The Reality of Our Finances: Investing Today to Prevent Tomorrow’s Disaster

Our Budget, The Myth of "Saving": The Danger of Postponing the Inevitable

At our last General Meeting, we were presented with a budget that was not shared with me (the Secretary) in advance, nor was it sent to the owners for review. Because of this, we voted against it. But we must be very clear: voting against a poorly prepared budget does not mean we should ignore the reality of our financial situation.

Many residents view increases in community fees as an unnecessary expense. However, over the last 10 years, our community has only had one fee increase. While this might feel like a "victory" in the short term, it is a financial catastrophe in the long term.

When a community fails to adjust its fees annually—at the very least in line with inflation (CPI)—we are building up a "silent deficit." The costs of cleaning, maintenance, electricity, and emergency repairs rise every single year. If our income does not rise with those costs, the quality of our community must decline because, quite simply, there are no funds available to fix what breaks.

Lessons from the Past

We all remember the consequences of trying to "save" money in the past: neglected maintenance, degraded infrastructure, and eventually, the need for a massive and traumatic special assessment (derrama) to cover a debt that could have been managed through small, gradual adjustments.

Postponing increases is not saving; it is taking out a high-interest loan that we will all pay for through the devaluation of our properties. A community that cannot maintain its facilities is a community that loses market value.

Our Proposal: Realistic and Responsible Management

As your Portavoz, I am not here to tell you that fees will magically drop, because that would be a lie. I am here to ensure that we manage our community like the serious investment that it is:

1. Total Transparency: No budget will ever reach a General Meeting without being sent to the owners well in advance for study.

2. Annual Planning: Small, gradual adjustments in line with inflation are always preferable to a massive, unforeseen hike after years of paralysis.

3. Protecting Our Assets: We must provide the Junta with the means to attend to our needs. A well-managed budget is the tool that protects your property value; it is not a tax on your pocketbook.

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The Goal: Protection and Value

We are at a crossroads. We can continue playing Russian Roulette with our finances, or we can sit down and plan with responsibility and foresight. None of us wants to pay more, but we all want a community that functions properly.

The current administration has proven they do not know how to manage our finances. We need a change that gives us the peace of mind that our money is being used to keep "La Caleta" in the best possible condition.

Delegate your proxy for the next General Meeting. This is the first step toward leaving behind the chaos of improvisation and starting to manage our future as it deserves.

(Link to Proxy Form)