Government Affairs Corner
AAR makes election recommendations to aid members
By Nick Bokone
Government Affairs Director for the Greater
Metro Denver REALTOR® Associations
As we enter this very busy and crucial election season, you may ask yourself a simple question: “Why does my association of REALTORS® even bother to get involved in the election process, and why do they recommend candidates?”
The answer is rooted in the most elementary concept of member service – your association, along with the members of the Political Survival Fund (PSF), offers its election recommendations to help provide information that isn’t readily available to many members and voters.
Focused on the issues
The Association invites candidates for interviews to learn primarily of their posit-ions on issues affecting the real estate industry. The screeners do not ask candidates for their positions on issues like immigration reform, abortion rights, or the war in Iraq. While all of those topics are certainly important, the screening process involves only real estate issues like private property rights, taxation issues, and regulatory matters.
This summer, the Association will be conducting these candidate interviews for mostly State House and State Senate races. This is our chance to discuss state issues such as real estate transfer taxes, transportation problems and funding, landlord/tenant legislation, and other vital topics.
Benefits of research
Screening panel members use the information gained from these interviews, along with knowledge of other factors such as voting records, electability and the current political climate, to make choices that are beneficial to REALTORS®. Since many REALTORS® do not have the time nor the opportunity to make a thorough investigation of every candidate, these recommendations are intended to give members the benefit of the screening panel’s research.
Once a candidate receives a recom-mendation, your Association works with the PSF and the REALTORS® Small Donor Committee (RSDC) to provide funding for his or her campaign. After all, our financial support is needed just as much (if not more) as our endorsement. It costs a lot of money to communicate these days, and we are compelled to do all we can to help REALTOR®-friendly candidates get their messages out during the campaign.
Your vote...your choice
We strongly encourage each and every member to do everything they can to help get our candidates elected. Those who are recommended have shown a strong belief in pro-business real estate issues as well as a willingness to be open to the REALTOR® point of view when issues arise during their term in office.
While we would love for each member to support every candidate that receives PSF/RSDC support, it is important to remember that these are ONLY recommendations. One of the strengths of our association is the existence of many diverse and unique opinions. Everyone is certainly free to use (or not use) this information and to vote their conscience. You are encouraged to use whatever reasons you have to vote for the candidates of your choice.
It all boils down to what kind of service your Association can provide for you. There are candidates who would be very helpful to the real estate industry, and there are those who have the potential to be harmful. In an effort to provide you with as much information as possible to assist you in your decision making, we’ll do the research, formulate the best position we possibly can, and give it to you for your consideration.
If you’d like to become more involved in the selection of candidates or you just want more information on the interview process, please contact me at nbokone@gmdra.com or (303) 807-4067.
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