It may be time for Templeton to swing over to a more conservative approach when it comes to funding things. Rather than looking for every penny available, begin but pretending the funds are not there. Take new growth for instance, it is an unknown, cannot be counted on and when it is "only" 60 to 100 thousand dollars, Perhaps, just ignore that for a year or two. The same can be done with vehicle excise tax, use a very very conservative approach. Take 2013 for instance, the estimate for excise tax was $821,000.00, the actual was $813,759.00. Estimate for 2014 was $888,779.00 and the actual was $948,747.00. A much better outcome and one that probably needs to be repeated for at least two years. In a very simple example, say you make 100 thousand per year in salary, but you live as though you only make 50 thousand per year. You should be able to save substantially, have few bills and not have the worry about how to pay for this or that. It may be time for Templeton to take the same approach. Stop looking at the documents to show how much is available and start looking at what we can live without, at least for say three years and plan it that way and then things should really work the way it has been presented the past 2 1/2 years. Just a thought.


posted by Jeff Bennett