Are Grand Officers paid ?

[Dontrell Stroman]

I've often wondered if GL officers are being paid. Since I have been a master mason, dues continue to go and so does Grand Lodge tax. What about in your jurisdiction, do you brothers know if they are being paid ?

 

[JJones]

They aren't paid. It's strictly volunteer and it's my understanding that GL officers are responsible for paying for their own travel expenses, meals, and so forth. Now, in clandy GLs...this is all very possible.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

If these brothers aren't getting paid, then why does taxes and due continue to go up ? I've heard so many times we don't know what the future holds for freemasonry so we are going to have to raise taxes. They raise taxes so high that members struggle to pay it and new candidates can't afford it. It's no wonder brothers are becoming inactive and new inspiring men aren't petitioning.

 

[coachn]

Yes. In some Recognized Jurisdictions (not just Clandestine), some GL officers are paid. Some have expense accounts too.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Yes. In some Recognized Jurisdictions (not just Clandestine), some GL officers are paid. Some have expense accounts too.

How do you feel about that ?

 

[coachn]

How do you feel about that ?

If...
1) they are performing a service to the craft,
2) for the benefit of the organization,
3) and for a service that would receive the same amount that an individual who was not a member providing the very same service would receive...
why not?

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

If...
1) they are performing a service to the craft,
2) for the benefit of the organization,
3) and for a service that would receive the same amount that an individual who was not a member providing the very same service would receive...
why not?

Agreed. What about raising the taxes so high though ?

 

[coachn]

Agreed. What about raising the taxes so high though ?

What about it? Are not expenses going up and membership going down? What more would you expect?

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Yes but in my opinion if you lowered expenses maybe the membership would go and in return bring in more revenue.

 

[coachn]

Yes but in my opinion if you lowered expenses maybe the membership would go and in return bring in more revenue.

The membership would go where? Lower what expenses? Bring in more revenue from where?

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

What about it? Are not expenses going up and membership going down? What more would you expect?

Okay you said are not expenses going up ? Then you said, are not membership going down ? Okay if they lowered the taxes in some Grand lodges that they continue to raise them in, would not more good men be able to afford to join ? I'm not going to say money is being misused, but I dont understand why it has to continue to go up. I've met good guys that would like to join and they claim it is too high. Brother coachn I would venture out to say I'm sure we have a higher GL tax and lodge dues than you probably do. I don't know.

 

[coachn]

Okay you said are not expenses going up ? Then you said, are not membership going down ?

Yes, I did indeed write something to that effect.

Okay if they lowered the taxes in some Grand lodges that they continue to raise them in, would not more good men be able to afford to join ?

Those taxes go to pay something that has been deemed necessary. How do you propose to lower the expenses that these taxes go to pay?

I'm not going to say money is being misused, ...

Well, you don't have to say this directly, but you can imply it by saying that you're not going to claim it. ;-)

...but I dont understand why it has to continue to go up.

It's called inflation. If you want to understand, study the forces that create the escalation of prices and expenses. If you simply want to complain about it, without studying what causes it, please continue as you were.

I've met good guys that would like to join and they claim it is too high.

Yup. Me too. I also know some lodge dues are under $50 annually. That tells me these good men may have other challenges that they need to overcome first.

Brother coachn I would venture out to say I'm sure we have a higher GL tax and lodge dues than you probably do. I don't know.

Yep. The dues were $45 annually when I joined in 2001. They're up to over $100 now. Taxes are now over 2x what they were then. Membership is less than half it was when I joined too. The numbers don't lie.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Yes, I did indeed write something to that effect.



Those taxes go to pay something that has been deemed necessary. How do you propose to lower the expenses that these taxes go to pay?



Well, you don't have to say this directly, but you can imply it by saying that you're not going to claim it. ;-)



It's called inflation. If you want to understand, study the forces that create the escalation of prices and expenses. If you simply want to complain about it, without studying what causes it, please continue as you were.



Yup. Me too. I also know some lodge dues are under $50 annually. That tells me these good men may have other challenges that they need to overcome first.



Yep. The dues were $45 annually when I joined in 2001. They're up to over $100 now. Taxes are now over 2x what they were then. Membership is less than half it was when I joined too. The numbers don't lie.

I understand inflation. Took a little bit of economics. I guess what I'm saying is, if brothers are rising taxes for their own personal gain, then that is wrong.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

I would like to see which jurisdictions pay their GL officers and which don't. I'm not against paying them, but I don't agree with raising taxes so their pocket can get larger while the subordinate lodges struggle.

 

[coachn]

I understand inflation. Took a little bit of economics. I guess what I'm saying is, if brothers are rising taxes for their own personal gain, then that is wrong.

Agreed, but FAIR compensation is in our obligations, is it not?

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

It is, key word "Fair" that is left up for interpretation. Can you enlighten me on something. Who decides the wages they are paid ?

 

[coachn]

It is, key word "Fair" that is left up for interpretation. Can you enlighten me on something. Who decides the wages they are paid ?

Would not that be the Grand Assembly when they vote on approving the budget?

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

That's why I asked you to enlighten me bro. Coachn because I didn't know. To be honest, I'm just now starting to focus on what's going on in Grand.

 

[coachn]

That's why I asked you to enlighten me bro. Coachn because I didn't know. To be honest, I'm just now starting to focus on what's going on in Grand.

Budgets are usually created and put before the General Assembly during Grand Lodge for approval and are voted upon by those empowered to do so by the Digest of Law followed by that Jurisdiction.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Okay. I hope to attend GL one day to get a better understanding on how they operate.