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 Of course we need to support trails and a few dollars more a year from 
each of us who enjoy endurance riding is well worth that.

But some of that money should be used to pool our resources with other horse 
organizations to hire a lobbyist who will help persuade politicians to keep 
trails accessible  and open yet more public lands to trails.

Does anyone know if some of the increased dues will go towards that?

Dabney (7826)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Maul" <mmaul@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "New_Aerc" <AERCMembersForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "ridecamp" 
<ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 7:31 PM
Subject: [RC] AERC and what we do with our funds


> I spent quite a bit of time on the phone last night with a member who
> had objected to the AERC budget and in particular to the $1 ride fee
> increase.  She had prefaced the discussion with "The perception is that
> AERC is a record keeping organization."
>
> That led into why are we supporting all these other activities that
> appear to be unbalancing our budget.  The view among some members is
> similar to hers.
>
> My response was without trails - we will not have
> rides to keep records for.  Without some believable studies and research
> about whether horses introduce invasive plant species into the
> wilderness - we will be banned from parks - and we will not have rides
> to keep records for.
>
> Our trails efforts - grants and volunteer effort - are increasingly
> needed to build cooperation with the Federal services who control our
> access to trails.  Research studies sponsored by groups like ours are
> needed to offset studies financed by those whose agenda is to return
> parks to isolation.
>
> We *could* bury our heads in the sand and *hope*
> someone else takes care of this for us.  Or we could
> take some action on our own - such as the trails grants and research we
> have started to fund.  I don't expect someone else will solve our problems 
> for us.
>
> The Board of Directors has struggled with the issues of spending more on
> items like this versus the increasing cost of everything in all our
> lives.  We have spent a lot of time on it over the past several months.
> Some may still view AERC as a records keeping and standard setting
> organization.  Others want to expand this mission.
>
> I feel strongly about protecting our rides by preserving trails for
> the future.  I also feel that we need to balance our budget.  Costs for
> all of us are higher every year.  We all pay more at Walmart and Costco.
> We pay more at the gas pump and the grocery store.
>
> AERC pays more just as you do.  We don't live on a different planet
> where inflation has stopped.  Your Directors know this and are doing the
> best that we can to achieve goals we believe important to the membership 
> and still keep a balanced budget.
>
> I personally don't believe raising membership dues - either individual
> or family - is the right solution to raise funds.  A number of our
> mature members who don't ride are on fixed incomes.  A number of our
> family members are non-riding as well.  Raising dues isn't the right thing 
> to do and even if done - I don't believe it would bring in more funds due 
> to a reduction in membership among these groups.
>
> My support of the $1 increase in the rider fee is based on supporting much 
> needed initiatives. Trail support and grants  along with research studies 
> are among those.  I do not believe that the ride manager should
> absorb this cost.  They put on the rides we go to.  They should not be 
> financially supporting our rides.  Putting them on for us is a great 
> contribution on their part.
>
> My bottom line is "What good is record keeping if there are no trails to
> ride?" I hope our membership believes in this as well.
>
> Mike
>
>
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