Hey Ryan, I might have a problem coming up with $450/year for dues.  I'm, as you know, a CAUT, and due to all the university cuts in this and that, my salary has not gone up for 2 years, and wasn't huge to begin with.  My fault I guess for getting into the university setting.  When I began, I was in love with this job, as I could finally just do all the things I have learned over the years without selling anything.  My clientele was, on average, not interested in anything but basic service. Now, I rebuild, restring, etc with only my budget to argue with.  And...it's a very nice budget...just got bumped up, too!  a lot!, but my salary only just got raised 2%. Amazing, though, considering the state of the U. I guess they like me and know they're getting a great bargain for my services. The 2% doesn't even begin to catch up with what I started with.  It was my gamble, and I lost. However, my salary has not gone up by very much since I started here 5 years ago. With all the everything else that has gone up, it's pretty much swallowed up in life, so a $450 dues charge would be quite a tough hit on my family...especially right after the holiday season. I have no way to raise my rates to compensate.  It is a great thing we have in PTG, but I would hate for a lot of folks to drop out just because they can't afford it. That would create a bad scene. Best, Paul <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td>From: <td>Ryan Sowers <tunerryan@gmail.com> <tr valign=top> <td>To: <td>pianotech@ptg.org <tr valign=top> <td>Date: <td>07/01/2011 01:44 PM <tr valign=top> <td>Subject: <td>Re: [pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)(OT)</table> <hr noshade> Like our piano service businesses, when you raise your rates, you mostly lose the lowest level of your clientele and keep the bottom feeders out of range. I think most technicians underestimate what they can charge. I don't think we should underestimate members willingness to pay for a top notch organization. If you are a full time technician $450 a year is a drop in the bucket in your yearly expenses. Ryan Sowers On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM, Coleman, Jim <<a href=mailto:jcolem21@utk.edu>jcolem21@utk.edu</a>> wrote: Alan & All, About 3 years ago my report to Council stated that for PTG to be a dues based operation the dues would have to be around $350.  Since then the cost of doing everything has gone up.  In today’s dollars they would probably need to be $400-$450. Personally I think that is where we should be (and it  would still be a bargin) but as Dale Probst has stated, we do not know what the fall-out would be in terms of losing members.   See you in KC!   Jim Coleman, Jr   RPT   Staff Piano Technician      University of Tennessee      Knoxville, TN  <a href="tel:%28865%29%20748-0998" target=_blank>(865) 748-0998</a> <a href="tel:%28602%29%20989-0005" target=_blank>(602) 989-0005</a>   -- Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter Olympia, WA <a href=http://www.pianova.net/>www.pianova.net</a>