"The dramatic changes we have observed are mostly motivated by money or legal concerns - but not all, as with cutting back on meetings."
Who said the cutting back on meetings doesn't have to do with economic reasons?
More meetings means more expenses for the KH and more personal expenses for the members to go/return from meetings. This means less contributions in the box.
The cut of book study in 2009 and the just-announced cut on CO-visit meetings is to be viewed in the general consolidation plan that is going on in the last few years. Every organizational change (and not only organizational) in the WT-Land, especially since 2008 (start of world economic crisis), has to do with money. EVERYTHING.