[lir-wg] Re: 50% increase in RIPE fees ? Since when ?

>
	Axel,

> When you look at the RIPE NCC budget for the last
> few years, you will see that after increases of 31%, 27%
> and 21% for the last three years, we have budgeted for
> an "inflation correction" of 4% for 2003.
>

I am on an airplane and can't look up the budgets of previous years so 
please help me out here.

Could you compare these increases to the growth of LIRs in the past?

What I am not following is that if we had a increase in LIRs, I can see 
that we needed a increase in the budget. I agree that to get to 
acceptable service levels we need a increase in the budget (we may need 
even more), but I would like a measurement of how the budget growth 
fits with the new number of LIRs and new LIRs.

I am currently the CEO of a organization that is similar to RIPE NCC in 
ways (we are owned by a foundation though - but still for the best of 
the Internet), and I find my self arguing with customers everyday of 
what we spend money on.

(the following not meant in response to Axel but more in general)

With all due respect, I think that the discussion so far as been pretty 
odd. Asking valid questions on what the money is used for, and if RIPE 
NCC could be run more efficiently is not abusive or vasting bandwidth. 
It's the duty and responsibility of us all. Some will come out in 
favor, some against. That is the way it happens. If we start 
questioning the right to question the RIPE NCC budget - I am really 
afraid. Then we have much larger problems than the budget.

Questioning the process is something else. That is very straight 
forward (with the exception that I agree with Philip that we should do 
it with the RIPE meetings).

Best regards,

- kurtis -