Masters T&F Committee supports $10 annual dues increase
Suzy Hess, vice chair of the USATF Masters T&F Committee, reports: “Don’t know about the $10.00 dues increase yet as the decision was to be made Sunday afternoon at the USATF Executive Board Meeting after the closing session. Youth voted it down big time. Masters T&F voted for it, masters LDR against.” A few hours later, USATF Prez Bill Roe wrote me: “No membership fees have been approved as yet by the Board. The topic will not be finalized until June for the 2007 membership year.” So we still have time to chew this over, and get our licks in — pro and con.
One Response
since the youth and masters ldr voted against a dues increase, I will be surprised if there is such an increase. In the unlikely event an increase occurs, very little of it will come to the masters T & F so what is the point? I am willing to contribute directly to a masters T & F fund, but I am unwilling to be forced to pay an increase in dues allegedly for masters and then see most of it go for other purposes. It is pretty clear from what I read about the programming intentions of USATF that their emphasis is on youth and elite members. Masters are over the hill, beyond the pale, have too much grey hair, and above all, are not going to win gold medals at the Olympics. Seriously, I understand what they are trying to do. Why then do we hope to have USATF raise dues when we know darn well that the increase in revenue will not fund masters T & F?
On the other hand, USATF should make nice to us old(er) folks so that we remember them in our wills. Seriously, if the Masters T & F pooh pahs want to raise more revenue, try asking for donations from those members who can afford to make one. That way the money goes stictly to masters activities. Trying to get more funds via dues appears to be a rather indirect and largely unsuccessful way to do it.
As a club president I have enough trouble getting members to join USATF at $20/year. At $30 it will be an even harder sell.
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