This is a critical look at ‘Build the Budget’. I don’t want anybody to read it in case they’re deterred from making a contribution. Hopefully the article’s title has switched most people off. It looks like a straightforwardly positive scheme, but I’ve got concerns.
Why do we vote in General Elections? We vote to choose a Government to run the United Kingdom. They have greater access to information than we do, and they persuade us of their competence by engaging in debate, producing manifestos , and being challenged by the press. We rely on the Government to make good decisions, and this includes spending our taxes wisely. Two ideas that run entirely counter to that idea are; referendums (the vote on Brexit being a disastrous example) and hypothecated taxation. Hypothecated taxes are taxes that are allocated to a specific purpose, as opposed to general taxes that the Government pool for use on all the things requiring expenditure. So referendums, and hypothecated taxes are ways the Government can avoid making difficult decisions, and get the people to take the blame for specifically backing them. (Uninformed Brexit voters, and potentially Labour voters who like the idea of ‘ring fencing’ taxes for health spending are examples). Ahhhhh, I can relax now, no bugger’s gonna be reading after that paragraph.
Wrexham FC’s leaders have made the popular decision to start the ‘Build the Budget Scheme’. Its negative effects are; to reduce funds coming to the Club for anything else, and to prevent our leaders from deciding to redirect these funds to anything other than first team spending. The worst restriction in my view is on our ability to purchase the stadium in the cheapest way possible. For those who don’t know: the club is buying the Stadium in a fantastic agreement with the University, and the faster we buy it ,the cheaper it will cost. Another serious loser for funds could be youth development. How many fans are patient, and will contribute to long term success rather than one season’s budget? Are we informed enough to make that decision?
Perhaps oddly, I’ve decided ‘Build the Budget’ is a good thing. I have great confidence in our leaders, and I think they have concluded the Club’s finances are in very good shape. Income streams like ticket sales, catering, concerts and membership subscriptions give them sufficient funds to work their magic in well-informed ways, including a significantly improved budget for Keates next season. The best facet of the new fundraising method is that it strongly involves the fans. It’s very difficult to make a link between long term spending and success on the pitch. ‘Build the Budget’ lets us feel involved in the decision making.
As nobody is reading this I can have a quick dig at the small band of Supporters Trust bashers out there. It’s the lack of first team budget you moan about the most, well there you go, build it!
DragonHeart 