What is RAPAC? Where does your money go?

Transcription

1 What is RAPAC? The REALTORS of Arizona Political Action Committee (RAPAC) is a membership-sponsored effort organized to financially support candidates running for national, state and local office whose position on real estate regulation and a free-market business environment most closely represent the initiatives of NAR, AAR and WeMAR. RAPAC contributes to and channels resources into the races that will have the most impact on the real estate industry. The PAC is a voluntary, non-profit political action committee and operates independently of any political party. RAPAC is a vital part of the Arizona Association of REALTORS Government Affairs program as well as that of the. It is a program that includes professional lobbying, legislative analysis, grassroots contacts, and long-term political relationships. RAPAC strives to educate legislators about our industry and guarantees that no decision is made that will affect our industry, good or bad, until our voice is heard. Where does your money go? Below is a simple breakdown, which shows how your RAPAC contribution helps you! Out of $ Stays in Arizona.30 Is sent to the National Association of REALTORS What happens to the.70 that stays in Arizona?.15 Can be used by WeMAR to support LOCAL candidates.55 Is used by the Arizona Association of REALTORS to support STATE candidates

2 uestions & Answers Got uestions? Get Answers! What Is RAPAC? How Does It Help You? What is a PAC (Political Action Committee)? Political Action Committees, or PACs, are private groups that are organized to provide funding for political campaigns or the promotion of legislation that would benefit the group s members. Almost every business and special interest group in the United States has a Political Action Committee to make sure its voice is heard by those making decisions that affect their interests. PACs exist across the political spectrum. There are PACs devoted to doctors, teachers, builders, senior citizens, veterans, hospitals, automobile dealers, the arts and more. Most PACs are generally based on one special issue or party interest. RAPAC is not. RAPAC is a bipartisan organization that exists to protect and promote REALTOR interests and real estate industry-related issues across our state. In fact, RAPAC works for you on a myriad of issues including water rights, private property rights, real estate transfer tax, HOA legislation, professional services tax, and ADRE regulation requirements to name just a few. Why should REALTORS care? The purpose of a PAC is to protect your interests and make sure your industry continues to thrive. RAPAC the REALTORS of Arizona Political Action Committee exists to protect the interests of the real estate profession; in other words, to protect your livelihood. Just as you purchase insurance to protect your family s health, RAPAC is a REALTOR S business insurance. Where does your RAPAC money go? RAPAC funds are used to contribute to individual campaigns with the candidate s knowledge, and/or for independent expenditures on behalf of a candidate without the candidates knowledge. Out of every dollar contributed, 70 cents remains in Arizona for state and local races and 30 cents is forwarded to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Political Action Committee (RPAC) for federal races. Contributions must be by personal check or personal credit card. Corporate funds cannot be used. What happens to the 70 cents that stays in Arizona? 15 cents can be used by WeMAR to support local candidates. 55 cents is used by AAR to support state candidates. After WeMAR meets our annual fundraising goal, 50 cents per dollar is retained for local use. I already contribute to political candidates on my own. Why should I also give money to RAPAC? Some people like to contribute directly to a particular candidate, but they also contribute through RAPAC. There really is strength in numbers. The dollars you invest are pooled with literally thousands of other contributors to support candidates who understand issues that affect our business. How can I learn more? WeMAR s Government Affairs committee members are available to answer questions you may have about RAPAC. We are also available to come to your sales meetings to make a presentation on new laws and issues affecting the industry. Call for information. How can I invest in RAPAC? Making an investment in RAPAC can be done by participating in the WeMAR RAPAC Challenge as well as by mail, telephone or fax. Call to contribute by phone or to have a form mailed, ed or faxed to you.

3 Protecting Your Industry The True Cost of Doing Business in Arizona as a REALTOR One of the most important services organized real estate provides is representation in the halls of government. Your RAPAC contribution goes to support local, state and federal candidates who represent YOUR rights and towards supporting your industry's positions on state and local issues such as: At a minimum, 15% of all proposed legislation introduced at the Capitol each year impacts REALTORS -- that amounts to several hundred bills each year! Most of these would increase REALTOR liability and decrease REALTOR profits as well as infringe on private property rights. Supporting RAPAC is the only way to ensure that your right to do business is protected. The, the Arizona Association of REALTORS and RAPAC want to help you: 1. make more money; 2. keep more of what you make; 3. reduce your liability and bring balance back to the judicial system; 4. lower your E &O insurance rates; and 5. avoid unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy in the real estate profession. In order to affect legislation, we must be pro-active, bipartisan, and support the best pro-business/pro-real estate lawmakers. With your minimum contribution of $30, we can raise thousands of dollars to be stronger than ever! We have a proven track record in candidate and issue campaigns, but we need more funds to take advantage of the opportunities -- we challenge all of us in organized real estate to contribute now for a 100% member participation rate for 2011! We need your help to take this message out to all of the other AAR members who are not involved or who have never even supported their own real estate political action committee. REALTORS are continually targeted by partisan, special interest groups because they think we are easy targets. Most of the 42,000 plus members of AAR have adopted and maintained an independent contractor status. In the meantime, other special interest groups have organized and educated their members about the benefits, protections and effectiveness of political contributions. The true cost of doing business in Arizona as a REALTOR is a minimum of $30 for a minimal commitment for the entire year. It only takes two minutes to write a check or sign a credit card authorization for at least $30.00 to protect your professional rights!

