My official response to the failed status quo

This was my response:

What you are offering is a plan to save the USCF from going under and not a plan to make the USCF a strong and viable organization. It is better than nothing but I personally do not think that this will save the USCF. It seems that every time the USCF has a financial crisis, we tinker with the dues. There are missing items / weaknesses in your plan:

A: This membership plan is way TOO COMPLICATED and TOO CONFUSING! Simpler is always better and more efficient.

B. A lot more cuts are needed in other areas and we should minimize cuts in members' benefits (if any). The members should not have to pay for gross mismanagement. This must be one of the top priorities.

C. How does the USCF plan to handle the very strong possibility of accumulating massive legal fees in the next fiscal year? You are discussing saving a dollar here and there but the looming legal fees and serious legal liabilities can quickly bankrupt this federation.

D. There is absolutely no plan to improve the Marketing / PR aspect of the USCF to raise revenues via sponsorship, advertisement, and donation, etc. This is another top priority.

E. There is no plan for a quality control system to ensure that everything is being handled properly. I know first hand as a board member that a number of critical mistakes were made in the last 8-9 months which cost the USCF a lot of money and opportunities and not a thing has been done to rectify the problems. This must be another top priority to ensure that this federation does not continue to throw away any resources we have left.

F. How will the USCF handle the 2008 Olympiad teams, 2009 US and US Women's Championships, and other USCF events?

Last but not least, I believe that the USCF should not count on the LMA funds whatsoever. We should be able to run this organization for less than $3+ million annually.

Susan Polgar