Compensation paid to leaders of the LGBT rights movement

I found this on Southern Voice who has the same owner as the Washington Blade and this is appalling. Perhaps we as a community should only vote to volunteer organizations. Should you be paid to fight for your own rights? And, if you are paid, should you be paid hundreds of thousands of dollars?

VOTE IN THE POLLS TO THE RIGHT

Craig Shniderman, executive director of Food & Friends, which provides meals and nutritional services for homebound people with HIV/AIDS in the Washington, D.C. area, had the highest salary among the heads of the nation’s most prominent LGBT advocacy groups and groups that provide AIDS-related services in Los Angeles, New York and D.C.

A survey of the compensation paid to heads of 30 LGBT and AIDS organizations, conducted by the Washington Blade, shows that Shniderman had a total salary and benefits package of $382,200 in 2008, the latest period for which the organizations’ salary and annual revenue data could be obtained for a completed fiscal year.

Shniderman’s earnings placed him ahead of Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. Solmonese, who ranked second in the salary survey, received a total compensation package of $338,400 in 2008.

Shniderman’s salary also topped that of Lorri Jean, executive director of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, which had revenue of $48.5 million in 2008 and had nearly 300 employees compared to Food & Friends’ annual revenue of $7.9 million and 50 employees.

The L.A. Center’s $48.5 million was the highest among all the LGBT and AIDS groups in the survey. HRC had the second highest annual revenue among the 30 groups: $41.4 million. Equality California, the statewide group that coordinated the unsuccessful effort to oppose an anti-gay marriage amendment, came in third, with a 2008 figure of $24.5 million.

Geoff Kors, Equality California’s executive director, had a 2008 compensation of $171,000.

The 30 national LGBT and AIDS groups are among the thousands of nonprofit organizations in the United States that must file annual reports with the IRS disclosing financial information, including the salaries of their chief operating officers.

In conducting the survey, the Blade asked the 30 organizations to disclose the salaries for their CEOs or executive directors for 2008 — the most recently completed fiscal year — as well as for the current fiscal year of 2009. The IRS 990 financial disclosure forms for nonprofit organizations do not become publicly available for two years, with the 2007 IRS forms being the latest year that the disclosure forms can be obtained by the press or public.

According to information compiled by two watchdog organizations that monitor salaries and other finance-related data of nonprofit organizations — Guidestar and Charity Navigator — some of the salaries of the leaders of the 30 LGBT and AIDS groups surveyed by the Blade, on average, were comparable to salaries of non-LGBT civil rights and “social action” groups with a similar revenue figure.

However, a number of the groups surveyed by the Blade offered higher salaries for their CEO or executive director than similar non-LGBT groups tracked by Guidestar and Charity Navigator.

In the report, organizations with an annual budget greater than $5 million pay CEOs on average $196,531, with CEOs who make $320,212 landing near the top in the 90th percentile for compensation.

HRC’s Solmonese took a voluntary pay cut of 10 percent, lowering his total compensation from $338,400 to $302,200, according to HRC.

The Louisville Fairness Campaign is likely paying Chris Hartman the new director of the organization between $50,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year.

Kentucky Fairness Alliance had a paid staff until they failed to raise money during their social hours. Now they have no one and from what I understand they are close to bankrupt [the part about them being bankrupt may not be true it is only a rumor].

Kentucky Equality Federation and Lexington Fairness have no paid staff.

The complete report is below and I have highlighted with a pink arrow gay rights organizations that Kentuckians may currently be donating to. You need to know what your money is really being spent on.

Tell me you do not think this salaries are OUTRAGEOUS:

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO MAKE THEM LARGER!!!

VOTE IN THE POLLS TO THE RIGHT

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO MAKE THEM LARGER!!!

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO MAKE THEM LARGER!!!


VOTE IN THE POLLS TO THE RIGHT

Recap [Senate Bill 68, Family Foundation of Kentucky, Kentucky Equality Federation, and the Louisville Fairness Campaign

I have not felt well enough to post recently but a recap is below.

Senator Gary Tapp, R-Shelbyville admits that Senate Bill 68, a controversial bill to ban unmarried couples from becoming foster or adoptive parents (secretly an attack on the gay community) is dead. [view]

Family Foundation of Kentucky attacks Kentucky Equality Federation [view] and claims to have received no notice from the Senate Committee about the rushed meeting to pass [view] Senate Bill 68.

A Kentucky conservative blog outlines other disappointments they all faced in the 2009 General Assembly. [view]

Protests outside the California Supreme Court:

Kentucky Senate Bill 68 the Gay Adoption Ban (call it what it really is) advances

The Senate Judiciary Committee gave unanimous approval this afternoon to a bill that would ban unmarried couples from adopting children or becoming foster parents in Kentucky and it now goes to the full Senate.

This is nothing short of an attack against the gay community of Kentucky regardless of what they attempt to disguise it as.