4 WeMAR Success Stories Local RAPAC Success Stories REALTORS Arizona Political Action Committee (RAPAC) is an influential tool for WeMAR to utilize for its Government Relations strategy to influence public policy to the benefit of its membership. During the last few years, WeMAR has completed a comprehensive endorsement process for candidates for local offices throughout the West Valley. This process has included financial support from RAPAC and has created the opportunity for WeMAR to change the direction and outcome of policies that influence the way REALTORS do business. Below are a few examples of your RAPAC dollars at work: In 2009 and 2010, WeMAR discovered that several municipalities were refusing to turn on municipal utilities if the previous owner or tenant at that location had any past due bills, which was often the case with foreclosed homes. AAR took the issue to the State Legislature to find a statewide and uniform solution for all municipalities. HB2450 mandated that municipalities may only collect utility payments from the person with which the municipality contracted and prohibits refusal of service. Avondale, El Mirage, and Glendale each tried to skirt the law by only allowing property owners to contract with the municipality for services. WeMAR was able to reverse these policies in each municipality by using RAPAC funds to support Avondale Councilmember Vierhout, five El Mirage council members, and several Glendale council members during various elections. In the Town of Buckeye, RAPAC provided support to two new council members during their election and allowed WeMAR to create valuable contacts before the members were even elected to office. This has enabled WeMAR to have meaningful discussions about the budget and its impact on REALTORS. El Mirage had a Rental Business License fee of $25.00 for the first property and $10 for each additional property. WeMAR was able to get this ordinance repealed after RAPAC provided support that replaced five of El Mirage s seven City Council member in one election eliminating the fee altogether. In the City of Surprise, RAPAC provided support to Councilmember Hall who assisted WeMAR in revisiting the Door-to-Door Solicitation Ordinance after its initial passage, ultimately removing the licensing fee requirements and defining solicitation in a way that would allow REALTORS to perform their jobs effectively. In the City of Surprise, RAPAC provided support to the Council that removed the most harmful parts of its Rental Accountability Ordinance, including a $300 rental business license fee increase, a mandatory inspection requirement for all rental properties, and the possibility of the owner or property manager losing their business license before they had the opportunity to address problem tenants. Without your contribution to RAPAC, many of these success stories may not have been possible!

5 Contribute to the REALTORS of Arizona Political Action Committee Today! Every session, the Arizona legislature sees legislation introduced that could cripple or shut down the real estate industry. During the last decade, state and local elections have become expensive propositions. In order to be competitive, candidates find it necessary to raise thousands of dollars each election cycle. In today's political world, where a run for the state senate can cost a couple of million dollars and a U.S. Senate campaign can run $12 to $15 million, such contributions are not only justified, but essential. and the Arizona Association of REALTORS seek to assist those elected officials and candidates who support the real estate industry and a strong business climate by helping to finance their election efforts through the association s political action committee: the REALTORS of Arizona Political Action Committee. The days of innocent congressmen being corrupted by nefarious PACs and wealthy constituents are gone. A RAPAC contribution to a candidate simply opens the door for communication by showing the candidate that we support them. RAPAC gives all members an opportunity to contribute to candidates who understand the importance of a strong business community and a healthy economic climate. Only a minority of members make any contributions to RAPAC. Those that do average about a $30 donation. For truly effective political representation, every member in the state should provide at least $99 a year to RAPAC. RAPAC is limited to contributing to candidates running for state and local offices. Contributions of any size are welcome, and we encourage all members to contribute. Some are quite active and are considered important players in the political process. So join the thousands of others who support RAPAC and demonstrate the grassroots commitment to protecting your industry. Thank you for your support.

