Per Capita for Grand Lodge of Texas

[owls84]

You are right. These are great questions to have and so far no one has really answered any of the ones we have. I also don't know if this year's per capita funds next and so forth. It is not as fluid as a simple form 71 is it? As far as the Wardens Retreat those are BIG money makers and I wonder if that is why they decided to hold 3 this year.

 

[tomasball]

Of course, this also is missing three months to go, so expenses are going to be noticeably higher. Also, I wonder if there's some income still coming in for that youth weekend, otherwise we lost a lot of money on that we weren't planning on.

 

[Ashton Lawson]

I asked that question of several people. To a man they acted like they didn't understand the question.

 

[Bill Lins]

Don't we get a copy of the recomendations with the resolutions in Oct. usually Bill?

Usually around the end of Oct. or early Nov., IIRC.

 

[Bill Lins]

because the Law book states the Grand Secretary should give 5 books, not 3, to each lodge.

I can't seem to find that requirement- could you please provide the cite?

 

[owls84]

Art. 172 ...The Grand Secretary shall forward to the Secretary of each
Constituent Lodge five (5) copies of such proposed Resolutions to be
distributed by the Worshipful Master of the Lodge. (Revised 1998)

 

[Bill Lins]

Good work, owls!

 

[bpire2002]

We as Masons need to step up and do our part! GL also needs to raise more money with fundrasiers and reaching out to the community. Lets get the community behind GL. The dues around the board need to go up, blue lodge and GL. I am for 25 to GL. Lets take pride in our frat and be more selective in our member.

 

[gilv]

I voted yes

I agree that we, as true brothers, should help out those that for what ever worthy cause can't pay their dues. But I believe this should be handled at the Lodge level Is that not that what Masonary teaches us?

 

[jonesvilletexas]

Big Brother, Big Brother, if I had a dollar for every time I have heard that, WOW.:001_tongue:
Look to YOUR Past Masters for him they are Grand Lodge Big Brother.
We as past master vote on the laws and what is spent at The Grand Lodge of Texas.

 

[rhitland]

Why did Past Master let it get like this? I think Big Brother is a term that states how we feel we are being treated not a title we are placing on a body of people. If I am being big Brothered I am being forced to his will and not allowed to do things as I see fit. With Texas being such a big state it easy for one lodge to think they know the answer and try to force it on the rest of the state hence the big brothering.

 

[jonesvilletexas]

Yes I can see your point, It happened 2 years ago with oboma.

 

[Dave in Waco]

I wouldn't say that GL is Big Brothering us. I think the Finance Committee wasn't doing their job in keeping their eye on the Operating Budget and suggesting some gradual increases to offset Cost of Living and the declining market.

 

[HKTidwell]

I voted yes but I don't understand statements like "we need the increase to balance the budget" and "the truth is we are $xxxx over budget" How is it possible that a fraternity that espouses moral and fiscal responsibility among it members has a leadership that does not follow those principles?

I agree that we, as true brothers, should help out those that for what ever worthy cause can't pay their dues. But I believe this should be handled at the Lodge level and not through some grandious state wide fund. We don't need "big brother" we have "good brothers" to take care of each other. Is that not that what Masonary teaches us?

If I misspeak in this response I hope another well informed brother will correct me. It has been years since Dues have gone up for GLoTX, I believe 1997(not sure) was when it was last increased. It was a battle then to increase dues, and unfortunately they did not vote at that time to increase dues and create a yearly increase of X%. In 1997 diesel was 89 cents or so a gallon, I'm paying $2.80 a gallon now. That is a 314% increase. This year again the vote is to strictly raise dues to X amount and there is no provision about a yearly % increase. So in another 10-15 years we will again be having this conversation.

We have millons in the bank and this is to keep us from dipping to far into that reserve. I agree that it is unfortunately that we are currently in the red and not the black, but GLoTX is working to change that also. We have endowments that were making money and have now due to the market not turned a profit the past two years. There are alot of little factors that have led up to this point. I wouldn't be to hard on GLoTX on being in the red, even though I think there are areas that they could improve and reduce cost/change mentality.

Dropping membership numbers for the past 50 years has not helped either. However I look around at lodges and I see a lot of young faces. I'm not so certain that we will ever see the membership totals at 50K. I know some will disagree but this is a personal opinion.

In Texas any time somebody mentions raising dues lodges go nuts. I jumped off into this once before and it is just how it goes.

 

[rhitland]

Yes I can see your point, It happened 2 years ago with oboma. [/QUOTE

Do you mean Obama started the atmosphere we have in Texas Masonry where some Masons feel big brothered? I would not agree with that if so, it is our own fault and I am not sure how President Obama effected our ability to properly lead the Fraternity?

 

[jonesvilletexas]

NO, (try to force it on the rest) he and the rest of the left.

 

[rhitland]

oh, I see said the Blind man

 

[Blake Bowden]

NO, (try to force it on the rest) he and the rest of the left.

 

[macjames53]

I also voted yes to the increase. I keep hearing the older brothers say that the GL needs to tighten their belts. What makes you think they haven't cut as many corners as they can before they asked for the increase? Think about it. The endowments haven't made anything in 3 years, no investments have made anything and membership is down by 1/3 compared to 1997 when the last increase was voted.

I've heard the argument that if we raise the per capita we will spell the end of small lodges that are struggling now. I think we short change ourselves. I am retired and an endowed member of my lodge and would be willing to pay an additional annual amount to keep the GL going.

I feel that the response to any new request by some members is automatically a knee jerk reaction of a resounding "NO".

Brothers we have to be realistic. If we don't authorize an increase and an automatic increase of some small percentage each year we could lose the GL. Yes, it can happen. What else can they do if and when they run out of money?

Since I'm stirring the pot. Why not give some thought to the cost of upkeep of the GL building. It needs a new roof, rewiring, plumbing, and air-conditioning. The Waco Symphony backed out of an agreement 2 years ago to share the cost of upkeep so they could use the building because the up front costs were going to be too high. Can we continue to use a building for 6 to 9 days a year for gatherings and the rest of the year use this huge building for offices, library and museum?
Sooner or later this issue will have to be addressed.

 

[tomasball]

After sitting through the Special Grand Lodge called to deal with our last financial crisis, the Home and School, I can evision what is going to happen.

First will come an inadequate and unconvincing explanation of why the endowment can't pay lodges any money, and why we can't make reliable predictions about it for the future. Warren Buffet will be mentioned..."Even Warren Buffet lost billions in this economy." There will be no suggestions about how a lodge is supposed to formulate an annual budget under these circumstances.

There will follow a long and condescending explanation by the Grand Officers of why increasing the per capita is necessary, followed by three hours of brethren asking for minute explanations of expenses shown on the financial statement. Then several brethren will get up to suggest that if the Grand Trustees went with lucrative investments they happen to know of, this wouldn't be necessary. Then a couple of brethren will get up to suggest we have a bake sale or a talent show, to make up the shortfall.

When the people managing the debate have allowed a maximum level of exasperation and frustration to develop, a vote will be held, and it will fail by a substantial margin. The Grand Lodge Officers will sigh and roll their eyes and say, "okay, we tried, but the brethren don't want us to have financial security. It won't be our fault when everything falls apart."