[ga] DNSO funding and the NCDNHC

["Milton Mueller" <Mueller@syr.edu>]

I want to clarify certain aspects of this issue.

As a general principle, I believe that the Non-commercial constituency should contribute what it can to the support of the DNSO secretariat. It can and will contribute significantly more than it has.

We've been addressing this issue in the NCC since January, e.g. by preparing to impose specific membership fees and other fundraising activities. 

We have two objections to the way this is being done.

1. We are not a pre-existing organization. We were thrown together late in 1999 by the creation of the DNSO. The NCDNHC is simply larger, and more heterogeneous in composition, than any other constituency, with the ccTLDs possibly excepted, and has the fewest resources. We need more time to get the organizational and funding issues resolved. This obvious fact is not being taken into account by certain members of the NC.

2. We don't make money off domain names. Unlike every other constituency, including the ccTLDs. Indeed, there is no significant connection between the legitimacy of a constituency and its ability to raise money. We all know that the so-called gTLD "constituency" is not a real or legitimate constituency at all. It's just one company. It's ability to pay its share of the $15k has nothing to do with the quality or legitimacy of its input into DNSO policy processes - it simply reflects the fact that NSI was given a very lucrative government monopoly some years ago.

This fact, too, has not been taken account of by certain members of the NC. They have consistently rejected requests by NCDNHC for a smaller contribution.

The conclusion I come to is that certain members, particularly Cochetti, wants very badly to eliminate certain members of the NC. 

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