Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 28, 1992 TAG: 9202280408
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
DON'T BLAME LOCAL UNITED WAYS
THE RESIGNATION of United Way of America President William Aramony, announced Thursday, ought to leave local United Ways around the country, including the Roanoke Valley's, breathing easier.Recent news stories had revealed Aramony was pulling down a whopping $463,000 in salary and other compensation, and was enjoying extravagant perks. There were allegations, too, of some smelly hiring and managerial practices in the national office.
Even if he had done nothing illegal, Aramony showed atrocious judgment and arrogance unbecoming the head of a national charity. The publicity surrounding his activities had created an air of mistrust, the clearing of which required his departure.
So give credit to United Way of Roanoke Valley and others around the country that refused to pay dues to the national United Way until the cloud concerning Aramony's activities was lifted. It was the right response to the revelations, and doubtless added pressure on Aramony to leave.
Meantime, this isn't the only heat United Way of Roanoke Valley has felt recently from developments taking place under the charitable organization's national tent.
There's also a brouhaha concerning the Boy Scouts of America's national policy of excluding homosexual scouts and leaders. The Boy Scouts is among the biggest beneficiaries of United Way fund-raising campaigns in most localities, Roanoke included.
These controversies have erupted, alas, at a time when most charities face increased demands for help and diminishing resources for providing it. From neither controversy should local residents have found any reason to reduce their contributions to United Way, even before Aramony resigned.
This is so not only because the local United Way joined the protest against the national office. It's also so because - and this is important - United Way of Roanoke Valley is not a United Way chapter or branch under the national president's thumb. It is an autonomous organization, independently directed by local community leaders.
There is, moreover, not a particle of evidence that excessive pay for United Way officials or questionable administrative practices have trickled down from the national office. It's estimated that less than $600 of $4.6 million raised in the Roanoke Valley's 1991 campaign trickled up to the national office in Alexandria to become a part of Aramony's pay package.
Indeed, overhead costs at the local organization appear to be lower than for most United Way groups. It remains at the core of United Way's reason for existence to reduce administrative costs through joint campaigns led by local volunteers.
As for the Boy Scouts: Their national policy of excluding homosexuals may offend gay citizens and others who are also loyal United Way contributors. San Francisco's United Way went so far as to cut out Boy Scouts.
Yet, under a donor choice program, those who object to the scouts policy have the same option that people who oppose family planning and abortion counseling have regarding Planned Parenthood: They may request that not a penny of their United Way contribution go to the agency that offends them.
To protest the Boy Scout policy by withholding gifts to United Way would unreasonably penalize other agencies that work hard to serve the community.