6 $85,000 Goal $80,000 $75,000 $70,000 $65,000 $60,000 $55,000 $50,000 Contribu tion Thermometer $45,000 $40,000 $35,000 $30,000 Goal: $79,380 By September 26, 2011 Contributions: $40,597 As of September 30, 2011 $25,000 $20, 000 $15, 000 With your contribution, we can make a difference for our real estate industry! $10, 000 $5, 000 $0 Sponsored by your Government Affairs & Public Policy Committee 9001 West Union Hills Drive, #8 Peoria, Arizona Fax:

7 WeMAR Challenges Brokers & Managers and Offices to Raise Contributions for RAPAC RAPAC is a bipartisan organization that exists to protect and promote REALTOR interests and real estate industryrelated issues across our state. In fact, RAPAC works for you on a myriad of issues including water rights, private property rights, real estate transfer tax, HOA legislation, professional services tax, and ADRE regulation requirements to name just a few. Our success at the legislature is due in no small part to RAPAC and its ability to help us make an impact on legislative policy! WeMAR s RAPAC Goal WeMAR RAPAC 2011 Challenge Every year, the REALTORS Political Action Committee sets fundraising goals for REALTOR associations. This number is based on the number of members each association has. WeMAR 2011 RAPAC Goal is $79,380 with 100% participation. As of September 30, 2011, our members have raised $40,597 with a participation rate of 21.3%. We have reached 51.14% of our goal. We need your help in reaching our goal. How to Participate WeMAR challenges all brokers and managers of WeMAR to contribute to RAPAC. We ask you to make a pledge to the challenge and take it back to your office asking your REALTORS to contribute as well. Help raise awareness of what RAPAC is and how it is used to improve government as it relates to real estate. This is a contest between brokers & managers and between offices of WeMAR. Donations made by WeMAR members are credited to WeMAR by RAPAC. Donations made by members of other associations will be attributed to that association. Donations made by WeMAR members only will be included in this challenge. Prizes Challenge Winners 1. Office with the highest average contribution per WeMAR REALTOR member 2. Office with highest total gross contributed by WeMAR REALTORS 3. Office with highest percentage of WeMAR REALTORS participating (100% Club) The deadline to contribute for this challenge is September 26, Those who contribute $99 or more, receive a RAPAC lapel pin. Special lunch for the winning offices Office plaque to display in the office and one will be displayed at WeMAR Recognition in WeMAR s RAPAC magazine, The WeMAR Connection, announcements, on WeMAR.org, and any additional WeMAR RAPAC publication as deemed appropriate

8 RAPAC Giving REALTORS a voice. Giving people a voice is one of the many benefits associations provide to its members, who individually can only whisper against the wind but collectively roar above the noise... In our industry, each of our members is the president of his or her own small business. Your entrepreneurial skills are required to keep a vigilant eye on profits. Our profits are directly affected by the economy, and the economy is directly affected by the political and governmental process. It's time to affect the process! You make an investment in your business, and here are some very good reasons to make the investment in RAPAC: Broker & Manager Challenge All Brokers & Managers to contribute It protects your livelihood. It protects private property rights for all property owners. It helps elect qualified individuals who are willing to listen to REALTOR concerns. It provides access to current elected officials. It gives us visibility and helps promote REALTORS as people who care about the political process. More importantly, our RAPAC dollars can be used here in Arizona to help our fellow REALTORS in elections for local offices. Very impressive accomplishments for a few bucks, don't you think? There are so many reasons to make an investment in RAPAC we can't address them all here. But we can address the reasons we've heard why REALTORS don't contribute. I don't have the money. Think about losing your right to earn a living in this business the next time you call out for pizza! Nobody ever asked me. Okay... we're asking now. I don't believe in PACs, or I don't support the candidates RAPAC supports, or I disagree with Whether you believe in PACs or support the same candidates, or have any other political or philosophical objection, the fact is, RAPAC exists and works to protect the rights of all REALTORS as well as property owners. The bottom line... RAPAC is an investment in our business and our livelihoods. Please don't delay, invest in RAPAC today. Prizes Office Challenge Winners 1. Highest average dollar amount raised per WeMAR REALTOR member 2. Highest gross amount contributed by WeMAR REALTOR members 3. Highest percentage of participating WeMAR REALTORS (100% Club) Those who contribute $99 or more, receive a RAPAC lapel pin. Special lunch for the winning offices Plaque to display in the office and one will be displayed at WeMAR as well Recognition in WeMAR s RAPAC magazine, The WeMAR Connection, announcements, on WeMAR.org, and any additional WeMAR RAPAC publication as deemed appropriate Challenge deadline: September 26, 2011 Complete the contribution form & submit with contribution to: WeMAR 9001 West Union Hills Drive, #8 Peoria, Arizona Fax to: Thank you for your contribu tion! Sponsored by your Government Affairs & Public Policy Committee