Council representatives talk about dues increase

Rotary International -- 28 April 2010

T he Council on Legislation approved a US$1 a year increase in the per capita dues Rotary clubs pay to Rotary International on 27 April. (Read more.) The proposal was among more than 200 that representatives from Rotary's 531 districts are deciding on this week. We asked representatives what they think of the dues increase.

James M. Alden
District 6360 (Michigan, USA)

"My district is against the increase. All the rest of the world is having to cut back. Rotary has to live within its income."

Christine M. Montan
District 5300 (parts of California and Nevada, USA)

"I was in favor of it. I was also in favor of giving the Board authority to increase dues up to 2 percent [beyond 2013-14]. I was of the opinion that the Council best serves Rotary by focusing on policy and leaving the operating decisions to the Board of Directors."

Lakkaraju Satyanarain
District 3020 (India)

"I come from a country, India, where more than two-thirds of the clubs are from rural areas. Personally, I don't think the dues increase is an issue. But many of the rural Rotarians will protest."

Moses A.T. Gbande
District 9125 (Nigeria)

"I think it's absolutely necessary. I'm a businessman. I know in business, you have to plan. If the revenues don't come in, Rotary is not going to meet its budget."

Carl L. Chinnery
District 6040 (Missouri, USA)

"I think for $1 a year, the increase is very minimal. We should now go about our other business."

16 Comments:

At 9:20AM on 19 July 2010, Robert Scott Steinberg wrote: More then ever, the world needs Rotary. To suggest that Rotary cut back is just plain wrong thinking. It is because the rest of the world has cut back that Rotarians must step up. That's why we all became Rotarians. I am disturbed that a discussion about a US$ 1.00 increase has any Rotarian detractors. Rotary is a business, with the same increasing overhead all other businesses are experiencing. We cannot turn out the lights!

At 10:55AM on 14 May 2010, Bill Bryden R/C Loudoun D 1230 wrote: Better a small increase now than a large increase in the years to come

At 12:03PM on 3 May 2010, Okey Okere wrote: I concour with Dist 6360 (Michigan), Rotary should live on her income. Increase in dues might affect membership growth. So much efforts, time & money have been put on membership and anything that 'll militate against it should be discouraged.

At 3:16PM on 30 April 2010, Scott L. Brown wrote: Move on to more important issues , Like Water & Polio .......

At 12:29PM on 29 April 2010, Ranabir Moitra wrote: Instead of enhansing the dues why not allow spouses to be Rotarians at reduced charges? This way there will be more members, spouses will attend meetings in their own right and a full house will look much better. The thin attendance in many clubs doesn't look healthy anyway.

At 12:29PM on 29 April 2010, Ranabir Moitra wrote: For the countries in the Indian sub-continent it is strictly a no-no!

At 10:27AM on 29 April 2010, Trey wrote: Every well-run organization increases what it delivers to its customers every year and increases its revenue annually. No organization that fails to accomplish both these will survive in the long run! Standing still is falling back.

At 10:31AM on 29 April 2010, Rtn. Dinesh Raj Sharma wrote: Yes, increasing $1 a year is not big amount. the question is why we have to increase one not two or more. Where the increase amount will go for. will it be spent on special cause. increment, amount is not factor, for the cause and its utilization is my concer. What we like to do a difference as a RI, or local clubs. dinesh sharma, RC Ktm Nepal.

At 5:42PM on 28 April 2010, Steve Radich wrote: > less than 2 cents a week...excuse me are there not more important issues to talk about? I agree for those that 2 cents per week doesn't matter to (which I would think is the majority) - But given the number of people in clubs struggling with bills in general it's not so much the $1/year increase, it's that there WAS an increase - I think the feedback would be the same if the increase was $10/year as $1/year - Those that can easily afford it wouldn't care about the $10/year (assuming spent wisely). Those struggling would be frustrated over an increase. To say 2% annually I think is disasterous, I'd MUCH rather see $2/year now and no increases for next [x] years, with the extra $1/year put towards future years.

At 5:41PM on 28 April 2010, Ayoub,Egypt wrote: This is the minimum increase in per capita that enables RI to act positively. Many PR and service projects are struggling to survive. Let's try to absorb it.

At 5:41PM on 28 April 2010, Sofia Sotomayor Magana wrote: I'm very aware that economy around the world is very weak, but if a Rotarian can not give up, the value of one soda can per year, to contribute to our wonderful organization, than he should think very seriously about his permanence in RI.

At 4:12PM on 28 April 2010, Sadashiv V. Koushik wrote: Presumably, this $1 increase would add $1.2M to the Rotary coffers. I would hope this increase has been planned in a very specific way, to ensure that no programmes suffer cuts due to lack of funding. If that was the goal, and it is achieved, then it is justified.

At 4:11PM on 28 April 2010, Barrie Davis wrote: If the big corporation CEOs are too busy for Rotary, but the small company owners who want to give service must count their pennies, we must do all we can to hold down the cost of being a Rotarian. It takes a comparatively affluent man to be a RI Director. Don't let being in Evanston blind you to the plight of our smaller Rotary clubs and their members.

At 3:48PM on 28 April 2010, Jerry Crites wrote: I think RI should be a reflection of the clubs that support it. Because of the economy, our budgets and income are less than in good times, therefore we are unable to fully support some of the projects we have been contributing to in the past. By increasing our dues now and a possibility of a 2% increase annually, we must cut back even more on our community commitments. Therefore I think RI should face the same hard decisions we make and cut spending just like the clubs that support them.

At 3:16PM on 28 April 2010, Jesse McKinnon wrote: My Rotarian heart would have done it voluntarily if asked but I am glad to join with fellow Rotarians around the world as, together, we continue to make a difference. A small price to pay for the great work we do.

At 2:57PM on 28 April 2010, Dean Dickinson wrote: less than 2 cents a week...excuse me are there not more important issues to talk about?

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