Spend What You Don’t Have in Reserve?

[Rana Goodman]

A resident sent the following letter to the SCA Board of Directors and consented to Anthem Today publishing it since it asks questions many of us have asked too:

Subject: Chose a Fine Time

As I read the current issue of ‘Spirit’ magazine, I see where Mr. Anderson is setting us residents up to the fact that there will probably be assessment increases due to inflation and reserve shortfalls.

This reminds me of the movie ‘Airplane’ when the control tower director, Steve McCroskey (Lloyd Bridges), upon hearing of a crisis says,

I chose a fine day to quit drinking.”

And later, when the crisis worsens, he says, 

“I chose a fine day to quit smoking.”  

Based on Mr. Anderson’s predictions, I imagine that you incumbent directors are probably saying, “We chose a fine time to spend tens of thousands of dollars and in debt this association for years to resurrect a restaurant.”

So now you’ll want to hit us up for more assessment money because of the thinking,  “We got to have a restaurant regardless of how much it will cost.”  Well, folks, you already increased the assessments for this year by almost $120; I can’t wait to see what more you’ll want from us.  Here’s a thought:  stop spending money and live within your budget.  That’s what all of us who are on fixed pensions have to do during inflationary times; we can’t go out and get money from others when we run short.

We have to cut back on other things so we don’t run out of money for the necessities.  And as for the reserve budget, we put off buying those things that we don’t have to have right now; and you don’t have to replace things just because the reserve study says it’s time to replace them.  Replace them only when it’s absolutely necessary and not before.  Yes, we live in an upscale association, but we also don’t have to strive to be number one—we can settle for number 10 or 11 if it means reducing spending until the inflationary times get over.

Here’s hoping that the “airplane” crisis gets over so someone doesn’t have to go back to smoking and drinking!

S.Hawkins

[Author]

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