Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: Annual Budget Party Idea

[pattymara (pattymara]

Diane and list,
Thanks so much for digging this one out.  At Tierra Nueva (cen. CA coast)
we have been letting the finance team create the first three years of
operating budgets.  I personally think it is time for the rest of us to
get involved in the process, since we have a big capital expense looming
on the horizon.  We are digging our own well for orchard irrigation. 
This year will be the first year that we may be borrowing against the
reserves (required by law in California) to fund the well digging.  

I am imagining that we can work this into the budget party idea by making
a separate set of dollars, printed on red paper, to designate borrowed
money, which means that the homeowners fees will be increasing for the
time required to pay back the loan.  

If we use ordinary play money for the "projects and acquisitions" like
Rob described and red dollars for the borrowed money, then we can use the
process to essentially survey the community.  How many are willing to use
the regular budget money (covered by present homeowners fees) for the new
or ongoing projects as well as borrowing money (red dollars) (raising
homeowners fees) for the special project of the well.  Or perhaps there
are those who will "vote" with the red dollars by not spending them at
all, therefore keeping homeowners fees at their present levels.  

A question for those who have used the budget party idea:  Do you think I
am on the right track here?  Or is the concept of red dollars/borrowing
money too complicated to use in the budget party?

Thanks,
Patty Mara
Tierra Nueva Cohousing, cen CA coast


















mmmm  



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