Metraton is absolutely right in what he says, despite some efforts here to soften the blow of his direct hit on the hypocrisy JW's display in maintaining their "no class distinction" status when if fact class distinctions prevail up the wazoo.
The fact is that clergy of all kinds get "paid" in some fashion, whether it's by paycheck or largesse. DO and CO can live quite well on their "vow of poverty," especially if they are attractive, charismatic, brilliant speakers with warm personalities (and wives with similar qualities), and they have the good fortune to be assigned to a circuit or district where there is at least one affluent congregation. A CO of my acquaintance was assigned to a resort area in North America, and every Monday and Tuesday went skiing in the winter and golfing in the summer at some else's expense. He developed a posse of affluent brothers with time on their hands they entertained him royally. At the same time their wives adopted his spouse and they spent the same Mondays and Tuesdays on shopping trips and lunches at the nicest restaurants. The brother wore expensive clothing, provided by the brothers, and greeting cards with checks and cash were frequently presented to him and his wife. Observing that some circuit overseers lived in travel trailers to preserve some privacy, he mentioned to his circle of friends his wife's discomfort at having to move into someone's spare bedroom every week and immediately a new trailer was purchased and gifted to them.
Of course, there are WT princes who are assigned to poorer areas who don't receive these benefits, which is why certain districts and circuits come with a more desirable label attached. Depending on where one serves, the personality of a CO is formed. I've known some who were extremely humble and truly content with whatever came their way, even if it wasn't nearly as much as outlined above. In some places, these brothers subsist just above the poverty line. Others always had their hand out and their expectations high. I could relay stories all day about some of these expectations from my time in the Most Holy in the Inner Sanctum at the convention site. Mention "special diet" and you were out from under assembly food and catered. Mention cramped quarters and a hotel suite was produced. Mention the slightest need for any creature comfort or necessity and wallets were opened.
The reason for all this is the twisted take on the scripture in Matthew that tells Christians to feed, clothe and visit their brothers in prison. Most readers understand that to mean we have an obligation to care for the poor. In JW land, we teach that this applies to a small select group Christ's brothers who have in effect volunteered to be "poor." And we're told these men are princes. Result? We feed and clothe the princes and imagine we are doing it for the sake of Christ. This, unfortunately, reliefs us from concern for the real "poor" among us.
Despite what I've said, I don't want to be overly critical of the care and feeding of these "full time volunteers." Charity begins at home and that's what these offerings are, at the end of the day. But to deny there is special treatment for a few, and to argue that this is not "pay" for work performed... well, that's denial.