[ppml] Revision to 2008-3

> OK, so the proposal is for a financial as opposed to a 
> technical differentiation between community networks and 
> conventional LIR/ISPs, correct?
> 
> In that case, would it not make more sense to provide for a 
> hardship or not-for-profit fee structure (to be reviewed 
> periodically) for such organizations, and leave the technical 
> definitions alone?

If this really is the case, that they want special financial
treatment, then I think they would do better to leave the
policy process alone, since we cannot influence fees through
policy. Instead, they should organize the various local associations
into a larger North American association. Not just national in
the USA but international including at a minimum Canada, but preferably
some other ARIN region countries as well.

Organizing an international association should not really cost 
them anything since they are already organized internationally
to share ideas, software and so on. 

This international association should then make a formal approach
to the ARIN Board of Trustees asking for financial support for
their member communities to receive LIR allocations without the
punitive fees. My company is happy to pay a trivial $18,000 per 
year to ARIN. For us this is not punitive. But I do agree that it
is punitive to charge $1250 to a non-profit community network.

I believe that ARIN's charter does provide the Board of Trustees
with the flexibility to support these community networks by reducing
or eliminating the fees. I do expect that the BoT will consult with 
ARIN members on this issue, but that again, is not a matter for the
PPML list.

--Michael Dillon