[members-discuss] A Whim about next year's fees

Hi Lu,

>This idea has few problems, if I may point it out:

>1. The start of being a member of Ripe NCC has nothing to do with start of a business, Google or Huawei can become Ripe member tomorrow but they are world top 500 companies.

However the majority of the members are not the size of Google or Huawei and for them this would allow them grow to become the next Facebook or Google.
And even if some company is having a benefit of being a large established company and being 'sponsored' at the start of their application period. I don't have a problem with that.
Equal rules apply to everyone. Even if Huawei or Google with plenty of cash apply. That is where it is different from a commercial company where you could have some kind of differentiation based on who you sell to.

>2. some members are only have few people(I know some LIR are less than 5 people company), and some members are national telecom, in whatever standard it is not fair for them to pay the same amount fees.
My company has 1 FTE, it is started in 2010 and this year it was already rated as a LIR size medium. Is that fair ? HELL YES !!
Would I like to cut the cost of 2500 euro back to 1500 euro ? Sure, who wouldn't, but if that means that the current activities are going to be cut in half, I would rather pay 3000 a year to avoid that.

>3. The idea which voting power concerns, it come as same as taxes in the real world, bill gates might paid billions times tax than an average person, but he still only count as one vote while in term of US elections.
>     So as in the Ripe, large members contribute more financially does not imply they should have higher voting power in the organization.
I'm sorry, but as a membership .. it is 1 LIR/member, 1 vote.. a larger LIR member doesn't give you more voting power or more votes. It is the majority that rules.
The comment that I made on taxes, was about the RIPE NCC not being charged by the Dutch IRS (Belastingdienst) if they avoid a charging schema which charges per IP address. (or something similar..)

Regards,
Erik