RE: [lir-wg] Re: 50% increase in RIPE fees ? Since when ?
At 26 11 2002 09:21 +0100, you wrote:
Perhaps it is possible for you to inform us about steps which are under way on your side to cut down the expenses?
Siegfried, The outstanding "theme" for the RIPE NCC over the past years was to get the service levels right. We have invested a lot of effort and resources into this. We see that these efforts have resulted in shorter, more stable response times. This has given us room to breathe, and tim to plan for real structural changes in the way we interact with our members. This will streamline communication, and actually take a lot of tasks off our hands. The secure web site for members will become the pivotal tool for this. Seeing that demand for our services is still on the rise, despite a much slower growth in membership than expected, and in line with members' comments we take a conservative approach with regard to staffing levels. However, we expect increased efficiency together with the effect LIRs working through the secure web page, to have a positive budgetary impact. 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. This will give us sufficient resources to accomplish our tasks and develop our services as requested. Further, to ensure enduring stability, the 2003 fees will contribute to the reserves, which will have been diminished during the course of 2002. Over the course of 2002 we have kept a close watch on all expense, and certainly continue to do so. regards, Axel
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 -
participants (2)
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Axel Pawlik -
Kurt Erik Lindqvist