Responses from our gay rights organizations:
"SB 68 is moving forward. The Senate Judiciary Committee Chairperson, Sen. Stivers, called a surprise meeting just moments ago to hear two bills. One of those was Senate Bill 68 ("Divisive Child Welfare Act"). Sadly, the Committee passed the bill favorably after hearing testimony only from the bill's sponsor, Sen. Tapp, and a representative of the Family Foundation of Kentucky." - Kentucky Fairness Alliance (by email)

- The Family Foundation of Kentucky? Give me a BREAK! I must point to a statement recently made by Kentucky Equality Federation last month: With national divorce rates rising because of layoffs, increases in daycare, and an economy in the tank, one would think a 'family oriented organization' would be focused on economic solutions to help take the stress off couples (such as using their money to provide free daycare instead of lobbying Frankfort against domestic partner benefits, and using children as political pawns). But, instead, they continue to focus on keeping a minority group of families from having the same civil liberties and protections as the majority.

"It is a disgrace that members of Kentucky's Senate are using children as political pawns against the gay and lesbian population of Kentucky," stated Kentucky Equality Federation's Managing Director, Laura Reed. "Kentucky Equality Federation believes the legislation will die in the House of Representatives should it pass the full Senate." (website)

The Fairness Campaign and others call the bill a thinly veiled attack on gay people, which Tapp denies [well of course he does].

Senate Bill 68 would actually apply to anyone cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of marriage.

Lexington Fairness has yet to issue a statement as has Equality Northern Kentucky (I am beginning to think they are just a website, nothing has been updated on the Equality Northern Kentucky site since December 2008). Lexington Fairness does have a nice letter on their homepage: "There are those among us that love attention and drama. When they have neither, they tend to throw immature fits to get what they want. You know someone like this … or you are that person."

Just what Kentucky needs - to punish children because Republican legislatures don't like gay people. How do these people get elected to office? Does anyone vote anymore? I am beginning to feel like I live in Alabama, Mississippi, or Florida (Dixie Country, the Deep South)!

Is There a Rift in the Gay Community Based on Race?

This is the question asked by a Louisville website: http://www.fleurdelez.com/2009/03/hot-topic-is-there-a-rift-in-the-gay-community-based-on-race

Being gay comparable to murder? What?

I just found this article: During a congressional debate on Monday, Colorado state Senator Scott Renfroe made remarks comparing homosexuality to murder and adultery. Renfroe spoke during a debate over statewide legislation that would provide benefits to the same-sex partners of state employees. His remarks, which have been condemned by the Human Rights Campaign, included calling homosexuality an abomination, an offense to God, and a sin comparable to murder and adultery.

11th Commandment: Thou shalt not be homosexual?

Theatric blogger continues assaults on Kentucky's statewide gay rights organizations

I must admit that I was wrong, Jacob Payne has blasted Kentucky Fairness Alliance in addition to Kentucky Equality Federation.

While Kentucky Equality Federation does not have 'social hours' to raise funds non-profits must do this to survive (like Kentucky Fairness Alliance). See below:


Who exactly does Payne think he is, and why is he so determined to bring down both statewide gay rights organizations in Kentucky? This was Payne's first threat to Kentucky Equality Federation:

United We Stand posted a link to a blog that someone else posted and Page On Kentucky (www.pageonkentucky.com) or Jacob Payne try to act like it was Kentucky Equality that wrote it. They only provided a link to it as the first person here pointed out.

Investigation huh? Like the one that Kentucky Equality and Jordan Palmer settled just to avoid going to court? Kentucky Equality had good reason to revoke funding to the gay straight alliances these people are college students. "You see Jacob; you DO NOT have all the documents! We did nothing wrong, that is why it was in the civil division, NOT criminal. Rather than waste money on a legal defense, I decided to pay it so it goes to LGBTI organizations instead of the AG’s Office. This time Jacob, you have crossed the line."

Actually, Mr. Palmer, Jacob Payne has crossed the line many, many times. His blog is anything but professional and he uses curse words on a regular basis. Very unprofessional.

Jacob Payne then calls state employees a bank of state employees who will protect him? Is he saying a bank of state employees because they can be bought?

Sorry Payne, this is too good not to forward to the feds. We will see if they have people in the bank also (your words not mine). I can assure you the answer is no.

Who in the world in Kentucky government help Jacob Payne anyway? He trashes everyone!

Update: A comment below pointed out that Payne also hates HRC, short for Human Rights Campaign. Does he like any gay organization? What is his problem with gay people? I thought he was gay!


Watch out Lexington Fairness and Fairness Campaign in Louisville it is only a matter of time before you become a target for drama.

Local Kentucky Lutheran's to also decide about gay/lesbian clergy?

Noting specific divisions within the Lutheran church over gay and lesbian clergy presiding over congregations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) task force recommended a policy that will be considered at their biannual convention in August 2009. The proposed policy would allow local congregations to decide whether or not those in “lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships” would be allowed to lead as clergy.

Gays and lesbians can now serve as clergy in the ELCA if they remain celibate, although some have challenged the system and hired pastors who are in same-sex relationships.

Opposing views in the church claim that homosexuality is a sin, basing their arguments on individual interpretations of the Bible.