Tx you, Ed, for your leadership in this matter - all who assisted you. 
This is a critical area of NCSG involvement.
Best,
Kathy

On 4/30/2016 9:29 PM, Edward Morris wrote:
> Hello everybody,
> Perhaps the most important public comment opportunity every year is 
> our chance to post a comment on ICANN's budget and operating plan. 
> This is our chance as representatives of the noncommercial community 
> to ask for different spending priorities to be made, to question any 
> and all aspects of ICANN's operations and to express our views on the 
> functioning of  ICANN the corporation.
> The comment period for the fiscal year 2017 budget and operating plan 
> ended last night. You can read the proposed budget and operating plan 
> and all the comments received 
> here: https://www.icann.org/public-comments/op-budget-fy17-five-year-2016-03-05-en .
> The NCSG was heavily involved in preparing the GNSO Council's comments 
> on the budget. The Council set up a small group consisting of Carlos 
> Raúl Gutierrez of NPOC/NCSG, Keith Drazek of Versisgn and myself to 
> draft the comment of the GNSO Council. I've attached the result of our 
> work,  which was submitted earlier today.
> As the community obtains veto power over ICANN's budget through the 
> corporate reorganisation currently underway, it will be imperative 
> that our stakeholder group be proactive in monitoring and 
> participating in the budget process. I look forward to working with 
> those NCSG members with interest in this area going forward as we meet 
> our obligations to our members and the wider ICANN community in 
> ensuring that  ICANN corporate operationally functions in the way the 
> community has directed it to.
> I'm more than happy to answer any questions anyone in the NCSG has on 
> this years budget and operating plan, the Council response or on the 
> budget process in general.
> Kind Regards,
> Ed Morris