In terms of keeping the lights on, I also argue we need to pay close attention to how our money is being spent, and here's why:
As a tax exempt organization, the AMA is required to make public it's IRS 990's, and those disclose the compensation for key individuals. Per page 8, line 1, of the most recent 990 publically available (2013), the AMA's Executive Director made a total of $136,871. Per City-Data, the median income of everyone in Muncie is just $26,292, and the median income for the entire state of Indiana is just $47,529.
So, in 2013 dollars, that means we paid the ED 5.2 times the median income in Muncie, and 2.9 times the median state-wide income. That put the AMA's Executive Director in the top 1.5% of all wage earners in Muncie and in the top 3.9% of all wage earners in the entire state of Indiana.
Is that how our non-profit should be spending our money? How many of us are in the top 3.9% of all wage earners in our state? I venture a guess not many.
AMA's IRS 990 for 2013 -
https://projects.propublica.org/nonp...ions/520799408
Local and state income info -
http://www.city-data.com/income/inco...e-Indiana.html