DBSC Review of federal budget

We have now reviewed the Coalition government’s budget plans and the ALP’s alternative budget focus, and have come to the conclusion that although both plans are marginally better than Clive Palmer could produce, the spending plans are wrong, and the funding plans are even worse.

We provide an alternative, exclusively for DBSC members.

Spending Plans

Apart from the usual expenditure, we have ordered a new committee boat: Arvor 215AS.  It is currently in the French factory, and will be delivered to DBSC in early August.

This will provide our volunteers, COTD/CoCOTD/PRO, a proper platform to run races.  The powered windlass will allow for easy starting line adjustments (and no back-breaking heaving).  Taking accurate results should also be possible as we can comfortably have more than 2 people on board on the bigger races.

It doesn’t come cheap, but it is an asset we should be able to get 20 years from, and improve the sailing experience for our members.

Funding Plans

We are going to be able to squeeze this purchase by: prompt payment of membership fees (this everyone can do); careful club and personal budgeting; and, donations from those blessed enough with a taxation problem.

As previously foreshadowed, we would like all membership fees paid by 1 July 2014.  Our financial year starts on 1 May 2014, and we just can’t afford to get the bulk of the money in October.  To help this occur, we will be invoicing in the next two weeks.  To start budgeting assume if you are racing a Laser, the fees will be the same as last year.  Most other fees will go up modestly: fees will be finalized prior to the AGM next week.

Careful club and personal budgeting will contribute to funding sources.  Examples include:

•    Dear Leader has offered to fly economy class from Sydney to Melbourne (but not the return leg because that is just too much to bear) and donate the cost savings to the club.

•    Paul will be buying Woolies’ home brand cheese for the toasties instead of Kraft.

•    Troublemaker will be getting his investment banking associates to do a global review on insurance over the next four weeks (three weekends for the research, and one weekend for the pitch book), to attempt to lower the club’s insurance costs.

•    The A18 sailors have undertaken to get to the club an hour earlier so they can eat an extra toastie.

Finally, for those blessed AND cursed, earning lots of money AND paying lots of tax that will not be spent wisely by our pollies, they can make a tax-effective donation to the club (see attached form – they will also be available at the AGM on 7pm, 23 December).  Forms received by 10 June 2014 will be processed so you can get your tax-deduction this tax year.

Conclusion

We don’t do “compulsory voluntary" donations.  If you feel really lucky being able to sail from our great little club, and  you can comfortably afford to make a donation, that is terrific.  If you can’t, then we just ask everyone to plan to pay their regular fees by 1 July and we can comfortably afford the new committee boat for the start of the 2014/15 season.