing their newsletter on 8 1/2 x
> 11 in black and white and tossing it into the mailbox. And
> more often than not the "filler" in the newsletter
> are clips of past tech topics from the Communique.
> > Require local members to be apart of CORSA? Forcing
> people, oh that's great.
> > And then this argument about the less Communiques
> printed cost more, or the more circulation the less the bulk
> rate on postage. No matter how you slice it, it still sucks.
> > Why in hell can't the Communique be quarterly, and
> be just be longer with several articles every quarter. Why
> do I have to look at the same events calender be reprinted
> every month in the Communique. The ads in the back are fewer
> and fewer every month. Back in 1988, the ads used to cover
> almost three to four pages! Seriously, I know the Communique
> is a pride thing, but far crying out loud, there is
> absolutely no reason whatsoever that the rag could not be
> quarterly and just be more of it when it arrives every four
> months. Think of it as four Communiques in one.
> > Merchandise. This portion alone should be the backbone
> of revenue, NOT membership dues. For crying out loud, pay
> somebody to update the logo, get something trendy and cool.
> It needs to be updated BAD. If I bought any apparel from
> CORSA I'd be embarrassed to where it. This stuff belongs
> on a golf course in Sun City. UPDATE THE LOOK MEN. If you
> really care about the car, and I mean car enough past your
> death, then PLEASE, loosen up a little bit and allow the
> younger members a chance to revitalize the club. This stoic
> conservative crap is going to strangle the society and the
> noose is only going to get tighter on your necks.
> > BoD members, you guys better hold the line, grow some
> balls, and cut the budget, invest in new graphics and logos,
> get some apparel that we can wear and sell, and double, no,
> triple the price of the NEW TECH GUIDE, and CUT the
> communique to a quarterly or semi monthly gig, and make
> focus on the paperless internet age to communicate and
> encourage the hobby. The CORSA website is so awesome and new
> features are endless in reaching out to existing and new
> members.
> > Raise dues on me, NOW? I'm out.
> > And it will mean even less for the rest of you later.
> > Wake up people. I want CORSA to succeed and APPEAL to
> a new generation, but acting like this will just cause its
> untimely death.
> > -Respectfully,
> > Chris "aka cfm" Mann
> > 69 monza coupe 140/4
> > 69 monza convertible 110/pg
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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