Spending other peoples money.

BUDGET PROBLEMS

By Stew Richland

 

I guess UCO is not the only family that is having money problems.  Dagwood seems to be suffering from the same malady as UCO. 

Howeasy it is to spend

other peoples money!

   Some people get their ideas from light bulbs, others from Cracker Jack boxes, or a Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring, but Lanny Howe seems to be getting his from Fortune Cookies.  Yes, Yes, Lanny,  it is true that the UCO President is limited to $1, 000 dollars of discretionary spending without getting approval from the Delegates.  

How delicious it seems to you that the greatest gift you can give to our leader is to up the ante on how much of other people’s money he should be allowed to spend.  Lanny, peanuts can be easily replaced when consumed, however, hard earned cash is another matter.  You call the Delegate Assembly a “ humongous committee of 300,”  well when they support some of the initiatives that our President proposes, its okay with you. 

You may consider the process laughable, but to those who believe in transparency and fiscal responsibility it is not a joke.

Editor: (I do not consider this other than a serious and blatant attempt to escounch the King as the King)

 

Are you suggesting that UCO makes more than one payment to a vender for the same project.  This seems at the very least, a questionable practice.  Now you mention getting approval from the Officers and then the Executive Board.  Good Idea, except that there is a problem here.  The Officers and the Executive, except for a very few, vote in lock-step to what our President wants with out much discussion or providing rationale for their vote.  Some one once remarked that, “Three groups spend other people’s  money:

Children,  thieves and politicians.  All three need supervision.”  Now it seems, based on your Fortune Cookie insight, I think a fourth category must now be included. UCO!

Lanny Howe

disbursement director au extraordinaire