Taxes, Spending, and Your Fraternity (Poll)

How much do you care about the financial decisions of your (inter)national organization?

The United States of America continues to be embroiled in a debate about the fiscal condition of our government. Taxes are too high, taxes are too low.  Spending is too much, spending is not enough. The debate even spawned a new entity - The Tea Party- which emerged in opposition to government spending and keeping the issue front and center. Elections are often turned on economic issues, and this next presidential election will likely fit this bill. Any way you slice it, Americans are as concerned as ever about the fiscal state of their government. 

What about the fiscal state of your government - i.e., your national or international organization? Do you care much about that? You pay dues - a.k.a. taxes - but does it really matter to you how those dues are spent? 

Are you concerned with fiscal excess or waste? Or even largess? Does it matter to you how large your headquarters building is? How about how many trips your staff takes, and in what class they fly? Do you know how much your executive director is paid, and do you really care? 

What about spending priorities? Should your dues dollars help plan and subsidize events for only a select number of members? Do you like the materials that are produced and the services you receive from your (inter)national office? Do you like how much time and money is being directed towards fraternity lobbying efforts in Washington DC right now?  Generally, do you feel like your (inter)national organization spends money on the right things to ensure a strong future for your fraternity or sorority? 

All of these questions could also be applied to your governing council on campus as well, since you likely pay dues there also. 

Certainly there are degrees to which you can care about anything. Perhaps you don’t care, but if your dues were to go up, you would start to take notice. Others of you may wish to know how each one your dues dollars is spent. 

Issues of purpose, relevance, and mission help determine an organization’s future. However, financial stability matters almost as much. You likely care about and pay attention to the former, but what about the latter? Does it matter?

Comments are welcome below.