Public Session On D.C. Bar Budget

This notice appears on the web page of the District of Columbia Bar:

The D.C. Bar Budget Committee has unanimously approved a proposed budget  for the Bar’s fiscal year that begins July 1. A public hearing to answer member  questions on the proposed budget will be held at 1:30 p.m. on April 9 at the  Bar’s headquarters.

The committee, chaired by President-Elect Andrea Ferster, is  recommending a balanced budget for dues–funded programs, and sufficient surplus  to fund reserves at recommended levels. The Bar’s strategic plan guided  the development of both the operating and capital budget proposals. The  committee’s proposal would increase annual dues from $255 to $265 for active  members and from $127 to $130 for judicial members, while dues for inactive  members would remain the same at $130. (Full budget details appear in the April  2013 Washington Lawyer.)

After receiving  and considering public comments, the Budget Committee will recommend a final  proposed budget to the Bar’s Board of Governors for approval in mid–April.

The hearing will be held at the Bar’s headquarters, located at 1101 K  Street NW, room 205.

If you click on the link, you will see that the so-called “full budget details” are, in fact, a one-page summary that tells the reader next to nothing about how dues are really spent.

I strongly encourage members to attend this session and demand some real information and accountability for the use of mandatory dues. (Mike Frisch)