RAPAC – Making the Connection

Ever since I began working in the real estate industry 10 years ago, I have been asked to contribute to RAPAC. At every local association event, at every state event, every time I paid my annual dues–it seems like I was constantly being asked to contribute to RAPAC.

And each time, I ignored it.

I always had an excuse:

  • I did not have any money.
  • I did not like to be told what to do.
  • I did not like to be pressured.
  • I did not like being made to feel guilty.
  • I did not like politics.
  • I did not like the idea of lobbying.
  • I wanted my career as a REALTOR® to be apart from all that.

I really felt no connection at all to the efforts of RAPAC.

I did not see or feel the connection between that and my business as a REALTOR®.

Then things changed.

At the annual NAR Convention in San Diego in 2009, I attended the federal issues update session.

I heard firsthand the reports on efforts from a very talented team of individuals in the Government Affairs Division at NAR, led by Jerry Giovaniello, Senior VP of Government Affairs. I listened to presentation after presentation by Jerry’s team of senior lobbyists and heard the details of how they work for us REALTORS® every day on Capitol Hill with our lawmakers to keep REALTOR®  issues and private property rights at the forefront of the conversations in the highest levels of our government.

I have also since then witnessed first hand the extensive statewide efforts led by our own Arizona Association of REALTORS® and CEO Tom Farley and his team. Tom and AAR do a tremendous job working on a daily basis at the state level presenting our priorities and our concerns to our state lawmakers and representing what is best for private property owners in Arizona.

I also noticed, at each state or national conference I attended, the passion and drive with which our leadership and many fellow REALTORS® spoke about the importance of RAPAC. I figured these talented and successful individuals must know something I don’t.

These experiences, which have been continually reinforced over the past two years at the national, state and local levels, have allowed me to make the connection between:

My RAPAC Contribution

and

Our National, Statewide and Local Lobbying Efforts

and

My Business and My Career as a REALTOR®


The current issues our RAPAC dollars go towards are critical, such as defending the mortgage interest deduction (MID), short sale and foreclosure lender reform, opposing professional service taxes, Arizona Corporation Commission line extension issues, limitation of HOA transfer fees and many more. (See the links below for more details.) This list is a fast-moving target, requiring the dedication of skilled individuals at state and national levels to track it and ensure we, the REALTOR®, are always represented.

These issues directly affect our business and livelihood, and we can directly affect the outcome of these issues by contributing to RAPAC.

That is the connection.

I look at it this way: We all invest in our business. Each year, around this time, we do a business plan–where to budget dollars for education, technology, marketing, support, dues, travel, phone, computer, supplies and so on.

Add RAPAC to your budget.

There can be no better investment you can make in your business than making a contribution to RAPAC.  It will not only go to protect and sustain your business but to grow your business as well.

SO PLEASE:

  • Make that connection.
  • Support your career.
  • Support your business.
  • Support your industry.

Respectfully yours,

— Ed

Important Links: