Thanks Edward for this vital info.

Adeleye
Quoting Edward Morris <[log in to unmask]>:

> 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