This is a thread of member statements on the proposed resolution to Dedicate Chapter Funds to Support Convention Delegates.
IN FAVOR by Tim S.
I am writing in favor of the resolution to commit up to $10,000 to fund our convention delegation, and very much hope that you will join me in voting for it. This is, first and foremost, a democracy issue: it is very important that the people we collectively choose to represent us are able to go and do that, but convention is a significant expense and we know that many working class organizers don’t necessarily have $1000 readily available. This money is also an investment in our national organization and in local leadership development. Regardless of who wins, most of our delegates will be first-time convention attendees, and many will be new members. This means that in addition to being an investment in local democracy, it will introduce many people to national, helping our chapter to be well-represented at that level at convention and going forward, and strengthen delegates’ ties to the organization. I recognize that this is a large expense, but by my projections we will end the year with approximately $40,000 dollars in the chapter General Fund even if we spend all of it, which is by no means a foregone conclusion. I am also committed to significant fundraising, to raise our income, in my remaining time on steering this term, pursuant to the commitment I made in my initial plan of work as chapter treasurer. Given this significant cushion and the expectation of additional income, I am very confident that we can afford to undertake this important investment in our local democracy, our national decisionmaking structures, and in leadership development; I very much hope you will join me in voting yes.
IN FAVOR by Aparna R.
Hi everyone, I’m writing to encourage you to vote yes on the resolution to dedicate chapter funds to financially support our chapter’s elected delegation.
National DSA has estimated high costs for convention this year, with individual costs running around potentially $800-1,000. Early bird registration for convention alone will cost $230 per person. With 38 delegates, this resolution would be just barely enough to cover just the early bird registration for each of the delegates, with the cost of lodging and travel still outstanding. This resolution will not be the only source of funding to support delegates – the chapter will also be fundraising heavily to try to financially support the delegates and will pull from those funds first. Funds set aside through this resolution will be more of a nice-to-have supplement to what we as a chapter are able to fundraise and to delegate’s personal finances. Funds will be prioritized on the basis of need. The cost of attending convention can be prohibitive, and we want to make sure that all of our chapter’s elected delegates, regardless of financial means, are able to attend and represent the chapter’s will at the national level. Please vote yes to make sure that no matter who our chapter elects, they will be able to attend the national convention and represent the rest of the membership.
IN FAVOR by Stu K.
I’m voting YES on the resolution titled, ‘Dedicate Chapter Funds to Support Convention Delegates.’ This resolution would fund some of the Metro DC DSA delegates’ costs to the national DSA convention in August. As an attendee to all DSA national conventions since 2017, I’ve witnessed first-hand why the national convention is so important to keep DSA together. The national convention gives all of us, as dues-paying DSA members, a biennial forum to debate significant questions facing the organization, meet fellow DSA members, and elect a new National Political Committee cohort. The democratic processes involved in each convention decision ensure that we come out of convention with a united vision for the next two years. Everyone probably won’t be happy with all of the decisions that delegates make—but the process and a commitment to ensuring that elected delegates can participate in that process—keep us together. Therefore, I wholeheartedly believe in our DSA chapter taking whatever steps necessary to alleviate the financial burden of Metro DC DSA delegates attending the convention. According to chapter treasurer Tim S’s financial report at the monthly general body meeting this past week, there is nearly $60,000 available in our chapter’s general fund. We should use up to $10,000 of that funding to support the duly elected members of Metro DC DSA in their roles as national convention delegates. Please vote YES on Dedicate Chapter Funds to Support Convention Delegates.