Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Should individual "sponsorship" be allowed of community

[Berrins (Berrins]

<< > I still don't see how allowing people to contribute what they want to 
specific projects is fair. Those with more money have more say. Period. Doesn't 
this bother anyone else? >>

Not true.  The community still decides.  The community can decide to accept 
or reject a gift.  An individual can decide to block for whatever reason he or 
she decides is appropriate.  The only power a person with more money has is 
the power to lay a guilt trip on the community for not accepting their generous 
offer.  Any person with that attitude is hardly a generous person.

Rejecting a gift can happen for several reasons.  For example, any capital 
improvement increases the value of the community, which increases taxes, which 
increases fees.  Other gifts may have other hidden costs.  For example, a pool 
presents a liability, which increases insurance costs, again causing increased 
fees.  Other reasons could include aesthetics, safety, whatever (that's not a 
reason, I just can't think of another one right now).  It doesn't need to be 
a have vs. have-not issue.  How the community resolves those issues is, IMHO, 
more important than where the money is coming from.

That said, anyone with money to donate please feel free to fund the next 
priority capital project on the Pathways wish list.   Thanks...

Roger
Pathways Cohousing
Northampton, MA



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