From: Kedren Sitton |
SEC Chairman Christopher Cox Dear SEC Chairman Cox, My 2 cents: As a personally responsible, egalitarian human being myself, point me to the mutual fund that publicly reports the salaries of all managers of the fund, "pants down", to its investors along with the current required periodic reports, and I'll have a hard time NOT investing in it! I've considered such an investment idea myself, and I think it would work well (I'm not a self-important, greedy bastard who can't get his hands on enough money, see?)! The standard blurb: Mutual funds are an increasingly important savings vehicle for tens of millions of working Americans like me. We are the owners of these funds and we bear the risks if they are dominated by self-interested insiders. We look to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to protect us. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed rule requiring that mutual fund boards have an independent chairperson and at least 75 percent independent directors. These rules were among the most important reforms adopted by the SEC in the wake of the mutual fund trading and sales abuse scandals. A recent study by AFSCME and The Corporate Library found mutual funds provide a rubber stamp for excessive management pay, supporting more than three-quarters of all management pay proposals. Ninety percent of institutional investors think the current system overpays executives. We need independent directors to stand up to the excesses of the money managers. The Investment Company Act requires that mutual funds be managed in the interests of their shareholders. Requiring independent directors and chairpersons will help ensure this safeguard for the small investor, to make sure the little person gets a fair shake. Sincerely, Kedren Sitton
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