|
 
May 2010
Index of all
messages
from the Association President
If real estate is your career, politics is your business
By David Barber, AAR President
Let me start this month’s message with some very big thank yous to the many individuals who helped make the Association’s April Political Survival Fund (PSF) Kick Off a success.
Thank you to Congressmen Mike Coffman and Ed Perlmuttter; State Representative Nancy Todd; Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon; Aurora City Councilmen Bob Broom, Bob FitzGerald and Brad Pierce; Colorado Association of REALTORS® CEO Bob Golden; and CAR Immediate Past President/ PSF Chair Amy Dorsey for attending. Much appreciation to AAR PSF Chairman Bill Rapp and the PSF Committee for hosting one of the best Kick Off events AAR has ever had.
The fact that such an esteemed group of dignitaries attended the event is testimony to the efforts that Aurora Association of REALTORS® members have made in the political arena. As CAR CEO Golden commented at the end of the event, “You certainly have set the bar high for the other associations this season.”
At this writing, AAR has raised over $11,000 for PSF this season, with approximately $6,000 coming from the Kick Off! Aurora members have demonstrated that they see the value in PSF and the benefits that come from making their PSF contributions.
A “fair share” challenge
That said, I would like to challenge each member of AAR to hit their “fair share” PSF goal this year. NAR uses the term “fair share” as a contribution of $25 per member to PSF. If each AAR member were to contribute $25 – or even better, $25 per closing related to the tax credit - we would far exceed AAR’s PSF contribution goal of $19,825.
Think for a moment about what your PSF donation does or has done recently. It helped secure that first time buyer’s tax credit (and the program’s continuation) and, more recently, the move-up buyer’s credit. Also nationally, it supports lobbying toward maintaining the mortgage interest deduction. On a state level, consider that without lobbying efforts, REALTORS® would have faced liability exposure in the carbon monoxide detector law; and locally, efforts helped formulate a workable vacant housing ordinance and works to prevent the establishment of restrictive sign codes that could interfere with your ability to do business.
Your PSF dollars help you continue to do business profitably. Is $25 too much to ask for the assistance you get from NAR's, CAR's and AAR's work on your behalf in the political arena? The time is at hand to write your check, because if real estate is your career, politics is certainly your business. |
